Six digital skills becoming essential for construction professionals

As digital technology becomes increasingly embedded in construction, professionals are being expected to combine traditional project experience with stronger digital capabilities.

According to a recent skills report, 59 per cent of quantity surveying and construction professionals identified advanced digital tools as the most important skill for the future.

While practical experience remains central to construction, the growing use of digital platforms, building information modelling (BIM), data analytics, visual documentation and artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how teams plan, monitor and deliver projects.

PlanRadar, a digital platform used by construction teams globally, has identified six skills that are becoming increasingly relevant across modern construction sites.

1. Creating clear digital project records

Construction documentation involves more than taking photographs or recording brief notes. Digital records should clearly show what happened, where it occurred, who is responsible and what action is required.

Well-structured information allows contractors to respond more efficiently and enables reviewers to verify whether work has been completed correctly.

A 2023 case study cited by PlanRadar found that structured digital quality-control documentation reduced supervisors’ documentation workload by 80 to 90 per cent. Standardised data entry also improved the accuracy and usability of inspection records.

Organised digital records can also provide a stronger foundation for future automation and AI applications.

2. Coordinating digital workflows

Construction professionals increasingly need to understand how information moves through an entire project rather than simply knowing how to operate individual digital tools.

Processes such as inspections, Requests for Information (RFIs) and approvals need clearly defined workflows showing who initiates an action, what information is required, who reviews it and when escalation is needed.

A PlanRadar study of 1,728 construction professionals found that one in four respondents said delayed approvals typically add more than a month to project timelines.

Clear digital workflows can help keep responsibilities visible, reduce missed actions and support faster decision-making.

3. Working with digital drawings and BIM

Construction professionals do not necessarily need to become BIM specialists, but they increasingly need to navigate digital drawings, understand revisions and connect site issues with the correct locations in digital models.

The capability is becoming particularly relevant in the UAE as Dubai continues to digitise building processes.

Dubai Municipality’s BIM platform allows consultants to upload IFC models and automatically check them against Dubai BIM Standards and selected building regulations.

As digital construction processes develop, professionals who can work confidently with digital models will be better positioned to connect design information with actual site conditions.

4. Capturing useful visual evidence

Visual documentation is becoming an important tool for tracking construction progress and communicating site conditions.

Professionals need to understand what should be photographed or recorded, when visual evidence is required and how it can support later decisions.

At Expo City Dubai, a UAE case study involved the use of 360-degree reality capture across 28 buildings, generating around 180 project captures.

The visual record helped project teams monitor progress, identify issues and improve reporting. Used effectively, visual evidence can provide a clearer record of site conditions and reduce reliance on repeated physical inspections.

5. Developing practical data literacy

Construction projects generate significant amounts of information every day. The challenge for professionals is increasingly about interpreting that information and identifying what requires attention.

Project teams need to recognise recurring quality issues, overdue actions, approval delays and differences in performance across teams or locations.

Data literacy does not mean every project manager needs to become a data specialist. Instead, professionals need to know how to ask the right questions, verify the information behind a result and use project data to support decisions.

6. Using AI with professional judgement

Artificial intelligence is also becoming part of construction workflows, but its adoption continues to face skills-related challenges.

A 2025 RICS survey of more than 2,200 construction professionals found that 46 per cent identified a lack of skilled personnel as one of the main barriers to AI adoption.

As AI tools become more common, construction professionals will need to understand where the technology can support routine work, how to assess its outputs and when human verification is required.

AI can help organise information, identify patterns and summarise project records. However, decisions involving safety, contracts and technical responsibility continue to require professional judgement.

Adaptability becomes a key skill

Digital skills are increasingly becoming part of everyday construction work, but professionals cannot be expected to master every new technology as it emerges.

Instead, the industry will increasingly require people who are willing to learn, adapt to new tools, question how technology is being applied and use digital capabilities to improve project delivery.