There’s something rewarding about witnessing a simple change that brings meaningful progress. It’s often not the big innovations, but the small shifts that unlock the most impact—especially on a construction site.

Recently, I received a question from a project team: Could we add “_F” to the filename of approved plans? The goal—clearly identify final drawings on site.

It was a natural request rooted in traditional habits—quick visual markers, easy recognition. But instead of jumping straight into whether this was technically feasible, I asked the team what they really needed.

The answer wasn’t about filenames. It was about visibility and execution confidence. Teams needed to know, at a glance, if the plan that they were using was fully approved.

As it turns out, the solution was already in their hands. Published plans already included a QR code that clearly indicated plan status.

Once we highlighted this, the feedback was instant: “This is perfect—this is exactly what we need!” No suffix. No manual editing. No extra overhead. Just a built-in function doing the heavy lifting with zero disruption to the workflow.

What struck me most was how close they were to the answer. They just needed a moment of guided discovery. That’s what digital transformation often looks like in our industry—building bridges between legacy habits and existing digital features, not forcing reinvention from scratch.

This moment reminded me of something important.

True transformation doesn’t mean replacing every analog behavior. It means respecting the intent behind those processes and evolving them with thoughtful, user-aligned tools. That’s what shifts mindsets—and builds long-term adoption.

Here’s what we can all take from this:

• Always ask why, not just how. You’ll uncover the real problem.
• Meet people where they are. Digital tools should support existing rhythms, not disrupt them.
• Make insights visible. If a feature adds clarity, help your users see it.
• Nurture the “aha” moments. They spark belief in what’s possible.

We’re not just digitizing the construction site—we’re making it smarter, more confident, and more human.

And it starts with small, intentional steps.

Have you ever had a similar request from a user? How did you shape your response?

If you’d like to learn more about Dalux software visit my LinkedIn profile and book an appointment.

Jef Kalil, AECO SaaS Software Leader | Digital Construction & BIM | Driving Project Efficiency | BuildingSMART Certified | Dalux Customer Success