In March 2000, the internet bubble burst. The digital economy got back on its feet, before shedding its inhibitions. From that moment on, innovations associated with soaring roaming data rates, the internet and new technologies came in quick succession and gradually took over our lifestyles. Consumption, health, education, habitat, mobility...Digital technology is revolutionising daily life! Customs are changing and the digital culture promotes an approach that focuses on the user experience. This user can be an employee, a client, a partner or a user of our constructions.

It is also the opportunity to create new services, services that would have been utterly inconceivable without the contribution from these new technologies. These new services will make it possible to address major societal, social and environmental challenges. Examples of this are plentiful and are coming thicker and faster by the day: Salesforce created a totally disruptive model in 1999 in the shape of entirely cloud-based business software as a service, adding the value of innovation and client success. In 2001, Wikipedia was launched, capitalising on digital technologies and the power of collective working.

Apple gave itself a new lease of life by founding its product strategy on the benefits felt by users when using its products, features and solutions...the iPhone came out in 2007, and the iPad was released in 2010. Also in 2010, Nest created an intelligent self-teaching thermostat, to regulate its energy consumption. Mention must also be made of Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, the company that, in order to “accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy”, is incorporating numerous technologies (automatic steering, defence system against biochemical weapons, etc.) while offering its users an optimal experience.

Although disruptive visions and the digital sector give rise to genuine opportunities, they can also create threats. These threats can be obvious but nonetheless serious, such as in cybersecurity. There are threats to our business models as well, with the arrival of new players on the market, or the transformation of certain professions, which can generate resistance to change. It is a question of negotiating the digital curve and seeing it as a powerful performance and productivity booster for employees, our partners and the offers we design.

The construction and public works sector remains one of the least digital industrial sectors but a revolution is building momentum, such as via the Digital Transition Plan for Construction in France. This plan, launched by the French government in 2015, is designed to accelerate the rollout of digital tools by experimenting, training professionals in the use of digitalised tools and encouraging initiatives. What is the aim? To allow the whole sector to take digital technology on board as part of its everyday construction business. The extension, the BIM 2022 Plan, was confirmed a few months ago.
