Lauren Parsons, business analyst with FM Conway, was the deserving winner of the Rising Star accolade, sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Building, at the Digital Construction Awards 2023 last night (4 July).
Since joining the infrastructure services contractor from the retail industry six years ago, as a business support administrator, she has risen to the post of business analyst, playing a vital role in the company’s rapid embrace of digitisation.
When she arrived, FM Conway had just begun deployment of the innDex digital workforce management platform, which it uses on its high-profile contract with Westminster City Council. Lauren’s systemic approach, tracking progress and prioritising the development backlog, helped the contractor move away from spreadsheets and fragmented communication.
Thanks to Lauren’s efforts, the deployment of innDex across all new projects is showing impressive efficiency gains. Progress photos that previously took up to an hour to take and upload are now being completed in seconds. The adoption of digital site diaries has reduced reporting time by 50%. The structures division which Laura works for has transitioned to paperless site operations and more streamlined project management.
Lauren’s ability to utilise new tools to meet the demands of any project has played a key role in FM Conway’s digital transformation
Lauren has shown impressive insight into the specific requirements of individual projects, using innDex to implement a range of digital solutions, ranging from clocking-in and clocking-out of the workforce, to daily site briefings, to uptake of asset management and inspection tools. She has also worked with the software provider to introduce usage reports for the entire structures division, using data analysis to spot behavioural trends and relay development suggestions.
Her understanding of digital technology and ability to utilise new tools to meet the demands of any project has been hugely significant in FM Conway’s digital transformation.
“This comes as such a surprise, I didn’t expect this award tonight," Lauren said. Reflecting on the changes she would like to see in construction over the next decade, she added: "Although a lot has changed since I joined the construction sector, there’s a lot to do still, particularly when it comes to women, BAME, LGBT+… At FM Conway we have good initiatives like forums and we are trying to go a step further.”
