Transportation

Digital construction may not have people, material, or equipment to transport but the amount of information transferred would fill a few office trailers. With upwards of 40% of time being wasted on tasks that are a result of missing or incomplete information, more emails and attachments are NOT the answer.

• Solution – A Digital Data Plan needs to establish how and where ALL of the project data will be shared along with incorporating a shared data platform that gives anyone on the project access to the same documents at any time. Versioning is key.

Inventory

When it comes to digital construction, particularly BIM Coordination, the biggest impact to production in the field is a model that is lacking the proper content to fully coordinate the systems. A model that is missing critical content such as bracing, hangers, or certain framing can all result in a great loss of time and rework in the field.

• Solution – Know which model elements exist in the design and which are required for the project to be successful. This will vary based on project type, how the models were developed, and how they will be used in the field (i.e. Pre-fabrication, point layouts, 6D schedule, etc). Be specific.

Motion

With digital construction there are a lot of moving parts and pieces of information. For example, a single question can be raised through an email, a meeting discussion, a phone conversation, a field issue, or through BIM coordination; but where does it go from there? Is it a design question? A question of phasing or means and methods? Does another trade contractor have the answer? The flow of information and access to project information is critical to the entire construction supply chain.

• Solution – Use an integrated approach with a software tool that becomes single hub for questions, issues, coordination and discussions. The project team will spend more time solving the issues rather than documenting and distributing.

Waiting

Many projects have been bogged down waiting for information or confirmation to a question. This occurs when the digital coordination methods around BIM are reduced and collaborated through paper-based processes such as RFIs. There may be a time and place for RFIs (unless you’re doing IPD method), but 3D models cannot be reduced to 2D documents before collaboration can happen.

• Solution – Integrate both the design and construction teams together inside the latest models with software and technology tools so that coordination and design conflicts are shown inside the latest available models. This results in only having to use paper-based processes to document the change or solution.

Over Processing

There are great technology and software tools available today, but the tool that you use should fit the best process instead of forfeiting the right process just to fit the tool.

• Solution – Use software and technology that helps the project to accomplish the end goals, fits the abilities, and improves the efficiency of the process.

Over Production

Confusion and a lack of trust can be developed when there is duplicate content being used in coordination which is often due to a lack of file versioning or multiple models produced with duplicate content.

• Solution – Use a model element table to clearly identify who is producing the various model elements (i.e. Walls, steel, concrete) and clarify what level of development is expected. The “who” and “what” will differ across the project phases.

Defects

When any of the above occur the production onsite is greatly impacted when receiving a lack of information, the wrong information, or late information resulting in lack of production and costly re-work.

• Solution – Digital Data and BIM Execution plans with the proper technology tools and execution are essential to successful on any project.