Construction executives meet just as frequently as professionals in other industries, and are constantly looking for ways to improve upon how they share data and information with members of their team as well as clients. Big data and business intelligence are becoming a larger part of how construction executives are achieving these results.

According to a recent survey put together by mobile business intelligence developer Roambi, 81.1 percent of respondents said interactive graphics are their most useful tool for presenting and understanding business data, and 67.7 percent ranked big data and business intelligence as technology investment priorities for 2013

"The results of this survey further confirm to us that a more consumer-like and design-driven approach to business intelligence is becoming increasingly important when it comes to interacting with key business data," said Santiago Becerra, CEO of Roambi.

Mobile devices increasing productivity
In construction, project managers and superintendents need to be at the project site throughout the day. Innovations in mobile technology are making daily tasks easier for workers to get things done. The research revealed 40 percent of respondents believe that their laptops aid in boosting productivity, while iPad and iPhone closely followed garnering 30 percent and 26.5 percent of the vote, respectively.

The increased capabilities of mobile devices are actually giving employees the ability to be just as productive out of the office as they are in it. Forty percent of respondents said more than half of their business takes place while they are working remotely. This is key for executives that have to be in tune with their firm's construction management software at all times.

Mobile computers may become a trend
The popularity of tablets and smartphones may be giving rise to mobile computing, according to the B/OSS Insider blog. Better software solutions, increased availability and wireless connections being found in more places are just a few reasons why mobile computers may be seen on more job sites in the upcoming years.

Firms that allow their workers to use their own devices for business purposes could also be a reason for more mobile computers on the job. The blog said these devices are no longer so expensive where employees won't see a return on investment, or a value in having them. Being productive is the most important thing, and mobile computers can increase efficiency and drive returns.