Dusty the Robot

Abstract:

There is a substantial amount of innovation in the construction industry from virtual design construction, building information modeling, virtual reality, and robotics that enables construction personnel to be more productive. However, as a whole the construction industry lags behind other industries in adapting new technologies [1]. The focus on this case study is to develop an understanding of how to best implement new technologies into the construction industry, using the technology from Dusty Robotics as an example. I will focus on how they are transforming how manual layout of building systems on the concrete decking into one that uses robotic technology to significantly improve the productivity, accuracy, and costs associated and how they promote change management with their technology.

Rationale for Case Study:

Motivation

Compared to all other industries in the United States the construction industry as a whole over the last 100 years has stagnated in improving productivity [2]. One of the reasons behind this is an inability to adopt new technologies, which could support the advancement of increasing productivity and introducing cost savings into construction [1]. There are many reasons why both of these things are true. However, I will not focus on what the problems are in the construction industry, but to understand the strategies of how a successful construction technology company implements their technology to introduce change. This strategy can then be used as a template to bring about further change in the industry.

Purpose

The goal of my case study is to take an example of new technology, in this case Dusty Robotics, and see how they implement their new technology to address the issues of adoption and change management and create a template for change. The objective will be to prove that new technology can be introduced into the construction industry, and that there is a systematic process and template that can be used for change management. There are many obstacles to change management in construction and my goal would be to add to the toolbox of how to successfully help organizations to introduce new technologies to improve productively and reduce costs.

Focus

The focus of my case study is to review how Dusty Robotics implements its technology into the field with a focus on their training materials, construction projects examples, and an interview Dusty Robotics personnel. This will help me to understand how they go about introducing their technology to construction firms. The literature review will be focused on their training material to certify construction personnel to use their technology. Also, looking at a construction project example and where their technology is being used and to what effect.. And finally, an interview with their personnel on the challenges and their strategies on teaching construction personnel to use their technology. All of this data will be analyzed by studying the application of their technology, and then a theory will be determined, based on the application.

Case Study Facts:

Several areas of study were needed for this case study to come together. First, I wanted to know what change management is and what are the tools and techniques for implementing change. I also needed to find a new technology in the construction industry that was changing how a traditional method was being completely and that could improve productivity and costs. There would also need to be an understanding of what prompts someone to want to change, and how they become an advocate or champion for change. After all this information was compiled, I would utilize the tools and techniques learned in the University of Washington CM 515 Virtual Construction Management Course to create a case study.

Data Collection:

Change Management

“To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often.” Winston Churchill.

This is the impetus for how we should be approaching change in the construction industry. We want to improve, to be more productive, and to save costs in construction. But first we must understand how we can change. Change management is a tool for how we can go about implementing new technologies in the construction industry. This means we take a “systematic approach” to implementing technologies that can make improvements to construction [3]. In the case of Dusty Robotics, we will be making a development change to improve existing processes in construction [3]. The specific type of change management practice that will be overlaid will be the ADKAR method of change developed by Jeff Hiatt [3]. This involves understanding the need for change (the traditional method of layout), the desire to support change (growth mindset), knowledge to change (Dusty Robotics technology), ability to implement (Dusty Robotics training), and reinforcement of sustain change (champion) [3]. And finally, an additional step of taking all this information to compile into a case study to make this a repeatable template.

Traditional Layout Method

The construction practice of layout is utilized to ensure that the building design goes from paper to practice. Typically utilizing outdated practices of referring to paper copies of a plan, using multiple construction personnel (including foreman), they will measure out the physical space and “layout” the building design on the floor (concrete or wood), referencing the plan by using chalk lines to show where framing and MEP will be installed [4]. Layout is incredibly helpful to construction personnel as it allows the vision of the design to be put into the physical space as a starting point for assembly and installation. However, this outdated manual practice is not only time intensive for personnel and is not a direct representative of the plans to the physical space. Instead, personnel must painstakingly interpret every line of the plan manually and then draw them out by hand on the floor of the construction site. ADKAR change management tells us we must recognize a problem and know there is a need for change. If we were able to reduce the number of personnel needed for this process, reduce the time it took to complete the layout, and were able to ensure the exact plan was drawn out from source material we could be more productive.

Growth Mindset

The human mind does a lot of things very well and one of them is automating activities. Unfortunately, this can get us stuck in habits as we assume as “always the way we have done it” or “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. These mindsets, or the mindset of a fixed mindset can limit innovation and is reluctant to change. However, someone with a growth mindset believes that change is inevitable and is always looking for ways to grow and change. This is the perfect person to introduce to new technology in the construction field. They may believe that many aspects of human experience are capable of improvement through effort [5]. This allows personnel in construction to make time to learn, practice change management, experiment, fine-tune feedback, pivot when needed, and be positive [5]. The creators of Dusty Robotics saw a problem and leaned into the growth mindset. They also look for construction personnel with this growth mindset to focus on and hope they will become a champion of their technology.

Dusty Robotics Layout Method

Dusty robotics seems to have solved these problems. They applied a growth mindset to a traditional construction method and used technology to make a better process. In an oversimplification of a manual process turned automated, Dusty Robotics is able to take this process and give it to a robot. They claim that the construction layout can be printed directly to the floor of the site at 100%. This process uses the source file, BIM or CAD, a mobile robot with direct to floor printing, a laser to track the robot’s location, and 1 field personnel [4]. Not only is this process 100% accurate, but it is also 5-10x faster, and uses substantially less personnel [4]. This allows the user to be more productive in their time to achieve layout and reduces costs in personnel time and salaries which has an impact the bottom line.

Dusty Robotics Training Material

Part of Dusty Robotics’ success also comes from the ease of use of their technology. Dusty Robotics provides training material that provides a complete walkthrough of all the technology, how to use it, common problems, and how to replenish and change the ink used for the layout. Dusty Robotics provides an academy which provides resources, certifications, courses, and modules to help new users to the technology a way to learn how to use their system [6]. These are an essential part of their technology. Ensuring construction personnel are not only excited about new technology that will make their work easier but also have resources to ensure they know how to use it.

Technology Champion

Not only do you need personnel that are willing and capable of change, but you also need someone who will champion change itself. A champion is someone that plays a role in making the change happen by investing in themselves into the change and playing a critical part by using their influence to nudge others and shape how technology is used in the construction industry [7]. These are the individuals who have a growth mindset, see the vision of technology to improve the workplace, and as champion the technology to see it advance in the industry. This was one of the key points with my interview with Dusty Robotics that hit home for me.

Dusty Robotics Project Example

A construction project example that used the Dusty Robotics system, California Drywall used this system at Stanford University constructing 2 building shell/core and interiors [8]. Being able to utilize the BIM models for the project was able to ensure the project layout was accurate and was able to overlay all the disciplines to ensure there were not conflicts in the design [8]. The technology was also able to do the work that typically would have taken a week to do, down to a day and a half, saving personnel time and cutting costs [8]. This layout was able to be completed by an apprentice which is typically done by multiple superintendents or foreman, thus freeing up valuable personnel time [8]. The overall impression from the project team interviewed, including the Project Executive, Project Manager, and the construction apprentice Dusty Robotics Fieldprinter Operator, was that the technology saved them time and costs while adding accuracy to the project layout, which eliminated waste from possible rework [8]. You could tell by the way they talked about the technology they had become champions for Dusty Robotics.

Dusty Robotics Interview

Learning about Dusty Robotics I also got to chat with Zachary Reiss-Davis, the Senior Director of Marketing of Dusty Robotics. From that interview I cemented the ideas of the growth mindset and the technology champion which I believe play into their success. For one, they have a technology they believe in. Their technology is able to take a manual labor layout process, simplify it, reduce the number of resources needed, and improve the accuracy of translating paper to practice. Zach also believes in a couple of concepts which I see as the key to their success. Zach himself has led a successful career in companies that support the construction industry. His move to Dusty Robotics was a way to push himself out of his comfort zone into a startup that would revolutionize construction layout. He obviously has a growth mindset. His key to success was finding like-minded individuals that would champion the technology from Dusty Robotics. He believed that having a great technology is only part of it, you also need insiders that will advocate and champion for the change. For example, after using their technology, a general contractor invited Dusty Robotics to a meeting with a client, and the contractor shared the success they were having with their product. The general contractor got nothing out of this other than believing in a product that would help them be more productive and save them and their customers on construction time and costs.

Theory Discovered:

Through the interview and review of the literature of the above technology I have come to a theory that new technology needs to have a champion to advocate for it, in order for the technology to be embraced and to be successful. Through this raw data I was able to organize it to have a basic understanding of technology implementation. My perusal of this organized data then classified this information into 3 coded categories of the 1) technology itself, 2) how personnel were trained in the technology, and 3) how technology was promoted. My interpretation of the classification is as follows: a new technology needs to be effective, have a robust training mechanism, but most importantly there needs to be advocates and champions for the technology. Dusty Robotics is a new technology that is much more efficient than the standard construction layout method. They also have robust training information for new users to be able to utilize the technology. And most importantly they have champions inside the company and clients who believe and advocate for them. Without this last part, new technology, however incredible it may ever, it would not be as successful.

Connections to the Larger Scheme:

In the larger scheme of things, the reluctance of developing new technology is not because technological advances have not come to construction or that new technology is too difficult to learn for construction personnel. The issue may lie in the fact that construction needs personnel that truly embrace a growth mindset and are willing to advocate and champion new technologies. This means construction leaders need to encourage and promote a growth mindset and champions of technology and bring in new technologies to support innovation, productivity, and cost savings.

References:

[1] Lets Build. (2023, October 18). Why the slow uptake of technology in construction is holding the industry back. Lets build. https://www.letsbuild.com/blog/why-the-slow-uptake-of-technology-in-construction-is-holding-the-industry-back

[2] Smith, N. (2021, September 30). What happened to construction productivity? part 1: Measurement. What happened to construction productivity? Part 1: Measurement. https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/what-happened-to-construction-productivity

[3] Hanna, K. T., Lawton, G., & Pratt, M. K. (2024, April 11). What is change management?: Definition from TechTarget. CIO. https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-management#:~:text=Change%20management%20is%20a%20systematic,people%20to%20adapt%20to%20change.

[4] Guide to construction layout. Dusty Robotics. (n.d.). https://www.dustyrobotics.com/articles/guide-to-construction-layout#:~:text=Construction%20layout%20is%20the%20process,be%20on%20the%20construction%20site.

[5] Trecek, D. (2024, February 9). How to adopt a growth mindset in construction. Buildertrend. https://buildertrend.com/blog/growth-mindset-for-construction/

[6] Learn to operate the Dusty Robotics FieldPrinter system through videos and resources. Dusty Academy. (n.d.). https://academy.dustyrobotics.com/paths

[7] Resultant. (2022, March 23). The 4 secret champions of Change Management. https://resultant.com/blog/digital-transformation/the-4-secret-champions-of-change-management/

[8] YouTube. (2023, August 24). Dusty Robotics + California drywall. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkTrKpSOffM