“Too Often, Information Is Still Passed Along Like a Relay Baton”

B4T: At BIM World, Autodesk is presenting the new State of Digital Construction 2026 - EMEA report (opens in a new window). 58% of respondents in Germany expect their organizations to rely significantly more on construction technology in the future. At the same time, only 40% are very satisfied with the flow of information across their projects. Is the next hurdle less about introducing new technology and more about connecting it in day-to-day work?

Daniela Becker: That is where I see the next major opportunity. The willingness to work more digitally is particularly high in Germany. But value does not come from adding more and more point solutions. What matters is keeping data and context intact across planning, construction, and operations so teams do not have to keep searching for, transferring, or recreating information. That is why the conversation is shifting from digitization alone to connected, end-to-end workflows. Our goal at Autodesk is to reduce those breaks with a shared data foundation, more connected processes, and AI that can build on that context. At its best, technology reduces time-consuming administrative work and gives people more time to make better decisions.

„Digital transformation is never just a technology project. Companies need to be very clear about the problem they want to solve and what will actually improve for people in their day-to- day work.“

B4T: In Germany, 33% of respondents cite resistance to change as a barrier to adopting new technologies – the highest share among the markets surveyed. Do companies need to communicate better?

Daniela Becker: Digital transformation is never just a technology project. Companies need to be very clear about the problem they want to solve and what will actually improve for people in their day-to- day work. If new systems create extra work or simply reproduce existing processes digitally, skepticism is understandable. Successful companies involve the people who will use the technology early, build internal networks of champions, invest in training, and introduce new ways of working step by step. Leadership has an important role to play. Leaders need to provide direction while also listening to where teams encounter practical barriers. Technology should reduce burdens and strengthen people's expertise. When employees see that they spend less time searching, transferring information, and completing routine tasks, and more time on professional work, change becomes much more tangible.

B4T: The report also points to a perception gap: 53% of CTOs expect significantly greater reliance on construction technology, compared with only 31% of construction managers. What does that difference tell us about digital transformation in the industry?

Daniela Becker: It shows why strategy and project delivery need to be brought closer together. At the leadership level, the potential of platforms, data, and AI is often very clear. On the jobsite or within a project team, what matters most is whether a solution works reliably, fits existing workflows, and helps at the moment it is needed. Both perspectives are valid. Companies should therefore measure the success of a digital strategy not by how many tools they introduce, but by whether workflows improve through faster decisions, less duplication, or better collaboration. That requires continuous feedback from projects. The people who use technology every day should not be consulted only after implementation. They should be part of shaping it. That is how an enterprise strategy becomes a working model that holds up in practice.

B4T: According to the report, document and data management is one of the industry's top improvement priorities. What does a truly connected flow of information from planning and design through construction and into operations look like to you?

Daniela Becker: For me, a connected flow of information means first and foremost that project knowledge does not lose value every time work moves into the next phase. Too often today, data is exported, restructured, or rebuilt in other systems at each handoff. In a more connected model, the context stays with the information from early design through coordination and delivery to handover and operations. That is exactly what our platform strategy with Autodesk Forma is designed to support. And the lifecycle does not end at completion. Operations generate new information about how buildings and assets actually perform. When those insights feed back into planning and future projects, the loop closes. That is the shift from a digital project record to a continuous data and learning process.

„A platform creates the most value when it connects systems rather than creating new silos.“

B4T: If connected data flows across the entire lifecycle are the goal, how open does a construction and design ecosystem need to be to avoid passing information from one system to the next like a relay baton?

Daniela Becker: No complex construction or infrastructure project works in a single system, and that will not change. Interoperability, open standards, and interfaces are therefore fundamental to connected ways of working. IFC and openBIM have an important role, as do APIs that let companies connect their own systems and processes. Autodesk Platform Services, for example, provides APIs and services that connect data and workflows across systems and support custom solutions. What matters to me is that data remains usable where it is needed and that companies can continue to develop their existing technology environments in a practical way. A platform creates the most value when it connects systems rather than creating new silos.

B4T: The shortage of skilled professionals is increasing pressure on planning and construction teams. What role do user experience and the automation of routine tasks play in making digital tools accessible to more people without replacing professional expertise?

Daniela Becker: Technology should not make the skills shortage worse by requiring additional specialist knowledge for every step of the work. Good user experience and automation reduce unnecessary complexity. Software can handle routine tasks, make information easier to find, and guide people through processes. That gives professionals more time for planning, problem-solving, and collaboration. AI can also make access to complex data and capabilities more natural. The goal, however, is not to replace expertise. The more we automate, the more important professional judgment becomes.

„For us, it is important that automation can be controlled through clear permissions, traceable data sources, and the ability to review results.“

B4T: With agentic AI, systems could increasingly do more than make recommendations. They could carry out tasks and trigger workflows. Where do you draw the line in construction between useful automation and decisions that must remain with people?

Daniela Becker: We will see AI increasingly move beyond providing information to taking on clearly defined tasks. That can be very useful, for example when a system gathers information, prepares checks, triggers the next process step, or presents options for evaluation. At the same time, the construction industry needs clear guardrails. Decisions that affect safety, compliance, or technical responsibility must remain traceable and with qualified people. For us, it is therefore important that automation can be controlled through clear permissions, traceable data sources, and the ability to review results. The productive question for me is not 'people or AI?' It is which tasks AI can reliably take on so people have more capacity for decisions where experience, context, and responsibility are essential.

B4T: BIM World MUNICH is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. What has changed most over that time, and what do you think we will be talking about in the coming years when we discuss BIM and digital transformation?

Daniela Becker: Ten years ago, the digital model itself was often at the center of the BIM conversation. Today, the focus is much more on what happens between models, systems, project phases, and project teams. The key topics are connected data, end-to-end workflows, AI, and increasingly the connection to operations. At the same time, our current report makes one point very clear: the human factor remains central. Technology is developing quickly, but companies also need to develop their organizations, processes, and skills. I therefore think that in the coming years, alongside BIM as a methodology, we will talk much more about a continuous digital lifecycle. BIM World is valuable because it makes this interaction between technology, practice, partners, and people visible.