The Plain Language Guide will be entitled:
Digitisation for construction product manufacturers: a plain language guide
How manufacturers can structure and share data safely and sustainably.
If construction is to meet the challenges of a digital future and respond to the requirements of a new building safety regulatory system, it needs manufacturers to structure and share their data safely and sustainably. The Plain Language Guide will help them make the right decisions.
The guide aims to help decision makers in manufacturing identify:
- Why structured data is important.
- How to avoid poor investment decisions.
- How to protect their future with a step-by-step process to set priorities and implement information management across the supply chain for their products.
The international context for this work is important, as products are sold across borders. Work in Europe is moving ahead at pace, from digital building logbooks to unified frameworks for digital services. Harmonised, digitised product information will be essential for businesses to succeed in this context. Getting your data right once is enough; it will allow you to compete in the UK, Europe and internationally.
We are at the beginning of a transformational journey in the construction industry and manufacturers are expected to play their part. There is no need to wait to digitise your product information. If you are waiting for the right time to act, there is no time like the present.
Thanks to our supporters
The Plain Language Guide Project could not have been possible without the support of many individuals and organisations. We’d like to extend our thanks in particular to all those who participated in the open Zoom sessions, those who asked and answered questions online, or who took the time to talk to us about the project.
The authors and The IET would also like to thank the following organisations for their support:
- BEAMA
- Electrium Sales Ltd
- IBM
- Just Practising Limited
- The UK BIM Alliance
Publication Date
The Editorial Board has been hard at work finalising the Guide. We expect publication to be towards the end of September. Subscribe to this blog to be notified when the Guide is published – click on the ‘Sign In’ button at the top of any page and set up a free account with the IET.
Launch Event – 6 October 2021
A launch event will be held for the Plain Language Guide at UK Construction Week at the NEC, Birmingham on Wednesday 6th October at 1.15pm at the Digital Construction Hub. We’ll be presenting the key points of the guide and there will be time to ask questions of the Editorial Board.
Panel Session – 7 October 2021
In addition, at 12.40pm on Thursday 7th October we will be hosting a panel session on the Main Stage at UK Construction Week, featuring key speakers discussing the challenges of data ownership and cyber security mentioned in the Guide.
Join our LinkedIn Group
To support manufacturers who will be implementing digitisation in their organisation, the IET has set up a dedicated LinkedIn group: Digitisation for Construction Product Manufacturers. You can join the group here.
Ask us to speak at your event
The IET Built Environment Panel is happy to present the guide and talk about digitisation of construction product information to your organisation, trade association or conference. Contact us at [email protected] with the subject heading plain language guide to discuss further.
