Building a Systems Development Team - Mistakes

While there are many benefits to contractors starting their own internal Systems Development teams, there are also many risks.

Steve Jost Profile Picture
Share
Contributors Chris Hodge Profile PictureChris Hodge David Brown Profile PictureDavid Brown
  • First of all, it wasn’t the best fit as previously discussed. 
  • Underestimating the cultural mismatch between developers and other team members that were brought in from outside the construction industry.
  • Not funding the development team properly, including funding of individual roles. Just like the field, many times the cheapest labor is not the most productive per dollar.
  • Not putting the right amount of resources into the management of the team. Managing software engineers and developers is very different than managing a field workforce or project managers. A hands-off “hope” style or a micromanaging style are both typical mistakes.
  • Not sequencing the projects properly, so a return is seen for the investment across the organization.
  • Over-building when a “Minimum Viable Product” or MVP is what you really need. This will impact returns as much as not sequencing properly.
  • Not planning for and managing the roll-out, training, continuous improvement, and support aspects of an internally developed tool.

This is Part 16 of an 18-Part Series


Topics Covered in the Series Include:

  • Workflow
  • Management
  • Balance
  • Risk
  • Outsourcing

All relationships start with a simple conversation. Let’s schedule some time to talk about your specific challenges and opportunities.


Building a Systems Development Team - Mistakes
Construction technology innovation is accelerating and the contractors that learn how to effectively integrate technology into every aspect of their business will dominate tomorrow. ...

Building a Systems Development Team - Mistakes
Construction technology innovation is accelerating and the contractors that learn how to effectively integrate technology into every aspect of their business will dominate tomorrow. ...

Valuation Math - Growth Pays
All other factors being equal, a contractor that can accelerate growth after the purchase will -- in most cases -- be able to pay for the business quicker.
Mental Models and Building Strong Businesses
The best builders develop a complex 5D mental model of the project, keeping it constantly updated. Through thousands of interactions with hundreds of people over years they “nudge” the project from concept through construction completion.
Quote about Winning - Bob Knight
There is an excitement about winning and definitely a need to instill that vision and passion in your team. This however is just the top of the mountain and reaching the summit is momentary. It's the discipline of preparing to win that is critical.