THE FIVE PILLARS

BY BRETT GOODCHILDBIM VDC MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL

OF A SUCCESSFULBIM IMPLEMENTATIONWHITE PAPER

POWERFUL VIRTUAL WORKSPACES INSTANTLY

DAKOTA TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a radically new technology and organizational approach for engineering and construction companies.

As a collaborative framework for project design and delivery, BIM can help organizations improve productivity and be more sustainable by bringing numerous e�ciencies, from time savings at the design stage to a smoother construction process.

Project information – including 3D visual representations and non-graphical data, such as material speci�cations, cost of materials, timelines and costs -- can be gathered, shared and updated by participants as a project progresses, enabling primary and support activities to be carried out faster and with less e�ort.

The result is a new level of operational e�ciency that allows AEC �rms to provide higher engineering standards, improve cost e�ectiveness, and o�er more competitive bids.

THE FIVE PILLARSOF A SUCCESSFUL BIM IMPLEMENTATION

BUILDING BLOCKS FOR A STRATEGYA new BIM environment also represents radical change. Its implementation should therefore be integrated with an organization’s corporate vision, business strategies and organizational policies.

Speci�cally, the BIM Manager will require help from upper level management to ful�ll a corporate vision and objectives. This calls for an e�cient de�nition or policy from the top-down to identify speci�c goals, and budgeting and manpower requirements.

Few organizations create true BIM transformation through a bottom-up approach. That’s why the upper levels of a �rm should make a �rm commitment to BIM and imple-ment a new approach to work and project management, streamlining work�ows and growing services.

What’s more, BIM transformation is a true foundational investment for a company’s future strategy. It will require a high-level roadmap that articulates what you want to achieve. These goals should not just be �nancial, but should also be expressed in terms of customer experience, operations e�ciency, and organizational capabilities.

The objective of this white paper is to provide some insights into the strategies and policies that need to be integrated in order to form the basis for a successful BIM execu-tion strategy that is adapted to your business.

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1ST PILLAR:THE BIM ORGANIZATIONSTRUCTUREBIM is primarily about collaboration. The implementation of BIM concepts and processes into any architecture, engineering, construction or owner-operated organization will involve major changes. This will require a culture change for design and engineering teams, clients, contractors, and the entire supply chain.

The AEC environment has changed little in the last thirty years. Since AutoCAD released its �rst product in December of 1982, and although much has evolved Ain this applica-tion, many core processes and work�ows have changed little over the years.

Like all business transformations, BIM adoption can make important and disruptive changes. New ways of working are introduced, core processes are redesigned, new technology replaces old tools, and new skills need to be developed.

And it is precisely the BIM leader’s responsibility to create momentum around BIM transformation throughout the organiztion.

SOCIO-TECHNICAL

SOCIAL LEVELS

INDIVIDUAL

DISCIPLINETEAM

ORGANIZATION

COMMUNITYREQUIREMENTS

PERSONALREQUIREMENTS

INFORMATIONREQUIREMENTS

PHYSICALREQUIREMENTS

HUMAN-COMPUTERINTERACTION (HCI)

SOFTWARE

HARDWARE

EMERGENCEHIGHER CONTEXTS BETTER PERFORMANCE

DEPENDENCE

REQUIREMENTS FLOW DOWN TO SYSTEMSOURCE: DAKOTA TECHNOLOGY GROUP

SOCI

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brett is a passionate and outgoing BIM and VDC champion and evangelist with 10 years of experience in technology and enterprise imple-mentation planning as well as infrastructure and resource planning. Over the years Brett has implemented many technologies ranging from design and construction technologies to mobile and cloud based solutions. He has experience in the development and management of training and support programs to promote growth of self-sustaining internal BIM ecosystems. Brett specializes in enterprise technology implementation planning, BIM execution planning, process improvement, roles and responsibilities development, CDE planning, standards development and ecosystem development Throughout his career Brett has been an intricate and critical part to the planning and execution of BIM on projects in a diverse set of indus-tries including Utilities, Manufacturing, Oil Gas and Chemical, Federal, Entertainment, Food and Beverage, Retail, Health Care, Advanced Commu-nication Systems and Design Build.

Away from his passion for technology, his family comes �rst. he enjoys spending time with his beautiful 5 year old daughter and his wife of almost 10 years. Together they enjoy life outdoors and like to camp, four-wheel and spend time at the beach. If he’s not with his family then he can be found riding around on his Harley Davidson.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are Brett’s own personal opinions and not those of any of his employers or clients. All brand names, product names or other trademarks belong to their respective holders. All images presented are either owned by Brett, his company, the Dakota Technology Group or belong their respective authors.

Brett Goodchild

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2ND PILLAR:

FINANCIAL ASSET ENGINEERING

DEALING WITH CHANGE

COLABORATIVE WORKING CULTURE

Many AEC industry professionals have been performing tasks that have not changed much in this 30-year period. These tasks take place in a production environment that has, in many ways, encouraged a silo work mentality, and new transitions can cause discomfort for users.

It is therefore important that the BIM Manager understand the impact that implementing new technologies and work�ows will have in the social setting in the workplace. Such under-standing will help accelerate BIM adoption, unify team structures, and ensure overall project success.

AEC companies have traditionally operated in silos -- each with its own data de�nitions, business processes and systems. BIM, however, implies working collaboratively by adopting a common view of processes and projects, engaging external partners and customers, and fostering cross-functional problem solving.

People skills, in this context, are as important as being familiar with BIM technology. Project teams consist of people with di�ering personalities, knowledge, and abilities. Changing behavior requires that professional users abandon practices they have spent years developing. In some cases, rifts can occur between end-users, BIM management sta� and early adopters, slowing BIM adoption.

How the BIM Manager deals with these “roadblocks” will have a major impact on BIM progress within the enterprise. That’s why a human-centric approach should be encouraged to accommodate people’s needs and priorities. By understanding each user’s abilities, strengths and weaknesses, the BIM Manager will be able to tailor technology, work�ows and processes to each user’s unique skills. This will result in a stronger relationship with end-users, and a greater return on investment.

Business organizations rely on �nancial input to make their decisions, and BIM involves a large upfront investment.

BIM can achieve major savings by increasing e�ciency, reducing the need for rework, and improving accuracy by working through the same base information.

The BIM Manager, however, should focus on the organization’s speci�c �nancial issues, strategic priorities and operational accountability. Which investments and functionalities are needed to close the gap to the company’s vision? What is the timeline for each initiative? What are the dependencies between them? What investments can help improve the company’s internal processes, cost e�ectiveness, quality, or speed?

We tend to buy into the notion that BIM does not cost more because many of us were sold this concept by resellers, industry experts and even software manufacturers. This is extremely misleading, as BIM entails much more than installing a 3D modeling program and relying on its parametric engine to rapidly deliver a set of CDs. It is important for a BIM Manager to answer the question of how bene�ts will materialize over what period of time. The reduced cost of RFIs and change orders, for example, combined with more e�cient processes will indeed return nice cost savings, but this is not indicative of the bigger picture of BIM projects.

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NEW BUDGET MODELS

The introduction of a technology, as well as its associated processes and work�ows will require thorough planning, and a budget for upgrading equipment and hardware. A BIM Manager should therefore possess enough knowledge about the platforms that he or she is implementing in order to lead or at the very least guide benchmark testing to determine where upgrades are needed for the hardware and network infrastructure, data environment, bandwidth capacity, cloud environment, and any application outside the BIM software.

Finally, it is necessary to objectively measure and quantify productivity improvements in order to demonstrate value. The BIM Manager needs metrics reporting to track BIM implementation e�orts in order to make process improvements as necessary, move to the next initiative, and continue driving the implementation in a positive direction.

The popular mindset that BIM does not cost more often re�ects traditional budget practices. However, this is changing rapidly. We are now seeing a substantial shift in the AEC industry, as more governments and clients adopt BIM and mandate that organizations deliver projects with BIM requirements. As this new industry-wide paradigm grows in momentum, organizations will need to adapt their project budgeting process accordingly.

BIM-related responsibilities and tasks, if unaccounted for, will quickly consume budget and schedule, leading to lower project quality and delays. That’s why a BIM Manager should be involved in budgeting projects with BIM requirements from the start. Unfortunately, this responsibility is often left to project managers who do not have the experi-ence or full understanding of the required time and e�ort. Projects are often kicked o� after the organization has already agreed to a timeline and lower rates -- which increases the risks of overruns and delays. This should be a major area of concern for organizations attempting to implement BIM, as project sta� will resist adoption if their projects are not pro�table or well executed. BIM Managers need to work with project managers to determine what resources, technology, processes and protocols can meet BIM project requirements. Speci�cally, they need to account for new integration, data exchange, content creation and management requirements. There will be times when additional roles will be necessary to facilitate and manage information and data exchange environments. Finally, we need to account for the use of a BIM model that can span estimation, fabrication and operation, as well as integration of this data in FM applications. Another consider-ation that can consume budget is the delivery and management of a model with adequate levels of detail. This may require extra modeling and detailing e�ort, as well as additional resources to manage and audit progress throughout the design process.

These metrics can include:

• Process -related metrics, including RFIs and unplanned changes.

• Project schedule metrics, such as project delivery speed.

• Financial metrics, such as operating costs, productivity and pro�tability.

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3RD PILLAR:LEGALFRAMEWORK

R E S O U R C E SFINANCIAL

INFRASTRUCTURE & APPLICATION COST ANALYSIS

PROJECT BUDGET

OVERHEAD BUDGET

STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

ADJUSTED SALARY REQUIREMENTS

SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

LEGAL CONTRACTS

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

OWNERSHIP & RISK MANAGEMENT

LIABILITIES

DATA RELIANCE AND RETENTION

CLEARLY DEFINED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

INTERVIEW AND GRADING PROTOCOLR E S O U R C E SHUMAN

R E S O U R C E SLEGAL

SOURCE: DAKOTA TECHNOLOGY GROUP

As construction projects increasingly depend on digital technology, new risks can a�ect the achieve-ment of business objectives. Since BIM is a collaborative framework, project data is not stored or controlled by any party, and this co-operative environment may raise legal concerns. Multiple parties, from design professionals to contractors and subcontractors, can utilize a shared model and represent additional exposure to risks and liabilities.

The BIM Manager should therefore work closely with an organization’s legal department or attorneys to understand the legal aspects of BIM and determine any areas of concern. Distinctive and evolving BIM-related risks, in particular, can a�ect performance objectives at strategic, operational, program, or project levels. At the very least, the BIM Manager should be involved in the following:

Legal contract review, with particular emphasis on provisions concerning BIM project warranties or guarantees. They should cover BIM-enforced levels of integration and data sharing to protect the rights of authors of original work, as well as the rights of partners who contribute enough original material to a protectable product. Organization or client intellectual property (IP). Model access that is not properly managed may provide an external party with too much under standing of an asset. If a model contains con�dential or propri-etary information from an organization or contractors, you’ll want to ensure that the right con�dentiality or restricted access provisions are included in the contract: copyright and licensing of the model and of the individual contributors to the model;

liability for content, including corruption, modi�cation, misuse or misinterpretation;

relationships of model to other documents.

Ownership and risk management issues, such as what liability should attach to various participants who rely on or contribute to the BIM model.

Data retention and reliance. Issues are bound to arise, for example, on liability for errors or corruption that can be caused by transmission or transfer of data by recipients, as well as other aspects of information exchange, including storage and retrieval.

Security requirements. The security of a completed building and its occupants needs to be considered. There are legal obligations and liabilities that may arise in part to unauthenticated users, external requirements, ‘controls’ for working out of o�ce/o�-site and speci�c employee requirements. Legal contracts that are currently used are often not adequate for the new construction era. Although insurance coverage and risk management tools are available for dealing with BIM-related exposure, the BIM Manager should consult with legal advisers to address the evolving and speci�c risks that are associated with BIM projects.

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4TH PILLAR:BLUEPRINTFOR A BIM

TEAMRO

LES

RESPONSIBILITIES

A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9

PRODUCTION

PRO

DU

CTIO

NPR

OJE

CTM

ANAG

EMEN

TST

RATE

GIC

LEAD

ERSH

IP

PROJECT PLANNING ENTERPRISE PLANNINGCOLLABORATION &COORDINATION

BIM TECHNICIANS

BIM COORDINATOR

PROJECT MANAGER

INFORMATION MANAGER

ASSET DATA MANAGER

BIM MANAGER

DIRECTOR OF BIM/VDC TECH

DISCIPLINE BIM LEAD

LICENSED BIM PROFESSIONAL

SOURCE: DAKOTA TECHNOLOGY GROUP

BIM fundamentally challenges traditional roles and responsibilities, and its potential impact on an organization’s human resources is often neglected. New ways of working will a�ect people throughout the organization. Cross-functional collaboration, in particular, creates a huge demand for hybrid digital skills – such as technical professionals who need to become more business-savvy and business people who need more technology experience.

That’s why the BIM Manager will need to grow a self-sustaining BIM ecosystem that merges customer and product knowledge, technical skills, organizational change and IT capabilities. This will require the ability to work closely with the Human Resources department to understand where the organization’s skill gaps are. This calls for a proper skill inventory assessment at operational levels and a lot of emphasis on skills and development, as some co-workers will face a steep learning curve to adopt BIM ways of working.

Consideration should be given to an organization’s sta�ng requirements, more clearly de�ned roles, rede�ned salary and education requirements, as well as overall interviewing and grading protocol. An action plan will be needed to attract, retain and engage employees so that job performance improves, leading to the achievement of organizational objectives

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5TH PILLAR:

A TECHNOLOGYPLATFORM

BIM TechnologyImplementation

Project Initiatives

LegalInitiatives

ResourceInitiatives

EnterpriseInitiatives

BIM is quickly becoming an innovative model for delivering IT infrastruc-ture, applications and data management. Although all BIM software platforms are conceptually similar, some are more user-friendly. Some can create more complex visual representations; others are a better �t for large or small-scale implementations.

Software platforms and versions also have distinct functionalities – includ-ing di�erent add-ons or tools, and interoperability capabilities with other platforms. A BIM implementation will require upgrading hardware, often moving components away from local services into the cloud.

The key components of a BIM platform can include:

• An open BIM interface that is robust yet adaptable, and can link to multiple information sources to become the single source of truth for all information queries.

• Common data environments and protocols that facilitate collab-oration, management and decision-making via real-time information. A BIM manager must obtain agreement on BIM protocols to ensure e�cient collaboration and BIM deployment.

• Standards that facilitate the wider adoption of BIM technolo-gies, processes and collaboration by ensuring that the same accurate data can be accessed through out the supply chain. The objective is to share 3D software models in agreed standards and named software formats.

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Other technologies can improve two-way communication between �eld and design o�ces:

• Cloud solutions are quickly becoming an innovation model for delivering IT services, and displacing conventional in-house hosted services. They allow the provision of services over the internet so sta� can access what they need, wherever they are.

• Mobile construction site management software applications can enable real-time communication of on-site data to improve project e�ciency. Mobile-equipped co-workers, armed with up-to-date project information, can access BIM browsers and 2D documents, instead of having to carry around large amounts of paper documents around the work site.

• New cloud technologies such as GDaaS can even deliver a total cloud solution by providing access to servers and powerful workstations in the cloud. These workspaces are simply virtualized workstations that engineers can access on any device –including laptops, tablets, and thin clients – over an internet connection. This makes real-time and synchronized design on the same 3D models possible. What’s more, this IT infrastructure – including virtual workstations – can be deployed in minutes instead of weeks, which is useful for temporary projects.

All these key BIM infrastructure components can go a long way to help realize the full bene�ts of BIM in order to deliver construction and engineering projects more quickly and pro�tably.

For additional information about BIM and Cloud, visit www.gdaas.com/blog

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