BIM For Project Developers: 7 Dos and Don’ts 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) allows you to bring together information about a project in a centralised and accessible format. From a project management standpoint, BIM is highly beneficial because it enables better collaboration and gives you much more reliable information to make sustainable decisions.

BIM offers project managers the right tools that can help reduce errors, manage teams more efficiently, stick to budgets and schedules, enhance clients experiences, and expand opportunities for future work.

When it comes to the implementation phase, there are a few vital things that you should do and others that you should not. So, here is a useful guide on the dos and don’ts at the BIM implementation phase for project managers.

man in front of a digital twin of a building for BIM implementation BIM for Project Developers

4 Dos At Implementation Phase at BIM for Project Developers

1. Analyse Your Property Types And Business Developments

What types of properties or projects do you develop? Is it entire buildings that are mostly office or mixed-use? Do you sell parts of properties? Or do you rent them out or use them for your headquarters? These are the questions you should ask when analysing your property types and business developments.

Understanding the types of projects and properties that you generally deal with helps you to determine what sort of use cases you want to serve from your models. This enables you to set clear goals and define exactly what you want to achieve with BIM. 

2. Derive Use Cases From The Property Types

Use cases are what your models are being used for and how they are being used. Understanding what activities you run in the planning, construction and operation phase will define what requirements your BIM models have to fulfil. 

Deriving these use cases also allows you to order the right things from your consulter.

For example, use cases for building operations are a much bigger focus for offices than for residential buildings. Virtual reality (VR) visualisation, on the other hand, is very useful in residential projects, to show your customers how their flat is gonna look like but maybe not that valuable for selling an office building to an investor. 

Use cases also allow you to define project goals and know exactly which activities you want to focus on. Like the examples above, you need to know if your building is an office, residential, or any other type of development as this points to the types of processes you will use with BIM.

3. Get An Expert On Board 

Once you have the abstract use cases, you need to convert them into real requirements for the planners and contractors. Getting an expert on board, whether an internal or external consultant, can help you with this task.

Experts in BIM will be able to tell you if your specifications are doable and will enable you to bring together all the information you have. When you have an expert consulting with you, you have a greater chance of your project succeeding and you can reduce the risk of failure.

4. There Shouldn’t Be A Plan B

BIM implementation is a taxing process and takes time. To do it successfully, you need to have endurance and patience. When you have a plan B as a backup, you are planning for a failure of plan A. This shouldn’t be the case. You need to endure through the implementation phase and ensure that you get the most out of BIM.

Research has also shown that having a plan B can actually sabotage your plan A as it makes you feel more secure. Plan Bs reduce your performance in your primary goal by decreasing the desire for goal achievement. You need to have a plan A (BIM implementation) and stick to it!

3 Don’ts At Implementation Phase at BIM for Project Developers

Don’t Simply Order BIM

You need to lay down exactly what you want to achieve. Otherwise, you will generate more costs for your company. With BIM, you need to precisely understand your goals and lay them out to the experts. If you don’t do this, you may run the risk of misunderstandings and rework, which all adds up.

Don’t Compare It To Traditional Projects

For BIM implementation to be successful, project developers need to understand that BIM involves entirely new processes. So, you can’t compare it to traditional projects and continue to do things the way you always have. 

BIM is a newer, more advanced way to create and manage building information. It allows for better, more streamlined processes that are completely different from more traditional approaches.

For successful BIM implementation, you need to rethink every step in your general project process to allow for enhanced communication, collaboration, and decision-making. 

Don’t Force Employees To Do BIM Projects

When it comes to introducing new ways of doing things, you can often see some resistance from employees due to uncertainty. So, it’s important not to force BIM on your employees. Rather, aim to inspire by teaching them about all the benefits of BIM

There needs to be sufficient support from management so that employees feel encouraged and empowered to use BIM. Support your employees regarding BIM projects and inspire them to change their way of thinking about them. Promote strong leadership and provide your employees with the tools they need. Ease them into the new process rather than throwing them into the deep end!

Conclusion about BIM for Project Developers

BIM is an excellent approach to the technical aspects of construction. For a successful BIM project, the project developer needs to provide a clear path right from the implementation phase. This is the most crucial stage in any job and making the correct moves here will impact the project ahead. 

Implementation of BIM requires constant re-evaluation and can be an exhausting process. But, with this list of dos and don’ts, as well as sophisticated BIM platforms like bimspot, you can be sure that you are on the right track.