Application of Digital Technologies in Construction and Project Management: Opportunities and Challenges

Cesar A. Poveda, P.Eng., PMP, CPEM, PhD

Independent Construction & Project Management Consultant

Friday, February 21, 2025 | 11:00 a.m. | 140 Ketter Hall

Abstract

The Role of Digital Transformation in Modern Management Processes and Practices. Digital transformation has become one of the most critical factors for organizations looking to stay competitive and generate revenue. As construction and project management evolve with advanced tools and methodologies, teams can streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and boost efficiency. Organizations are increasingly challenged by the application of digital technologies and their use can be turned into opportunities to generate positive impacts on the construction industry. 

Departing from the fundamentals of project management, the seminar presents the evolution of project management in the digital age, technological trends shaping project management in the digital age, and the impact of technology on project management in the digital age. Understanding the impact of digital technologies on construction and project management serves as the basis for identifying the challenges to overcome by organizations and practitioners and the benefits to maximize their positive impact. The seminar will end with an overview of the topic and a brief discussion of emerging technologies in construction and project management. 

Bio

Cesar Poveda.

Cesar A. Poveda, a Colombian/Canadian licensed professional engineer. Cesar Poveda graduated from the civil engineering department at the Universidad Industrial de Santander in 1998. He combines practical and academic work experience throughout his career of over 25 years. As a practitioner, he has held different management positions in various projects for national and international companies with backgrounds in heavy construction, oil and gas, industrial, and infrastructure. In academia, he started as a lab professor at the University Industrial of Santander in 1995, while still a student in the Faculty of Engineering. In his senior years in the civil engineering department, he was a founder and member of the SAP90 research group. From 2006 to 2014, he worked as a teaching assistant for various courses at the University of Alberta in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In 2008 and 2014, he obtained a Master of Science in Construction Engineering and Management and a PhD in Engineering Management respectively. 

Poveda’s education includes other graduate degrees and graduate certificates from the University of Maryland, Harvard University, and Lakehead University. Poveda’s research can be encapsulated in three main areas: sustainable development and sustainability, management and business, and operational research and decision science. Over 30 published peer-reviewed conference and journal manuscripts and 2 books reflect Poveda’s diversified expertise, obtained by combining the results of years of research with practical experience. Since 2008, he has been increasing his involvement within academia by serving as a member of several editorial and reviewer boards for national and international journals and conferences in sustainable development, management, and business among other areas of knowledge. Currently, Poveda is writing a 3rd book, working on another graduate degree at Harvard University, and planning on starting his second doctorate focused on education policy and administration.