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although we have discussed the importance of personal behaviors, it is also important to note that organizational behaviors can impact the successful integration of technology as well. a company that has a culture of innovation and a nimble attitude to begin with will create a persisting dynamic where change is a constant and improvement and analysis are to be expected. conversely, an environment that is resistant to change and that stifles innovation will become exponentially more difficult to create that enabling dynamic that supports the successful analysis selection and use of the right tools that may translate to process changes.
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and arguably created one of the most exciting new dynamics since microsoft excel.
over the last 50 years, the construction industry has had just a handful of notable technological innovations compared to other industries. granted, there were many innovations in material research, installation methodologies, and energy efficiency, such as prefabrication, eco-friendly materials, and green building design. however, the technologies used by project teams for construction management remained largely the same. now, innovation is becoming a part of the way contractors deliver their work and differentiate themselves from their competitors. as a result, we are starting to see a healthy ecosystem of supply and demand for ever better tools between technology vendors and construction management firms willing to invest to drive efficiencies, as is evident in the rise of contractors adopting BIm technologies (Figure 1.2).
Users at Low BIM Implementation (Less Than 15% of Projects)
Contractors’ Current and Future Expected BIM Implementation Levels
29% 31%
32%
17%
6%
25%
33% 36%
Source: McGraw-Hill Construction 2013
Users at High BIM Implementation (31% –60% of Projects)
Current BIM Implementation
Level for All Regions BIM Implementation Level for All Regions Expected by 2015 Users at Moderate
BIM Implementation (15%–30% of Projects) Users at Very
High BIM Implementation (More Than 60% of Projects)
Figure 1.2 Expected growth trends of BIM
BIm in construction management has a unique history. It is important to understand this unique evolution in order to best understand its value and trajectory (Figure 1.3).
BIm as we have come to know it is largely based on object-based parametric modeling technologies that were developed by the parametric Technologies
corporation in the 1980s (source: BIM Handbook, p. 29). BIm for the construction industry was commercially available as a tool in the early 1990s with the ability for
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80%
2009
BIM Adoption by Player (2009–2012) 2012
74% 67% 70%
58%
42%
60% 50%
40%
Source: The Business Value of BIM in North America: 20%
Multi-Year Trend Analysis and User Ratings SmartMarket Report, McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012.
Engineers
Contractors Architects 0%
The percentage of companies using BIM jumped from 28%
in 2007, to 49% in 2009, and to 71% in 2012.
For the first time ever, more contractors are using BIM than architects.
Figure 1.3 Growth of BIM adoption since 2007
acquisition of navisworks (Formerly: Jetstream) by autodesk in 2007 served as a catalyst for BIm adoption among contractors because of its ability to integrate multiple BIm filetypes. as BIm became more mainstream from 2007–2010, the series of follow-on applications, services, and hardware that were associated with this exciting new tool grew significantly. This surge in quantity of BIm-related plugins, add-ons, and applications created the two new dynamics that we outlined previously. The first dynamic was the early stages of the technology “renaissance” that moved the topic spotlight to the construction space and where it stood in its use of technology. The second dynamic created was the challenge imposed upon construction firms to select the right BIm tools that worked together to create value. This phase of BIm history was largely viewed as the beginning stages of BIm, and it quickly brought about a call to action between these tools on the topic of interoperability and the free exchange of data between systems, which continues to be a discussion point today.
some early adopters began integrating BIm technologies within their firms with the intention of differentiating themselves from their peers. many companies tried to label their unique brand of BIm as something special that they alone understood and that no one else had. Whether it was key staff, project experience, or custom-developed tools, the need to stand out from the growing BIm crowd became increasingly
important. The adoption of the tools often took the “pile on” approach as described earlier in this chapter, and it seemed that competition was driven solely on the basis of who had the latest new tool. This drove many early adopters to question the context and value of BIm tools and workflows in order to make them more competitive.
ultimately, this served as a catalyst for broader thought and deeper questioning.
another aspect contributing to the rise in quantity of innovators and early adopters can be attributed to BIm being requested by forward-thinking construction
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consumers such as the general services administration (gsa), united states army corps of engineers (usace), Disney, google, coca-cola, and other large-construction consumers. In order for construction firms to stay relevant to these customers, the need for a compelling technology approach rooted in proven deliverables and consistent results became more important.
many technologists predicted that it would be decades before BIm took hold as a tool and process. although initial efforts were slow and followed the trend line of a traditional technology integration cycle (Figure 1.4), BIm has since taken the aec industry by storm and firms that are now using BIm have surged from 28 percent use in 2007 to 74 percent in 2012 (source: BIM SmartMarket Report, “Business Value of BIm in north america”) and has quickly shifted from early adoption stages to the middle and late stages. as the dust settled from the initial excitement and optimism, early adopters were replaced in number by the early majority, who investigated these new tools at a much deeper level than surface promises. ultimately, these industry experts and analysts began to weigh in on which tools provided clear value and delivered on their promises and which ones did not. many communities and organizations were created as a means to capture this information.
Innovators
2.5% Early Adopters 13.5%
Conventional Distribution for Technology Adopters
Segments and the Technology Curve
Early Majority 34%
Trendsetters (9%)
Technology Trend Followers
(15%)
Technology Seeking Enthusiasts
(14%)
Technology Socializers
(8%)
All-Around Technologists
(7%)
Technology Indifferents
(17%) Adoption Gap
Extreme Techies
(8%)
Source: The Nielsen Company and Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) Modern
Mavens (13%)
Late Majority 34%
Laggards 16%
Figure 1.4 Traditional technology adoption cycle
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From 2007 to 2012, the factors influencing the use of BIm shifted. In 2007, the second-largest factor in increasing use of BIm was owners demanding it on their projects (Figure 1.5). however, in 2012 owners’ demand for BIm fell to the number four slot as interoperability, functionality, and clearly defined BIm deliverables took its place (Figure 1.6). although owner requirements are still a major consideration in BIm use, we now appear to be at the crest of BIm adoption in the construction industry. proof of deeper questioning and analytical thinking that is consistent with trends of the more careful early and late majority adoption cycle group continues to surface as more professionals from all over the world explore the depths and potential for BIm in construction.
as with the traditional technology adoption cycle, the innovators, early adopters, and trendsetters pass the baton to the early and late majority, which is largely where BIm is in its technology adoption life cycle currently. The early and late majority users, characteristically, are more analytical than “techies” and have had a significant impact on BIm use, with more to say about workflows and the quality and organization of data than their predecessors. There continues to be a big focus on interoperability between tools and a more in-depth look at the value case of large amounts of data that host or link to parametric (model) elements. however, the industry is still defining the value of BIm information as a whole. This presents many opportunities for future innovations that will go through additional technology cycles. many industry organizations host presentations and discussions that have moved beyond introducing BIm as a concept to more detailed analysis on planning, organizational structure, and process change dialogue.
This is a very exciting time for BIm and technology within construction. We are now seeing new tools and processes come to market that are focused on value that align to processes and consolidate functions. examples are the new version of Vico office, which integrates time and cost functions; autodesk 360 glue, which eliminates the need for working on files in a lan or Wan configuration; and Bentley’s projectWise construction Work package server, which integrates the model, schedule, and task planning.
so where is the value in BIm now?
simply put, the value in BIm is still in the information. however, the value is more known than before and it is now this better connected, simpler more results focused approach that is guiding the use of this information. When we think about the potential uses for a virtual model that is able to contain information about each individual door, roof top unit, slab, and window, we begin to understand that the implications for estimating, scheduling, trade coordination, and installation are still profound. The design and construction industry will continue to become more efficient at creating and using models. as a result, teams are exploring ways of using the data and information produced from models to eliminate waste in redundant data entry and points of input as well as to spot trends, patterns, and issues that we simply were not capable of capturing before the introduction of BIm.
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Figure 1.5 Factors influencing the use of BIM: 2007 Less Time Drafting More Time Designing
68%
49%
47%
45%
43%
41%
39%
38%
38%
37%
33%
31%
26%
25%
19%
16%
Owners Demanding It on Their Projects
Parametric Modification of Designs With BIM
Opportunity to Reduce Construction Costs
Improved Interoperability
Reduced Number/Need for Information Requests
Improved Document Version Control
Improved Budgeting/Cost Estimating Capabilities
Opportunity to Reduce Construction Time
Clash Detection Capabilities of BIM Tools
Reducing Insurance Claims Because of BIM
Improved Scheduling Capabilities with BIM Tools
Compliance Code Checking
Safer Worksites Because of BIM
Industry Use of Lean Construction Techniques Enchanced by BIM
0%
Source: McGraw-Hill Construction Research and Analytics, 2007
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
BIM’s Ability to Improve Communication with Clients/Others in Design and Construction Process
Factors Influencing the Use of BIM
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Figure 1.6 Most important factors for increasing BIM benefits: 2012
Source: McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012 Most Important Factors for Increasing BIM Benefits (2009 and 2012)
2012 2009
Improved Interoperability between Software Applications
Improved BIM Software Functionality
More Clearly-Defined BIM Deliverables Between Parties
More Owners Asking for BIM
More 3D Building Product Manufacturer Content
Reduced Cost of BIM Software
More Internal Staff with BIM Skills
More Use of Contracts to Support BIM
More External Firms with BIM Skills
More Entry-Level Staff with BIM Skills
54%
46%
66%
48%
62%
54%
69%
54%
54%
65%
56%
56%
58%
67%
70%
78%
62%
64%
68%
79%
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