How design, collaboration and technology can shape a better future for infrastructure projects

HKA Infrastructure Connect Roundtable Discussion
Wednesday 11 March 2026, RICS, Westminster, London

It was a pleasure to welcome senior leaders from across the construction and engineering sector to our first Infrastructure Connect Roundtable in London on Wednesday, 11 March 2026. As a nod to International Women’s Day, our all-female group gathered under the Chatham House Rule, creating the conditions for a conversation that was open, honest and deeply insightful.

While the discussion did not shy away from the challenges the industry continues to face, it was notably forward looking. Participants shared not only candid reflections on current pressures, but also a strong sense of optimism about what could be achieved in the decade ahead. What struck most was the breadth of experience in the room, and a shared willingness to move beyond diagnosis and toward constructive thinking.
Across organisations, disciplines and perspectives, a common theme emerged: we have an extraordinary opportunity to shape the future of infrastructure through better design, stronger collaboration and the intelligent use of technology.

What follows is summary of the discussion:

Where the challenges lie in today’s infrastructure landscape

The importance of supporting early, robust design

A consistent theme was the central importance of robust, well-developed design to overall project performance and the need for the design process to be properly supported from the outset. Unclear scope definition, late design changes, and limited investment in early design development continue to place pressure on programmes and budgets. There was broad agreement that earlier contractor involvement, a willingness to draw on the expertise of designers and engineers throughout the process, and a more rigorous focus on developing design detail at the outset could significantly improve predictability and overall project outcomes.

Risk and trust, allocation remain uneven

Participants also highlighted persistent challenges around trust and risk allocation across the supply chain. Contractors and subcontractors are frequently required to operate within contractual frameworks that allocate risk unevenly and offer limited opportunity to redress that balance. Combined with tight margins and a pressure to mobilise quickly, cash-flow is at risk and bankruptcy (whether actual or potential) is a real possibility, particularly for those further down the supply chain.

The gap between contract and delivery

Disputes were often linked to misalignment between contractual requirements and the realities of day-to-day delivery. Unclear, or out-of-date baseline programmes, constrained budgets, incomplete project documentation, and the practical challenges of administering complex contracts all continue to hinder timely and effective delivery. And, while technology is recognised as an important enabler, there was a clear consensus that it must compliment, not replace, strong fundamentals in planning, capability, and governance.

The discussion closed with a shared desire for improvement. Earlier engagement, appropriate resourcing, fairer risk allocation, and meaningful investment in design were identified as essential steps toward healthier, more collaborative project environments. Ultimately, participants agreed that successful delivery depends not only on contractual structures, but also on fostering trust, transparency, and genuine collaboration across all parties.

Resetting behaviours and mindsets

Changing how we work, not just what we deliver

The second part of the conversation focused on how behaviours and mindsets might be reset to improve project delivery, from conception through to completion.

Despite decades of experience, many of the same challenges persist: a lack of collaboration, incomplete design, unrealistic pricing, misaligned programmes, supply chain pressures, and the inconsistent understanding and management of contracts.

Much of this was attributed not to process failure but to culture, and specifically a lack of trust, decision-making driven by incomplete or poor advice, and an ingrained reluctance to speak truth to power.

Participants identified several avenues for positive change. (i) Earlier and more open collaboration; clearer understanding and fairer allocation of risk; (ii) the use of contractual frameworks that are fit for purpose and the project team can understand and use in practice; and (iii) improved interaction between legal, commercial, design and delivery teams throughout all stages of the project.

There was also strong support for encouraging ‘softer’ leadership skills around empathy, communication and true collaboration as enablers for better outcomes.

Looking ahead to a smarter and more inclusive future

The combined power of technology and human intelligence

We concluded our discussion with a look ahead to how the industry might evolve by 2036. Would it simply be more of the same, or would some degree of meaningful change have taken hold?

There was agreement around the table that technology, and AI in particular, will transform the construction and infrastructure industry over the next decade. From an increase in the use of large language models and advanced common data environments, to the deployment of reality-capture technologies to create accurate, contemporaneous and time‑stamped records of activity and progress.

Yet long-standing barriers around trust, openness, collaboration and data sharing must also evolve in parallel. The idea of AI becoming more “big mother”, rather than “big brother”, resonated, capturing hopes for technology that supports, rather than observes, enabling industry to extract the huge benefits of innovation, without losing the human judgement and relationships which are critical to success, particularly in an industry as complex and crucial as construction.

A recurring question was how technology might automate routine tasks such as progress tracking, defect identification, and compliance reporting to enable construction professionals to focus on higher‑value activities like risk management, stakeholder coordination, and strategic decision-making.

Participants were clear that technology alone will not be enough. Without the cultural change, greater flexibility in contracting, stronger collaboration between lawyers and engineers from the outset, and a genuine commitment to learn from past experience its potential will remain constrained.

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, there was an optimism that a greater diversity of gender, age, experience, background and skills would increasingly shape the industry. With it comes the opportunity for different ways of thinking and acting, more collaborative working practices, and more realistic, workable solutions, ultimately supporting a more resilient, inclusive and forward-looking infrastructure sector that touches our everyday lives.

Roundtable participants from HKA: Experts, hosts and contributing authors

The roundtable was chaired by HKA Partner and International CEO, Amanda Clack, supported by HKA’s construction, infrastructure and technical experts. If you are interested in joining a future roundtable please email eventsuk@HKA.com