A week ago I had the opportunity to record on the Buildpeer Podcast a partner from an industrial warehouse company in the region where he explained to me the way in which he began to apply digitalization to his processes... and his answer surprised me.
He mentioned that the technique he used was very simple but very powerful. It didn't focus on having the most robust software, nor on implementing all the functions from day one. He just made his team start loading the information through a single medium.
He told us that “what was difficult was not the system, but to change the human habit; no one wants to change if there is no visible reward.”
After some time of pressure, adjustments and practice, his team started to do it without thinking. It wasn't complicated anymore. The same platform guided them.
This company, which is not a giant, managed to digitize most of its processes in less than three months and in just five projects.
How ready is LATAM for this?
Digitizing construction is not a distant dream. It's already happening. But to talk about whether Latin America is ready for a 100% digital work, we have to go beyond myths and look at what is happening.
Yes, there are still gaps, but there are also pioneers. Small, medium and large companies... that have started with simple steps.
Where are we standing? A regional perspective
LATAM is a heterogeneous region, and this is also reflected in how technology is adopted on site:
The Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP) is leading the implementation of the National BIM Strategy, with a projection of execution between 2018 and 2025. This initiative seeks to standardize the use of BIM in public projects, promoting efficiency and transparency in construction management.
(Source: ECLAC, Camacol, CChC, Deloitte LATAM, Buildpeer Insights)
What barriers are holding back digitalization?
- Human habit:
Change hurts. If you've always carried printed plans or paper checklists, migrating to digital involves initial discomfort. As my guest said: “no one changes without a reward.”
- Lack of technical training in the field:
Often the construction team does not receive practical training in technology. And if you receive it, there's no follow-up.
- Perception of high cost:
There is a belief that only large companies can afford digital systems. However, platforms such as Buildpeer have democratized access, with scalable models.
- Limited infrastructure:
In areas with poor connectivity, using apps without offline mode is a challenge. Fortunately, many tools already contemplate this.
- Lack of urgency:
As long as customers don't demand digital traceability, many construction companies don't feel pressure to change.
And what is it working?
Cases like the one I mentioned at the beginning: small, sustained changes, a single channel of information, and daily monitoring.
At Buildpeer, large and medium-sized companies in Mexico have been able to operate 100% digitally since the first month.
- More than 20,000 photos recorded per month in works.
- Digital checklists that prevent rework.
- Daily reports that used to take 2 hours and are now made in 15 minutes.
Key: systematize and repeat
Technology is not magically adopted. It is adopted with systematization, repetition and accompaniment.
Just as a bricklayer learns to level by repetition, a construction manager can learn to document digitally if they do it every day, with a friendly platform and a support team that understands their needs.
Software, on its own, doesn't transform anything.
It's the mix between tool, habit and leadership that builds a digital culture.
So... Is LATAM ready?
The answer is not yes or no.
The answer is: LATAM is already digitizing, just not uniformly.
There are companies — big and small — that are proving that you can build without paper, and that the benefits far outweigh the initial discomfort of change.
The region doesn't need to wait to have “everything ready”.
What you need is to start with small but firm steps, repeat them, and build a new culture in the process.
