Traditionally, in the construction industry, key decisions are made based on experience and subjective assessments. Without timely and reliable data, company managers have to act blindly, relying on the intuition of the highest paid employees (HiPPO – Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) rather than on objective facts (Fig. 2.1-8).
This approach may be justified in a stable and slow-changing environment, but in an era of digital transformation, it becomes a serious risk. Decisions based on intuition and guesswork are prone to distortion, often based on unsupported hypotheses, and do not take into account the complex picture reflected in the data
What is passed off as intelligent debate at the decision-making level in a company is often not based on anything concrete. A company’s success should not depend on the authority and salary level of experts, but on the ability to work effectively with data, identify patterns and make informed decisions.
It is important to abandon the notion that authority or experience automatically means the right decision. The data-driven approach is a game changer: data and analytics, not position and salary, are now the basis for decision-making. Big data, machine learning, and visual analytics make it possible to identify patterns and rely on facts rather than guesswork (Fig. 1.1-4).
Without data, you are just another person with an opinion (Forbes, “Without An Opinion, You’re Just Another Person With Data,” March 15, 2016).
– W. Edwards Deming, scholar and management consultant
Modern data management methods also ensure knowledge continuity in the company. Clearly described processes, automation and a systematic approach make it possible to transfer even key roles without losing efficiency.
However, blind trust in data can also lead to serious errors. Data itself is just a collection of numbers. Without proper analysis, context and the ability to identify patterns, they have no value and cannot drive processes. The key to success lies not in choosing between HiPPO intuition and analytics, but in building intelligent tools that transform disparate information into manageable, informed decisions.
In a digital construction environment, it is not seniority and place in the hierarchy that become the decisive success factors, but responsiveness, decision accuracy and resource efficiency
Data are tools, not absolute truths. It should complement human thinking, not replace it. Despite the benefits of analytics, data cannot completely supplant human intuition and experience. Their role is to help make more accurate and informed decisions.
Competitive advantage will be achieved not just by meeting standards, but by being able to outperform competitors in the efficient use of resources that are the same for everyone. In the future, data skills will become as important as literacy or math skills once were. Professionals who can analyze and interpret data will be able to make more accurate decisions, displacing those who rely only on personal experience (Fig. 2.1-9).
Managers, specialists and engineers will act as data analysts, studying the structure, dynamics and key indicators of projects. Human resources will become elements of the system, requiring flexible data-driven customization to maximize efficiency.
Errors using inadequate data are much smaller than those using no data (Wikiquote, “Charles Babbage,”).
– Charles Babbage, inventor of the first analytical calculating machine
The emergence of big data and the introduction of LLM (Large Language Models) have radically changed not only the ways of analysis, but also the very nature of decision making. Whereas previously the focus was on causality (why something happened – diagnostic analytics) (Fig. 1.1-4), today the ability to predict the future (predictive analytics) and, in the future, prescriptive analytics, where machine learning and AI suggest the best choice in the decision-making process, is at the forefront.
According to the new SAP™ study, “New Study Finds Nearly Half of Executives Trust Artificial Intelligence More Than Themselves” 2025 (SAP, “New Research Finds That Nearly Half of Executives Trust AI Over Themselves,” 12 Mar. 2025),44% of senior executives would be willing to change their previous decision based on AI advice, and 38% would trust AI to make business decisions on their behalf. Meanwhile, 74% of executives said they trust AI advice more than their friends and family, and 55% work in companies where AI-derived insights replace or often bypass traditional decision-making methods – especially in organizations with annual revenues over $5 billion. Additionally, 48% of respondents use generative AI tools on a daily basis, including 15% who use them multiple times a day.
With the development of LLM and automated data management systems, a new challenge arises: how to use information effectively without losing its value in the chaos of incompatible formats and heterogeneous sources, which is complemented by the growing complexity and dynamics of business processes.
