Architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms face a two-pronged challenge. First, the labor market is experiencing unprecedented shortages of skilled workers, hampering the ability to fill open positions in many industries. At the same time, customers' demand for firms’ services is increasing

As noted in the 45th Annual Deltek Clarity Architecture and Engineering (A&E) Industry Study, “While high talent turnover has waned, shortages persist. Many firms continue to make do with less, requiring the best-performing A&E firms to seek operational efficiencies and cross-train talent. Despite a positive outlook, growth will continue challenging ill-equipped firms to attack new opportunities.”

In fact, according to a 2024 ACEC report, “firms continue to walk away from opportunities, with the ACEC reporting that 88% indicate being more selective about the projects they accept.”

Now, AEC firms are turning to best-in-class, cloud-based technical report management tools to meet demand and solve talent shortages. Technical report management is a process that uses a platform to streamline the creation and delivery of technical deliverables. The goal is to improve the quality of reports, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. The technology enables firms to increase productivity and profitability and meet demand without sacrificing growth due to the efficiencies the platform generates. It also enables firms to handle additional work without additional staff, allowing them to gain a competitive advantage.

A comprehensive approach to technical report management includes six core focus areas:

1. Automate and standardize workflow across the platform
2. Offer critical data insights and analytics to make informed decisions
3. Features that equip report writers to work faster and more efficiently
4. Governance and control features.
5. Mobile data collection capabilities.
6. Effective Integration with other systems at AEC firms.

Improving report writing efficiency, productivity, and throughput is critical to managing a labor shortage and demands the ability to measure and analyze these metrics confidently. A modern technical report management platform incorporates analytical tools that help AEC firms gain actionable insights into report writing performance—at the individual or service line level or for the company as a whole