{"id":24516,"date":"2024-01-21T04:11:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-21T12:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/supersensing-for-greater-experiences-and-better-decisions-an-interview-with-lorri-rowlandson\/"},"modified":"2024-01-21T04:11:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-21T12:11:54","slug":"supersensing-for-greater-experiences-and-better-decisions-an-interview-with-lorri-rowlandson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/supersensing-for-greater-experiences-and-better-decisions-an-interview-with-lorri-rowlandson\/","title":{"rendered":"Supersensing for Greater Experiences and Better Decisions &#8211; An Interview with Lorri Rowlandson"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/files\/membership-default-internal\/\" class=\"memberhide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2023\/01\/20220718_175041000_iOS.jpg\" alt=\"-\"><\/a><br\/><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p><em>We sat down with Lorri Rowlandson of BGIS to discuss the role sensor technology and technical innovation plays within the modern workplace. Our talk covered the historic reaction to change, understanding value, and the challenges facing the industry in a post-covid world.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career today, please?<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2024\/01\/Lorri-Rowlandson.jpg\" alt=\"Lorri Rowlandson\" class=\"wp-image-2012267 lazyload\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2024\/01\/Lorri-Rowlandson.jpg 600w, https:\/\/aec-business.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Lorri-Rowlandson-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption>Lorri Rowlandson, BGIS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sure \u2013 my current role is Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at a company called BGIS. We\u2019re a small global boutique facilities management company of just under nine thousand employees globally. We operate primarily in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK and our core business is facilities management.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I guess my current role is the in-house mad scientist [laughs]. I\u2019m the sponsor of innovation and I help cultivate value for our clients through our dedicated program of innovation. My career path has not been a straight line a lot of the time and I\u2019ve had to reinvent myself through education or just take an opportunity based on what presented itself in the moment. I started out as a sourcing specialist with IBM and then I worked on large outsourcing arrangements. Then I bloomed into other areas like sustainability, workplace technologies and strategy, employee experience, and the rest.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>This year\u2019s theme is \u2018Urban Supersensing\u2019. Given the increasing overlap between the modern built environment and digital technologies, does sensor tech and digital innovation play a part in your daily work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Absolutely. Technology drives efficiencies. It gives greater experience, greater convenience, and better data-driven decisions. It\u2019s helping us get over subjectivity with objectivity and manages emotionally charged discussions with facts. Technology empowers the building with automated activities that flex and evolve based on the changing needs of occupants. I think we\u2019re going to see technology adding sophistication to those bigger ecosystems outside of the building as well as within the building.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you feel that understanding that interplay is important?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think that there\u2019s a perception that it\u2019s an \u201call or nothing\u201d game. This is not the first time in our history where technology has slingshot us into major improvements. The kind of discussion we\u2019re having around ideas like artificial intelligence and the resistance that surround those concepts is the same as when we as humans discussed the invention the car and when they were worried that industrialization was going to put blacksmiths out of business. Of course, one hundred years ago the industrialized world was quite different, and it\u2019s really not been very long that we\u2019ve been working in a more modern technology-driven society. I think we\u2019re just faced with another point in our evolution as we have faced in the past; but I do think this particular evolution is creating stress due to the shorter time frame. We will experience more change in the next 10 years than we have in the last 50 years. But I also think it\u2019s an incredible opportunity for people to reskill and use technology to take ourselves to different heights. We can get more sophisticated in the kinds of things that we\u2019re using human capital for and leverage those things that are uniquely \u2018human\u2019 that any machine could never recreate, like creativity, imagination, and problem-solving. So, I think we\u2019re just going through growing pains.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are these \u2018pains\u2019 something you encounter in your daily practice when it comes to embedding innovation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I would say that there is sort of a blanket resistance to artificial intelligence and robotics and the perceived threat that they will take jobs away from people. I look at that from the perspective of how they could enable humans to be better or complement their work. Of course, let\u2019s not be glib. There are definitely instances where we are going to have to retrain individuals and help find other purposes for them. But I think\u00a0<em>that<\/em>\u00a0should be our focus instead of actively resisting progress. Because if you look at what\u2019s happening in the world for geographies that are refusing to engage or are getting too mired in red tape or overthinking certain aspects, you\u2019re seeing other countries just shooting forward with their own progress.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We need to find a way forward, or else be faced with being left behind.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where do you see innovation taking us in the next decade or so? Are there key drivers and technologies that you can see potentially impacting or influencing our sector?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are major disruptive innovations emerging that are going to change everything; if I have to pick my \u2018favorites\u2019 that are going to have the most impact, sooner than later, would be the Metaverse and 3D printing. I think the innovation with the most material impact will be the \u2018metaverse\u2019, which is essentially is augmented and virtual reality. I think just the amount of efficiency and the incredible experiences people can have, and how exhilarating it is with innovations like real-time translations which would have a massive impact on retail and client engagement. The second disruptive technology that\u2019s going to be truly transformative is around additive manufacturing and 3D printing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve dealt with recent supply chain woes that are very much a physical problem as we saw during the pandemic. I think that was a wake-up call and we\u2019re going to see a lot of focus on additive manufacturing as a way of drive efficiency, remove waste, benefits to the circular economy and sustainability, and alleviating some of the more traditional supply chain limitations. Of course, that might not sound like it pervades directly into tech or real estate or facilities management, but it does. The metaverse will drive very engaging and interactive virtual workplaces, far more exciting and productive than the limitations of a physical workplace. And remember, Covid lockdowns proved that work is what you do, not where you are. 3D printing is already starting to change the construction industry. If you don\u2019t think these technologies are relevant for you, you need to look at not only how it affects your industry, but how it affects your clients\u2019 industries as well to really understand the true impact on your business.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Would you say that a lack of holistic perspective is an issue?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I definitely think it\u2019s a big challenge for a several industries; some are going to get proverbial whiplash, and some won\u2019t make it. It\u2019s really going to impact real estate and the brokerage world. Let\u2019s be honest, these professions are still very much anchored in traditional approaches and are ripe for disruption. Trends like \u2018space as a service\u2019, fintech solutions and artificial intelligence, work from anywhere is going to create a lot of pressure on traditional work habits and services within the next five years \u2013 we are already seeing these trends creeping in, and they will accelerate quickly. I think it\u2019s the fast-paced timing that will also make it a bumpy ride \u2013 big companies are going to have to transform their core business and operating practices at a pace never experienced before.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you feel covid impacted this?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Definitely. I really do feel the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of some of those disruptive technologies \u2013 even slightly ahead of their time as well as other concepts that are affecting real estate like wellness, and well-being, and health, and safety considerations. It\u2019s a lesson that we can never lose sight of the human element with this technology. I love human beings. And when they\u2019re faced with adversity, their persistence is amazing, and we solve what seems like insurmountable challenges and we rally together against a common foe and purpose. I think that creates a lot of sharing and more information to support a return to work. I mean, we keep hearing \u2018the death of the office\u2019 which is a<em>\u00a0pretty<\/em>\u00a0melodramatic statement [laughs]. I don\u2019t think that will ever happen. But I do see a reduction in office space and embracing a much more dispersed concept of \u2018workplace\u2019 and the idea of the head office. Basically \u2013 it\u2019s that work is what you do. Not where you are. So, if you want employees in the office more, the gauntlet has been thrown down for the office environment \u2013 offices are now competing to be the coolest, most productive place an employee would ever want to work, and I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s consistently true today.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Offices are competing with convenience and personal views of productivity.\u00a0\u00a0And overlayed with a war on talent, this gives employees the power to choose where and how they want to work, whether traditional (get back in the office) kind of companies want to believe it or not. Top talent will express their opinions in turnover rates.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you think digital innovation can help with this onboarding, or smoothing the \u2018on-ramp\u2019 back to the office?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Absolutely. But I would just remind us that technology is an enabler, not the finish line. The surrounding processes and communications are just as important as the enabling technologies. Technology is tools and should be enabling some kind of outcome or experience or information. So it\u2019s vital we don\u2019t forget about the people process as well. We can talk about digital solutions and technologies we want to use in spaces, but it has to be tempered by a conversation about how teams can draw the most benefit from them. At BGIS we have an expression called practical innovation that we like to use, and that focuses on the real-world impacts and benefits of implementation. So, I think technologies around utilization are very, very useful. And that helps us with not only planning janitorial services and right-sizing certain services and providing information in a transparent way to the occupants. In practical terms, that\u2019s reservation systems and adding augmented capabilities that can be run in support of covid program and allow for a return to working in a phased manner. Of course, with the data and analytics so that it becomes a really strong space planning and combines occupancy reporting along with that. Then it\u2019s also important to keep focus on employees and I think we\u2019re really underutilizing survey tools. We need a much more grassroots approach when it comes to understanding what our employees want, trusting that they will ask for what will make them the most productive, and then holding them accountable to outcomes not by butts in seats in the office. So just really changing that way that we incentivize and manage performance and enabling the productivity of our employees by using technologies as well.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lorri, thanks so much for your time. Before we go, could I ask for a taster of what you\u2019re going to cover in WDBE 2021?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m going to try to keep it practical and relevant for what people are thinking about right now. I\u2019m going to give a current pulse on the hybrid office, best practices, things that you need to be successful. Lessons learned and included in that will be some essential technologies. I\u2019m going to talk I\u2019m going to push people a little bit further just so they\u2019re taking a bit more of a three-year view. We\u2019ve got the essentials of to allow us to survive in the moment. Moving past that in a post-covid working world is vital for us all.<\/p>\n<p><em>Lorri Rowlandson will\u00a0<a>be speaking at\u00a0<\/a><\/em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/kirahub.org\/en\/wdbe\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>WDBE 2021<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0on September 28, 2021. You can book tickets\u00a0<\/em><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lyyti.fi\/reg\/wdbe2021\" target=\"_blank\"><em>from here<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0or learn more about the other events and the regularly updated agenda.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"et_social_bottom_trigger\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5143531171910809\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- News - Bottom -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5143531171910809\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"8320848692\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/aec-business.com\/supersensing-for-greater-experiences-and-better-decisions-an-interview-with-lorri-rowlandson\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We sat down with Lorri Rowlandson of BGIS to discuss the role sensor technology and technical innovation plays within the &#8230; <a title=\"Supersensing for Greater Experiences and Better Decisions &#8211; An Interview with Lorri Rowlandson\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/supersensing-for-greater-experiences-and-better-decisions-an-interview-with-lorri-rowlandson\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Supersensing for Greater Experiences and Better Decisions &#8211; An Interview with Lorri Rowlandson\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24517,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1062,1066],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aec-business","category-all-posts","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24516"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24516\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}