In the 2000s and 2010s, it felt like if you didn’t know how to code, you’d be left in the dust. There was a big push for computer science programs, and everyone was jumping on the digital tools bandwagon, marking a shift towards being empowered by technical skills. However, while software development was riding this wave, the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors struggled to keep up. Even with the pressure to innovate, the market didn’t push enough for the university to form engineers and architects with coding skills, while internally, they keep struggling with the idea of “citizen developers”—people who can create customised solutions without needing a ton of coding knowledge.
In an earlier article, I explored the role of computational teams in fostering digital strategies and innovation in the AEC space. These teams were framed as product teams, responsible for delivering tools and solutions that bridge design and delivery. However, the need for more multifunctional teams and cross-collaboration made me think more about federated teams with a product mindset.
The citizen developer dilemma
Citizen developers are about empowering non-coders to create solutions tailored to their needs using user-friendly tools. Engineers, architects, and project managers can tackle workflow problems and make things run smoother using user-friendly tools. But in the AEC world, just like in many other industries, getting this idea off the ground is trickier than it sounds.
The tension between autonomy and IT governance: Citizen developers seek the autonomy to innovate and address immediate challenges, which can conflict with IT departments’ stringent governance and security requirements. While empowering individuals is essential, the lack of supervision can expose organisations to risks, including data breaches or non-compliance with enterprise policies.
The risk of shadow IT: When citizen developers work outside formal IT channels, they inadvertently create what is known as “shadow IT.” This leads to siloed, redundant, or conflicting applications. This fragmentation emphasises the need for clear communication and collaboration between citizen developers and IT teams to align efforts and avoid redundancies.
Quality and maintenance: Applications created by citizen developers often lack scalability, technical robustness, and documentation. While these tools might solve immediate problems, they can accumulate technical debt and become difficult to maintain as project scopes evolve. Poorly designed and communicated applications can also limit the ability of other teams to adopt or adapt these solutions.
Integration: As citizen developers create more tools, the challenge of integrating these solutions into a cohesive system grows. When apps don’t connect, it can lead to messy processes among different projects, making it hard for organisations to achieve their standardisation goals.
The need for knowledge: For citizen development to take off, organisations need to connect the two parties. This means ITs are teaching AEC professionals the concepts of software design, data management, and security. Without this solid groundwork, the tools created by citizen developers may not meet the organisation’s quality and compliance standards, which could add more work for the IT team instead of making things easier.
The LLM agents factor: Large Language Models (LLM) are going to be our virtual helpers for everyday tasks, making it easier to whip up simple apps and automations. This push to make technology more accessible will let more people get in on the action, promoting the idea of “citizen development.” But we need to keep our expectations in check and provide clear paths for folks who are ready to make a difference. It’s not as straightforward as saying that “anyone can do it”—that’s probably a bit too optimistic. Usually, it’s people who are tech-savvy and understand how technology and workflows work. (Or at least anyone who knows enough to take what the IT team is saying seriously.)
Federated teams could improve these challenges surrounding the citizen developer model. These teams operate as enablers, bridging the gap between IT governance and business needs while embedding technical expertise within delivery teams. By doing so, federated teams offer a pathway to support the aspirations of citizen developers without expecting every professional to become a coder.
Federated teams
Federated teams operate with a product mindset, delivering sustainable, reusable, and user-centric solutions rather than one-off fixes. This mindset prioritises continuous improvement, lifecycle management, and alignment with long-term business objectives. For example, instead of creating a custom tool for a single project, federated teams develop scalable solutions that can be adapted and reused across multiple initiatives, saving time and resources.
By creating tools and workflows as products, these teams ensure that innovation doesn’t end at implementation; regular feedback loops, updates, and refinements are baked into their processes, ensuring that solutions remain relevant and practical as business needs evolve.
One of the core strengths of these teams lies in their ability to facilitate the adoption of new technologies. By collaborating directly with delivery teams, federated teams can identify pain points and ensure that new tools effectively address real-world challenges. They also provide hands-on training, documentation, and support, simplifying and integrating these solutions into existing workflows. This approach aims to facilitate the journey of citizen developers, helping them engage in more integrated development processes. Additionally, it seeks to create clearer career paths in an often ambiguous field; where roles such as computational designers or tech-savvy professionals may have unclear trajectories within corporations, more defined opportunities are available when looking at tech companies.
Federated teams don’t just react to current needs; they plan for the future. By maintaining a close relationship with delivery teams, IT, and business stakeholders, federated teams anticipate technological trends and identify opportunities for improvement. They help organisations build a roadmap for adopting emerging technologies, ensuring a smooth transition without disrupting ongoing operations.
Federated teams are pivotal in bridging the often-contentious divide between IT departments and delivery teams. In many organisations, especially large corporations, these two groups operate in silos, frequently plagued by misalignment, miscommunication, and, in some cases, internal competition. This separation originates from traditional corporate structures that view IT as a service provider rather than a collaborative partner. Federated teams challenge this outdated paradigm by embedding collaboration and shared goals at the core of their operations; to succeed, they must establish strong relationships with IT departments. It is crucial to define integration champions who work closely with IT to facilitate open and transparent communication, troubleshoot issues, and advocate for solutions that meet all stakeholders’ needs. This role is important for breaking down barriers and ensuring that conflicting interests don’t sidetrack teamwork.
IT departments usually have a lot of technical know-how but might not be fully aware of the specific challenges that delivery teams face. Conversely, delivery teams understand the intricacies of project execution but may not fully grasp the technical constraints and requirements IT needs. Federated teams bridge this gap by creating a feedback loop where all groups can learn from each other.
For example, IT can educate federated teams on best practices for data security, API integration, and lifecycle management. Meanwhile, federated teams can provide IT with valuable input on the usability or the needs of tools in the field. This mutual learning ensures that solutions are innovative, feasible, and aligned with organisational standards.
The federated teams of tomorrow will focus on connectivity, collaboration, and adaptability.
These squads are going to bring together diverse expertise to address challenges and deliver innovative solutions:
Gaming and immersive technology: Tools like real-time 3D rendering, advanced simulations, and XR (extended reality) devices to create immersive experiences. These enable digital twins, virtual workforce training, and augmented reality applications for construction or infrastructure projects, allowing teams to test, refine, and simulate workflows before real-world implementation. The applications are already here: Anduril powers game engines for defence simulations; Tesla creates virtual worlds for autonomous systems; BMW is incorporating AR in future heads-up display systems.
AI brains and contextual data: AI and data science specialists build “digital brains” that transform unstructured data—emails, drawings, and reports—into actionable insights. These systems offer a more holistic understanding of projects by integrating qualitative information with quantitative data from spreadsheets. Using LLM, web-based agents, and multimodal models will enable the extraction of narratives and context, improving decisions with more complete insights.
Hardware-software integration and robotics: The federated squads involved in the manufacturing space will be bridging the hardware-software divide, especially as they increasingly depend on automation and robotics. The folks in this field really know how to merge physical systems with digital tools, making it super easy for things like drones, robots, and IoT devices to work smoothly with software platforms.
We’re starting to see similar ideas popping up in the field, as Cody Winchester, Lead Technology Trainer at Autodesk University, pointed out. In his “Creating a Culture of Digital Literacy” session, he talked about how HMC Architects set up a Digital Practice that uses digital tools and processes to tackle immediate problems and create reusable and scalable solutions that make a long-term impact. By stepping away from the usual project cycle, teams like this can identify and refine digital competencies, build shared resources, and support continuous improvement.
Much like federated teams, this approach moves beyond the traditional “adhocracy” of project-based work. Instead of disbanding knowledge and resources at the end of each project, federated teams, like Digital Practices, focus on harvesting and refining processes and tools to create scalable solutions that emphasize long-term transformation by harvesting and scaling knowledge across projects.
Conclusion
The federated teams will operate at the intersection of technology, creativity, and practical expertise. By integrating gaming technology, AI-driven digital brains, advanced data science, and robotics into their workflows, they will not only address the needs of today but also anticipate future demands. These cross-functional teams represent the backbone of innovation, addressing a critical challenge in AEC: balancing the industry’s inherent resistance to change with the pressing coming from new possibilities. Federated teams will help the industry move beyond legacy processes, fully integrating digital solutions into delivery.
A huge thank you to Ben for his invaluable support.