Digital Beehive Studio

About Digital Beehive Studio

Digital Beehive Studios, hosted by Digital Beehive, explores construction challenges and how NEC Contracts are used in real construction and infrastructure projects. Through conversations with industry practitioners, we discuss contract management, dispute resolution, project delivery, and commercial best practice. This channel also features recordings of Digital Beehive webinars, in which professionals working with NEC contracts every day share useful tips and lessons learned.

Publisher

Digital Beehive

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Mar 2026

Latest episode

30 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

9 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Jun 2026

   Why Construction Disputes Are Usually Avoidable!

   Can disputes be avoided altogether? Construction disputes are generally inevitable, but what if they don’t have to reach the formal escalationprocesses? In Episode 003 of the NECtar Briefings, Lauren Flatt is joined by Glenn Hide (GMH Planning) and, this time, dispute resolution specialist Dave Rimmer (DSR Commercial Services Ltd). Throughout this episode, you’ll learn the practical steps project teams can take to resolve issues early and how the formal dispute resolution process works when agreement can't be reached. This session: Why even well-managed projects can end up in dispute The most common commercial causes of contractual disagreements The importance of talking and listening How the NEC dispute resolution process progresses from senior representatives to adjudication and tribunal The role of adjudicators and how decisions are made Practical advice from an experienced dispute resolution specialist for anyone facing adjudication A bonus quickfire question hosted by Dave Rimmer! For all ranges of construction level understanding, whether you’re a Contractor, Consultant, Project Manager, Supervisor, or Subcontractor, this episode offers practical insights into managing disagreements professionally while keeping projects moving. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction and why disputes happen (04:12) - Most common causes of disputes (08:18) - First steps when disagreements arise (11:12) - Understanding NEC dispute resolution options (14:59) - Senior representatives and adjudication (20:47) - choosing adjudicator and expected timescales (28:30) - A stigma around adjudication? (30:17) - Dave Rimmer's advice those entering adjudication (39:09) - Quickfire NEC challenge Don’t forget to like, subscribe and share for more inspiring conversations with the construction industry experts. Check us out on: LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752) YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd (https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd) Website - ⁠https://www.digitalbeehive.com/⁠ (https://www.digitalbeehive.com/) Guest's websites: Glenn Hide - ⁠https://gmhplanning.co.uk/⁠ (https://gmhplanning.co.uk/) Dave Rimmer - https://dsrcommercialservices.co.uk/ (https://dsrcommercialservices.co.uk/)

2. 

   22 Jun 2026

   What Does Mutual Trust and Co-operation Actually Mean?

   ‘What does mutual trust and co-operation actually mean?’ is the theme of this ‘NECtar session’ and the challenges surrounding this subject within the ⁠NEC Contracts®⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/nec-contracts/). In this fascinating webinar, Tim Leung, Sean Leung and Glenn Hide examined the NEC4 obligation to act in a spirit of mutualtrust and co-operation through the lens of philosophy, governance and leadership. The session, hosted by Megan Hailwood (https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-hailwood-11a408337/), our Junior Business Development Manager, explored: 🔸The relationship between clauses 10.1, 10.2 and 11.2(13) 🔸Behavioural leadership and governance under NEC4 🔸Communication, transparency and contractual discipline 🔸Common misunderstandings around mutual trust and co-operation 🔸Balancing commercial entitlement with productive working relationships This webinar looks more deeply into what clause 10.2 means in practice; how it links to governance, behaviour and day-to-day NEC administration, and why the clause continues to generate debate across the industry. Don’t forget to like, subscribe and share for more inspiring conversations with construction industry experts. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction and overview of the webinar (07:09) - Why clause 10.2 matters (11:25) - What philosophy reveals about clause 10.2 (28:41) - Philosophy in practice, collaborative contracting (36:33) - The bridge between philosophy and practice (40:29) - The reality of mutual trust and co-operation (44:00) - What does mutual trust and co-operation not mean? (46:44) - NEC Conference's discussion on mutual trust (47:35) - Closing remarks and Q&A Check us out on: LinkedIn - ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752⁠⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752) YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd (https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd) Website - ⁠⁠https://www.digitalbeehive.com/⁠⁠ (https://www.digitalbeehive.com/) Guest speaker’s handles: ** Tim Leung (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mantimleung/) – Founder and Director, Apex Tech Solutions Ltd ** Sean Leung (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-leung-b93727232/) – Penultimate Year BA (Hons) Philosophy, UCL ** Glenn Hide (https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-hide-b256062/) – NEC4 Management Consultant, GMH Planning

3. 

   11 Jun 2026

   What Happens When the Project Manager Goes Quiet?

   The ‘NECtar sessions’ theme is what to do when the Project Manager does not respond, and the challenges surrounding this subject within the NEC Contracts® (https://www.linkedin.com/company/nec-contracts/). The session, hosted by Brad Cahill, our Head of Commercial, explored: 🔸 Why is there no response 🔸 Which NEC clauses need a Project Manager response 🔸 What the Project Manager must respond to and what they don’t have to 🔸 How to encourage the Project Manager to respond quickly 🔸 Perspectives from both the Project Manager and the Contractor, and how they feel Robert Gerrard handled the more technical side of the Project manager's non-response, looking at the NEC contractualrequirements and the implications of delayed responses. The webinar then took a slightly different route from our usual ones, as Martin Newman and Richard Myers delivered a debate-style chat looking at the Project Manager’s and Contractor’s outlooks, which made for some interesting points and recommendations. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction and overview of the webinar (04:05) - Which ECC clauses need a Project Manager response? (13:10) - Which ECC clauses do not need a Project Manager response? (14:27) - What are the implications of no response? (18:48) - How to encourage quick responses (23:12) - Project Manager perspective (39:39) - Contractor perspective (52:11) - Closing remarks Don’t forget to like, subscribe and share for more inspiring conversations with construction industry experts. Check us out on: LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752) YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd (https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd) Website - ⁠https://www.digitalbeehive.com/⁠ (https://www.digitalbeehive.com/) Guest speaker’s handles: ** Richard Myers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-myers-8ab23226/) – Head of Commercial, VSL UK (https://www.linkedin.com/company/vsl-uk/) ** Martin Newman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-newman-26579a87/) – Project Director, Turner & Townsend (https://www.linkedin.com/company/turner-&-townsend/) ** Robert Gerrard (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-gerrard-2884342a/) – Senior NEC Consultant, Thomas Telford Ltd (https://www.linkedin.com/company/thomas-telford-ltd/)

4. 

   25 May 2026

   How Poor Communication Costs Construction Projects Millions

   Is communication the be-all and end-all on construction projects? Spanning verbal instructions, unclear response periods, and inconsistent processes, we unpack how small communication failures can escalate into major project issues. In Episode 002 of the NECtar Briefings, Neil Earnshaw, Nick Ives and Lauren Flatt explore why communication is one of the most underestimated influencers of project performance in construction under NEC3 & NEC4. Covering: Why contractual communication rules matter on live projects The dangers of relying on verbal instructions How delayed responses create risk and uncertainty Why early communication helps prevent disputes The growing importance of cloud-based systems in construction delivery How structured communication improves transparency, accountability, and auditability Whether all contract management systems are actually built the same (00:00) Introduction & purpose of section 13 (02:12) Period for reply (04:56) What role do verbal instructions have? (09:01) Communication issues seen on projects (12:40) What are the dangers of contractual communication? (15:11) Early communication in preventing disputes (18:06) Time-scale not specified in NEC (23:06) Importance of cloud-based systems in communication (28:27) Efficiency gains from contract management softwares (32:52) Nick Ives' responsibility in helping the construction industry (35:31) What sets cloud-based systems apart from the other? The level of understanding between the parties can be the difference between successful construction projects and multi-million-pound losses. Don’t forget to like, subscribe and share for more inspiring conversations with the construction industryexperts. Check us out on: LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752) YouTube - ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd⁠ (https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd) Website - ⁠https://www.digitalbeehive.com/⁠ (https://www.digitalbeehive.com/) Guest's websites: Neil Earnshaw - ⁠https://www.neconsult.co.uk/ (https://www.neconsult.co.uk/)

5. 

   29 Apr 2026

   Fixed Price Contracts May Be a Trap!

   When is a fixed price contract actually the right choice? Fixed price contracts promise cost certainty. Realistically, they often introduce hidden risk, cashflow pressure, and complexchange management challenges. In this episode, Glenn Hide and Neil Earnshaw break down the reality behind fixed price contracting in construction, under NEC4 Option A: Why change management becomes difficult under fixed price contracts How poor scope definition creates risk and cost overruns Where cashflow issues arise in real projects If you're working on infrastructure or construction projects and relying on fixed price contracts for cost certainty, this episode will give you a more realistic view. (00:00) - Introduction (01:25) - Do all contracts come with main options? (02:24) - When is fixed price the right choice? (04:34) - Is it really the simplest option? (05:58) - Key characteristics (10:41) - Can the programme/payment structure change? (15:52) - How changes are assessed (22:53) - Common issues (35:32) - Unpriced work explained (36:41) - What’s changed in newer contracts? (41:56) - Quickfire questions (48:11) - Outro Don’t forget to like, subscribe and share for more inspiring conversations with construction industry experts. Check us out on: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752 (https://www.linkedin.com/company/871752) YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd (https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalBeehiveLtd) Website - https://www.digitalbeehive.com/ (https://www.digitalbeehive.com/) Guest's websites: Glenn Hide - https://gmhplanning.co.uk/ (https://gmhplanning.co.uk/) Neil Earnshaw - https://www.neconsult.co.uk/ (https://www.neconsult.co.uk/)

6. 

   11 Mar 2026

   Webinar 004. NEC Project Audits & Contractual Health Checks | Jacobs

   We are pleased to present our webinar with guest speaker Lesley Hunt - a catalytic leader with 20+ years’ experience delivering infrastructure across energy, water, transport, and maritime sectors. She specialises in procurement strategy and contract administration, with a focus on clear governance frameworks informed by clean, reliable commercial data, and effective decision-making. With Lesley being a Contract and Procurement Specialist at Jacobs, she is a perfect addition to the ‘Project Audits & Contractual Health Checks’ webinar, by providing a client’s perspective on a structured and manageable approach to deal with contract administration. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction and overview of NEC Project Audits webinar (02:58) - Periodic ECC contract reviews (06:13) - NEC Programme Principles (08:49) - Programmes review under the NEC (12:57) - Early Warnings within contractual health checks (21:38) - Compensation Events review (29:53) - Payments within NEC Project Audits (34:13) - General items to review under the NEC contract. (40:37) - Demonstration of a Project Audit (46:00) - End: Summary, Q&A, and future webinar topic

7. 

   11 Mar 2026

   Webinar 003. Closing the Gap: Subcontractor Management Under NEC Contracts | Solomons Europe

   Under the title ‘Closing the Gap: Subcontractor Management Under NEC Contracts', with Neil Earnshaw (NE Consult), Glenn Hide (GMH Planning - NEC Training), and Brad Cahill (Digital Beehive). The 40-minute session, along with a 20-minute Q&A, will explore: Utilising NEC throughout the whole supply chain Ensure all parties understand the importance of NEC contract management tools Issues with Contractors, and the Subcontractor’s acceptance Subcontractor management Contract Bee in conjunction with Contractors and Subcontractors Ian Hedley will discuss the authentic problems that have surfaced from his experiences with subcontractors over time Our guest, Ian Hedley, is the North East Regional Director at Solomons Europe and has been a member of their team for over 11 years. He has extensive experience in business expansion within the North East region, as well as providing consultancy and bespoke training in accordance with the NEC3 & NEC4 Contracts. This webinar is ideal for anyone operating under NEC contracts to demonstrate how digital adoption can boost construction developments for Subcontractors and all parties involved. Timestamps: (00:00) - Intro to Subcontractor Management Under NEC Contracts (04:01) - Contractor scenario (08:46) - Using NEC with the supply chain (10:36) - Pitfalls in Purchase Order terms for appointment of Subcontractors (14:21) - Tender stage with Subcontractors (22:47) - Subcontract specific document and scope (27:43) - Subcontractor acceptance on an NEC contract management system (34:34) - Poor NEC administration causes problems across main options (39:40) - Is contract management better between Client and Contractor? (44:34) - NEC contract software with Subcontractors (49:38) - Educate Subcontractors and treat fairly (55:23) - End: outro and Q&A discussion

8. 

   11 Mar 2026

   Webinar 002. Maximising the Value of NEC Contracts Through CMS | Mott MacDonald

   Join the professionals as they explore how to navigate NEC Contracts and how effective contract management systems can transform NEC delivery — empowering teams to deliver projects with clarity and consistency. What to Expect: Mott MacDonald's Ross Verhey unpacks: ▪️ An overview of the NEC Suite of Contracts ▪️ The principles and objectives behind NEC ▪️ How NEC differs from traditional forms of contract in Singapore ▪️The benefits and challenges of implementation, and how Digital Beehive helps bridge that gap ▪️ Phyllis Chung provides a case study example of ‘The use of Digital Platforms for NEC Contract Administration in Hong Kong’ Brad Cahill at Digital Beehive demonstrates: ▪️ The risks of not using a contract management system ▪️ The benefits and wider value of digital adoption ▪️ How NEC-aligned tools like Contract Bee improve compliance, visibility, and performance And finally, Mott MacDonald Bentley | MMB's Matthew Luxton shares real-world insights from administering Yorkshire Water contracts, showcasing how Digital Beehive supports efficient contract delivery in practice. This session offers practical insights, proven digital methods, and real-world examples tailored to Singapore’s context to help you maximise your NEC projects, regardless of your experience level. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction and agenda (03:15) - About Mott MacDonald (04:54) - An overview of the NEC Suite of Contracts (11:03) - Target cost contracts - key considerations (20:26) - Use of Digital platforms for NEC contract administration in Hong Kong (23:50) - Benefits of a cloud-based software in managing NEC contracts (36:05) - Yorkshire Water using Contract Bee on a project (45:40) - End: Q&A, Clause 10.2, and managing Compensation Events

9. 

   11 Mar 2026

   Webinar 001. Common Pitfalls of NEC Contract Management & How to Avoid Them

   Managing NEC contracts can be complex, and even experienced teams can fall into avoidable traps that increase cost, delay, and disputes. This webinar will highlight the most common mistakes made in NEC contract management and provide clear, practical guidance on how to steer clear of them. Hosted by: Digital Beehive Guest Speakers: Glenn Hide, Director, GMH Planning | Neil Earnshaw, Director, NE Consult What you’ll learn: What are the most common pitfalls in NEC contract management, and how to avoid them Best practices for identifying and managing risks effectively The importance of early warnings, risk registers, and regular programme updates How to approach compensation events clearly and consistently The role of clear communication and record-keeping in reducing disputes Ways to apply NEC’s collaborative principles to achieve better project outcomes By the end of the session, you’ll have a stronger understanding of how to get risk right in NEC management using the contract’s built-in mechanisms effectively to manage risk fairly, avoid disputes, and deliver better project outcomes. Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction to common misconceptions (02:52) - Early Warning Register at tender stage, notifications, and replies (12:37) - Contractor quotation assumptions (16:35) - X7 Delay Damages (19:48) - Deemed acceptance by the Project Manager (30:23) - Quotation not yet agreed (40:15) - Project Manager instructions (43:17) - Spirit of mutual trust and co-operation (49:30) - End: Q&A and value of a contract-management system

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