The Race To Innovate with Kimley Horn

Summary

In this podcast, Chelsea Hendrickson of Kimley-Horn discusses digital transformation in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. She highlights the importance of leveraging technology to enhance internal workflows and client outcomes, fostering a culture of innovation, and addressing emerging industry needs. Chelsea shares insights into the collaborative process of developing technology solutions, market research, and managing change within organizations. She offers advice for smaller firms on initiating digital ventures and emphasizes the need for effective change management and a critical lens when testing new ideas. Overall, the conversation focuses on how technology can drive industry impact and employee engagement.

Takeaways

• 😀 Digital transformation is about leveraging technology to enhance work experiences, improve client outcomes, and drive better decision-making for organizations and communities.
• 😀 Chelsea Hendrickson leads innovation at Kimley-Horn, focusing on incubating new technologies and solutions to meet evolving industry needs.
• 😀 A typical day for someone in digital transformation involves collaborating internally and externally, conducting market research, and refining technology solutions based on feedback.
• 😀 Internal efficiency and collaboration are key aspects of digital transformation, with a focus on addressing organizational pain points and improving communication across teams.
• 😀 Ideas for new technologies and solutions are sourced both from employees and clients, with a focus on identifying gaps in the marketplace and leveraging expertise.
• 😀 Kimley-Horn uses a combination of grassroots idea sourcing, market research, and employee-driven initiatives like 'Genius Grants' to identify promising solutions.
• 😀 For small firms or those just beginning their digital transformation, it's important to take an incremental approach, leverage internal expertise, and focus on solving market-relevant problems.
• 😀 Not every innovation idea will succeed, so firms must embrace the risk of failure, learn from mistakes, and pivot quickly to avoid putting all their resources into one solution.
• 😀 Managing expectations and ensuring effective change management are critical risks to watch out for, as technology and innovation require both leadership and employee buy-in for successful adoption.
• 😀 Digital transformation has the potential to energize employees, particularly younger generations, by fostering an environment of innovation and enabling them to contribute to impactful solutions.
• 😀 By embracing technology and change, firms can have a greater impact on the communities they serve, creating a positive feedback loop of innovation and social good.

Q & A

What does digital transformation mean to Chelsea Hendrickson?

Chelsea defines digital transformation as leveraging technology to improve work experiences and outcomes for clients. It involves reducing tedious tasks, providing faster and more accurate answers, enhancing team coordination, and enabling informed decision-making to increase the overall impact of the industry.

How does Chelsea describe a typical day in her role leading the New Ventures and Technology Solutions team at Kimley-Horn?

Chelsea's day is highly dynamic, involving a mix of collaborating with internal teams and clients. Her work focuses on addressing challenges through new technology solutions, market research, and enhancing internal communication to increase adoption of new technologies.

What are some of the primary internal challenges Chelsea's team addresses regarding organizational efficiency?

One of the main challenges is ensuring effective collaboration across different teams, especially given the national scope of Kimley-Horn. Solutions are developed to improve internal communication, reduce inefficiencies, and ensure teams work together seamlessly on projects.

How does Kimley-Horn source ideas for innovation and new technology ventures?

Kimley-Horn sources ideas through a grassroots approach, tapping into the knowledge and passions of its employees. They also conduct market research, hold brainstorming sessions like 'Genius Grants', and leverage collaborative meetings to identify emerging needs and gaps in the marketplace.

What advice does Chelsea give to smaller firms or those just starting their digital transformation journey?

Chelsea advises starting small and incrementally. She emphasizes leveraging the expertise and passions of the team, focusing on one area at a time, and adapting based on client feedback. She also stresses the importance of leveraging industry relationships to identify where the firm can have the most impact.

How does Kimley-Horn approach the challenge of market-testing ideas that employees are passionate about?

Kimley-Horn evaluates whether a problem is common across multiple clients and how significant the pain points are. They also consider the scalability of the solution. Not every idea will work, so they apply a 'composting' approach—learning from failed initiatives and reapplying the insights to future projects.

What does Chelsea mean by 'composting' in the context of digital transformation?

In the innovation space, 'composting' refers to learning from failed ideas or projects, reusing insights from them, and applying those lessons to new initiatives. It's a mindset that embraces experimentation and viewing setbacks as opportunities for future growth.

How does Kimley-Horn ensure that their workforce stays innovative and adaptable to new technologies?

Kimley-Horn integrates innovation and technology training into their established learning systems. For example, they offer consultant training for emerging leaders and have firm-wide events like 'Technology Solutions Day' and 'New Ventures Week' to promote new ideas and discussions.

What are some of the risks or challenges that firms face when starting a digital transformation journey?

Managing expectations is a major challenge, as firms may have overly ambitious goals for technology. Additionally, the willingness of employees to embrace change is critical. Without support for change management, even the best technology initiatives can fail to succeed.

What are the top opportunities and benefits of digital transformation according to Chelsea?

Chelsea highlights two main benefits: energizing employees, particularly younger talent who are enthusiastic about technology, and driving significant impact in the communities they serve. Digital transformation helps firms stay competitive, efficient, and capable of making a broader societal impact.