Guest Insight: Digital Transformation Starts With People – Scott Yoo, Autodesk

Digital transformation does not start with technology. It starts with people

At DIMEA, we believe that every successful transformation begins with understanding. In  this guest contribution, Autodesk’s Scott Yoo shares a personal story about how digital  change truly happens. His reflections highlight a principle we see in every assessment:  technology succeeds only when people share a common purpose, clear expectations, and a  path they can follow together. 

When I first began my career 

When I began my career as a design engineer in the nuclear power industry, “digitalization”  was not a word we used. We worked with drawings, emails, and binders full of documents.  Then one day, the company decided to implement an ERP system. That became my first real  experience with digital transformation. 

As the system rolled out, it quickly became clear that each team approached the transition  differently. Some uploaded only part of their data, others much more. That inconsistency  made it difficult for the ERP system to operate as intended. But more importantly, it revealed  something deeper: we did not share a common understanding of why we were implementing  the system, how the process should work, or what “complete” was supposed to look like. 

That experience fundamentally shaped how I view transformation. It taught me that  technology alone cannot create change. People need to understand the purpose behind the  shift, the process they are expected to follow, and the level of completeness required. And  just as importantly, they need someone to guide them through that journey. Someone who can  clarify expectations, build alignment, and bring teams along step by step. 

Later in my career at Trimble and now Autodesk, whether it was ERP, BIM, or machine  control, the same pattern emerged. Technology succeeds only when people understand it and  feel included in the process. People do not resist technology. They resist confusion.

Change does not happen by mandate 

Governments around the world are now mandating BIM use in public projects. In Korea, for  example, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has required BIM for major  projects since 2023. 

That is a powerful driver, but mandates usually affect only the top layer of the industry. The  real opportunity lies downstream, among the mid-market contractors and project teams who  do most of the actual work. 

If we want digital transformation to be more than compliance, we need to help those teams  understand why it matters. Not just that it is required, but how it improves their work and  reduces uncertainty in their day-to-day operations.

Start small. Prove value. Build momentum. 

In my view, successful transformation starts with identifying one concrete pain point and  fixing it. Do not try to digitalize everything at once. Start small, achieve a visible success, and  build confidence from there. 

Because when people experience real improvement such as less rework, faster decisions, or  clearer data, they become your strongest advocates for change.

Collaboration is the new infrastructure 

Digital workflows only deliver value when owners, contractors, and partners are connected  through trust, not just technology. That is what I call connected understanding. 

And this, ultimately, is what digital transformation should mean: a shared language that helps  us work better together.

DIMEA closing note 

Scott’s story reminds us that transformation does not happen in PowerPoint slides. It happens  on job sites, in conversations, and in small wins that build trust. At DIMEA, we share this  philosophy. Start small, measure the results, learn quickly, and scale what works. 

Try. Measure. Learn. Scale.