Data Protection 101 for the Construction Industry

Construction technology, just like any technology, is at risk for data breaches if not properly protected.  While most of us are comfortable using a safe or filing cabinet to keep physical paperwork safe from prying eyes, digital protection is a foreign language. Fortunately, simple steps can be taken to avoid having a security breach.

Wayne Newitts is the Marketing Director at Viewpoint – a TRIMBLE Company, an integrated construction accounting and project management software and solutions provider. With more than 20 years of experience in construction technology, Wayne has a deep understanding of what it takes to bring a construction business into the 21st century and how to do it in a way that protects one of a company’s most valuable assets: its data. In this episode, host Mike Merrill talks with Wayne about what data to collect, how to collect it, how that data can be used to boost productivity, and, most importantly, how to keep your data safe once and for all.

Key Takeaways:

1. Data is only valuable when it meets certain collection criteria. Any data is potentially valuable, but it only shows its value when it is collected and utilized properly. To make sure your data is usable, ask these three questions: Is it accurate? Is it in real-time? Is it connected? If your data is not trustworthy, current and retrievable, then it isn’t worth anything. If you can’t say yes to all three you need to go back and look at your processes and means of collection and find where things got off track. Once your data meets the collection criteria, the leadership team can use the data to run your company as effectively as possible.
2. Data is only helpful if it is being used. Data needs to have a consistent baseline to be valuable. It needs to be collected on a consistent basis, be held against a consistent measurement and reported in the same format. The data then needs to be processed and reported, converting it from data into information you can analyze and take action on.
3. Control the access employees have to your data. The simplest and most effective way to protect your processes and data is to limit who has access to it. Too many companies give everyone access when really only one or two people need it.