For decades, engineering organizations have treated data management as a necessary burden — something to “keep under control” rather than a strategic asset. But the landscape has shifted. Today, the firms seeing the greatest gains in productivity, margin, and innovation are the ones that treat engineering data as a core business driver.
At Hagerman & Company, we’ve spent 40 years helping engineering and manufacturing teams evolve with technology. And across every industry we serve — manufacturing, AEC, infrastructure, and beyond — the message is the same:
Engineering data is no longer just an output. It’s the engine that powers your entire operation.
Below are key trends we’re seeing, and how forward-thinking firms are leveraging Autodesk solutions to work more efficiently, save money, and drive measurable business value.
1. Engineering Data Has Moved Beyond the CAD Department
Product and project data used to live almost exclusively with engineering. Today, it affects everything:
Teams across the organization need access to accurate, up-to-date data — instantly. But for many firms, the current reality is:
The result? Lost time. Cost overruns. Frustrated teams. Slower innovation.
Studies show that up to 30% of engineering time is lost due to avoidable rework, wrong versions, and duplicated effort. In today’s competitive landscape, that number is simply unsustainable.
Forward-looking firms are asking a different question:
“How can we enable our teams to make better decisions, faster, with reliable data?”
Autodesk’s data management ecosystem — including Vault, Vault PLM, Fusion, and Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) — is designed exactly for this. These tools eliminate version issues, automate revisions, and provide company-wide visibility so teams stop chasing data and start using it.
One of the most transformational changes we’re seeing is the rise of connected data environments.
Many of our manufacturing and construction clients now operate across distributed teams: office-based engineers, remote designers, field crews, and external partners. For these firms, connecting Vault’s controlled engineering data with ACC’s real-time field access has been a game-changer.
This integration enables:
As one customer recently told us, “We didn’t realize how many of our mistakes weren’t engineering mistakes — they were data mistakes.”
Fixing the data flow fixed the output.
The debate around cloud technology in engineering is over. Remote work, distributed teams, and partner-driven projects have become the norm. The firms that win are those embracing cloud-enabled design and data management.
Autodesk Fusion, for example, is rapidly becoming a central platform for modern engineering teams. Its cloud-first environment provides:
It’s not simply a CAD tool — it’s an ecosystem that supports the full product lifecycle.
The next phase of engineering digital transformation is not just organizing data — it’s putting it to work.
We are entering a period where:
And your Autodesk ecosystem will sit at the center of it.
But this future is only possible with clean, structured, centralized data — something best achieved with solutions like Vault, Vault PLM, Fusion, and ACC.
Despite all the advances in tools and platforms, one truth remains:
Technology only creates value when it supports the way people work.
That’s why our philosophy at Hagerman is simple:
The companies that succeed aren’t the ones with the most technology — they’re the ones using their technology the most effectively.
If your teams are still spending time searching for files, guessing which revision is correct, or manually sending PDFs around the organization, then you are leaving enormous value on the table.
The good news: with the right digital strategy and Autodesk ecosystem, firms are seeing measurable gains in:
Engineering data is no longer a byproduct. It’s a competitive advantage — and it’s time to treat it that way.
If your organization is ready to modernize the way you manage, share, and utilize engineering data, our team at Hagerman is here to help.