Why Construction Projects Still Struggle with Data, and What Needs to Change
The construction industry is not short of data.
If anything, most projects are dealing with too much of it. Information sits across CDEs, field tools, planning systems, and countless spreadsheets, all capturing something slightly different.
So why does delivery still feel harder than it should?
That was the focus of a recent webinar hosted by EviFile in collaboration with AtkinsRéalis, where the conversation moved beyond theory and into how projects are actually being run today.
The issue is not volume, it is structure
One of the clearest points raised during the session was that the problem is not how much data exists. It is how it is structured and connected.
From an AtkinsRéalis perspective, this often shows up on projects where multiple stakeholders are each working in good faith, but within their own systems and processes.
Individually, everything makes sense.
Collectively, it becomes difficult to answer simple questions like:
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What does “complete” actually look like?
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Who is responsible for what?
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How does this activity link back to a requirement?
That lack of clarity tends to surface later in the project, usually when it is harder and more expensive to resolve.
Trackers are useful, but often misleading
A lot of the discussion centred around trackers, particularly those built in Excel.
They are everywhere, and for good reason. They provide a quick way to bring together:
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Activities
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Responsibilities
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Status
But as highlighted during the session, they often sit outside the systems where the data is actually being generated.
AtkinsRéalis shared examples of projects where trackers had effectively become the source of truth, despite being manually updated and, in some cases, already out of date.
This creates a subtle but important risk. Decisions are being made based on information that looks right, but is not fully aligned to what is happening on the ground.
In that sense, trackers are not the root issue. They are a workaround for something missing underneath.
Where projects start to drift
Another theme that came through strongly was how early stage decisions, or lack of them, play out later.
Too often, projects begin without fully agreeing:
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What the requirements actually are
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What needs to be delivered to meet them
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How that delivery will be evidenced
From the AtkinsRéalis side, this was described less as a process failure and more as a coordination gap, particularly on complex projects with multiple parties involved.
The result is familiar. Teams move forward, but not always in alignment. By the time that misalignment becomes visible, it is already embedded in the delivery.
The reality of the golden thread
There is a lot of industry focus on the golden thread, and rightly so.
But one of the more honest reflections in the session was that while most organisations understand the concept, very few feel they have fully achieved it in practice.
The challenge is not intent. It is execution.
As discussed, the golden thread depends on being able to clearly link:
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Requirements
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Activities
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Evidence
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Outcomes
In reality, those links are often broken across systems, formats, and teams.
AtkinsRéalis highlighted that even where good information exists, it is not always easy to trace or validate, which ultimately limits its value.
A shift that is starting to happen
What came through towards the end of the session was a shift in how some organisations are starting to approach this.
Less focus on collecting more data and trying to organise it later.
More focus on defining data properly at the start, and maintaining control of it throughout delivery.
It sounds simple, but it changes quite a lot in practice.
It means:
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Requirements are clearer from day one
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Deliverables are properly understood
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Accountability is easier to establish
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Progress is based on evidence, not assumption
From an AtkinsRéalis perspective, this is where projects start to feel more controlled. Not because there is more reporting, but because there is more clarity.
Final thought
There is not a single tool or system that solves this on its own.
The projects that are making progress here are not necessarily using more technology. They are using it more deliberately, with a clearer structure behind it.
Get that right, and everything else becomes easier. Coordination, visibility, and ultimately, delivery.
Watch the webinar
If you would like to hear the full discussion, including examples shared during the session with AtkinsRéalis, you can watch the recording here
