Autodesk, Inc.’s 2023 State of Design & Make report indicates that Australian industries lack digital maturity, but are better prepared to handle uncertainty than what they were in the past.

The report studies more than 2,500 business leaders across architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO), product design and manufacturing (D&M), and media and entertainment (M&E), with 262 of those leaders located in Australia.

The report found that a number of Australian companies are behind on sustainability targets and acquisition, at a time when digital investment is paramount to ensuring long-term success. 36 percent of Australian organisations deem themselves to be more digitally mature than their competitors, which sits behind the global average of 38 percent. 

Worryingly, 13 percent of Australian companies surveyed have clear goals for carbon neutrality, as opposed to 25 percent worldwide. 13 percent are also helping or requiring decreased carbon emissions from suppliers and participating in voluntary carbon markets or carbon offsets – 13 per cent compared to 17 per cent worldwide. A tiny six percent have a demonstrable commitment to sustainability based on their activities or memberships.

While the three major challenges facing D&M companies are attracting and retaining talent, managing costs, and responding to the volatile global economy and global events, 63 percent of the Australian companies surveyed believe their company is prepared to handle changes, outranking their US (51 per cent) and European (58 per cent) counterparts.

Despite the lack of digital maturity, some 73 percent of Australian businesses plan to invest heavily into digital technologies in the next three years. 60 percent of those surveyed indicated that they identify as top performers in their chosen field, an increase from 24 percent in 2019.

“It is a crucial time for Australian companies in the range of industries that comprise Design and Make,” says Autodesk’s Senior Regional Director for Australia and New Zealand Andy Cunningham. 

“We are seeing increasing ambitions to digitalise processes to improve how our communities are architected, engineered, designed and built, however those objectives are stunted by challenges in finding the right people to make this happen, alongside a slower-than-needed response to doing so sustainably.”

“Although Australian companies are in a stronger position in terms of their digital transformation when contrasted against other regions. It’s important we, as a collective industry, don’t shy away from the very clear progress that needs to be made.”

Cunningham believes digital investment is essential for organisations to achieve growth and sustainability targets.

“As digital investments continue, local organisations stand to see vast untapped opportunities to evolve how they operate internally and collaborate with third parties and contractors, all the while reducing environmental impact. 

“At the same time, they will become better equipped to attract, retain and train new talent. All of these factors will progressively combine to put them in a more resilient position as they tackle unpredictable macroeconomics conditions, and the uncertainty that comes with it.”

GHD’s Manager of Technical Applications,Megan Stanley, says data management is key for Australian businesses to remain at the forefront of their respective industries.

“We realised the potential value of data some time ago, but today our sources of data are nearly endless. This has created, for many of us, a data explosion,” she says.

 With the volume of information we generate through sources like project information, communications, sensors, and technology, we have access to a lot of potentially high-value data. The challenge for organisations and the industry will be how we collectively create standards and a consistent approach to realising that value.”

48 percent of respondents have indicated that attracting and retaining talent is a major challenge, with 64 percent reporting that unearthing skilled employees is posing a barrier to business growth, while upskilling existing talent is a priority for 93 percent of those surveyed.

Today, attracting and retaining talent is the top challenge for 48 per cent of respondents. Access to skilled employees is posing a barrier to business growth for 64 percent of businesses. A total of 93 per cent of respondents said upskilling was important to their companies. Skills of the future include those related to technology, collaboration, and regulatory knowledge.

To read the report in full, click here.