Their support culminated in a well-attended webinar titled “Prevention of Disputes by Digitalisation in NEC Contracts”, organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Construction Adjudicators. The session brought together experts from across the NEC ecosystem, including The Contracts Group’s Peter Ingram, NEC Tutor Kimmy Chan, and our own Digital Beehive team: Nick Ives, Brad Cahill and William Tann.
NEC4 in Hong Kong And Why Contract Compliance Matters More Than Ever
The discussion opened with an overview of the NEC4 suite of contracts from Kimmy Chan, who clarified why NEC has become the default form for major public-sector projects in both the UK and Hong Kong. With built-in processes that depend on transparency and timely communication, NEC offers a strong collaborative framework but it also demands administrative discipline. Without digital support, the contractual requirements around programmes, early warnings and compensation events can quickly become difficult to manage, increasing the risk of disputes.
A central theme of the session was how essential digitalisation has become to delivering NEC effectively. Kimmy illustrated how early agreement on the first programme, regular alignment meetings and shared visibility between teams all help keep risks under control. Early warnings, for example, work best when they’re seen as a collaborative tool rather than a precursor to claims – something that digital platforms help reinforce by making them visible, traceable and accessible to all parties.
Common Causes of Construction Disputes And How Digital Tools Eliminate Them
Peter Ingram expanded on the traditional pain points that often lead to disputes in construction projects. Staff turnover can result in lost project knowledge. Multiple unaligned trackers create confusion. Document control issues mean teams end up working from outdated drawings or relying on verbal instructions. These patterns often escalate into avoidable disputes rooted in miscommunication.
Digitalisation addresses these challenges by creating a shared, continuously updated information environment. Structured, time-stamped communication and consistent record-keeping strengthen trust, reduce ambiguity and support early intervention before disagreements escalate.
How Digital Beehive Aligns with NEC Workflows and CISPO Requirements
From Digital Beehive’s perspective, digital platforms are not just tools – they are enablers of the behaviours NEC expects. The platform supports role-based permissions, automated NEC workflows, version-controlled Scope and contract documents, and linked communication timelines that show the complete contractual story.
A key part of this approach is being pro-contract by design. Instead of relying on fragmented systems or manual trackers, the platform uses the NEC contract itself as the architecture that drives behaviour. Every workflow, trigger, notification and audit trail is aligned with NEC’s requirements, guiding users towards compliance by default.
This makes procedures like deemed acceptance far simpler to manage, ensuring deadlines are visible and responses are tracked in real time. This is particularly important as Hong Kong’s construction industry adapts to the Construction Industry Security of Payment Ordinance (CISPO), now in effect. With statutory adjudication playing a stronger role, complete and accurate records are essential.
A key message from all speakers was that NEC’s collaborative ethos can only be fully realised when supported by modern digital systems. Digitalisation shifts project teams away from reactive dispute management and towards prevention of disputes, built on transparency, structured communication and consistent documentation.
Q&A Highlights
Changing the Culture Around Early Warnings
An important audience question explored why early warnings are often viewed as adversarial, and how teams can overcome the reluctance to issue them. The panel noted that this hesitation stems from culture, not contract. NEC does not allocate blame through early warnings – it encourages shared responsibility and proactive problem-solving. Digital tools help shift this mindset by creating a transparent, single source of truth where early warnings are treated as part of standard, collaborative governance rather than a sign of conflict. Unlike traditional risk registers left to stagnate in spreadsheets, digital early warning systems encourage continuous monitoring and make it easier to address issues before they escalate.
Who Should Own a Multi-Party Digital Contract Platform?
Another question addressed platform ownership in multi-party NEC projects and how neutrality can be maintained. The panel agreed that ownership matters far less than configuration. Whether the system is held by the client, contractor or consultant, what ensures fairness is giving all parties the correct roles, permissions and visibility. Digital Beehive’s pro-contract by design framework reinforces neutrality by following the contract itself rather than the preferences of any one party. In practice, the employer may dictate the system, but a properly configured, contract-led platform ensures trust, transparency and balanced oversight for everyone involved.
Strengthening Collaboration in Hong Kong’s Infrastructure Sector
The event underscored how Hong Kong’s rapidly evolving infrastructure landscape is ready for deeper integration of NEC principles and digital contract management. We are deeply grateful to The Contracts Group for hosting the webinar and for their generous support throughout our visit. Their insights and industry leadership have helped us engage meaningfully with local organisations seeking better, more collaborative methods of project delivery.
As NEC adoption expands and CISPO reshapes contractual obligations, digitalisation will become the backbone of dispute-free project delivery enabling teams to work more transparently, resolve issues sooner, and build stronger project relationships.
