KNOW WHERE I CAN GET AN ITALIAN MARKER BOARD?

Yeah we had a great marker board we used on our last project….I think we used it in Building C in the 5^th floor classrooms…..and it still might be in Italian……..and it’s floor based……..but you can tweak it!  Ever try to reuse information from a prior project?   BIM has gone beyond the CD set and we are now working with a rich set of data for a multitude of uses from fabrication to facilities management and more.  Not only is it important to pass along good clean usable data to the other teams, but to pass it on back to your teams.  How are you keeping all the good stuff from your most recent project while making sure that those “what the…” moments don’t rear their ugly head again.

All too often our nemesis in completely a quality post-mortem on a project is time.  We never have enough of it and we are off to the next project.  But without doing so, how do you know if you were successful?  How do others in your firm know where all that good stuff is.  Certainly another team can use those placeholder doors that have all the clearances marked out.  Couldn’t someone else use all those Sherwin-Williams paint colors that you set up?  How about the new process you developed for bringing in a data set of room requirements from clients?

By creating a feedback loop,  new objects, materials, presentation styles, processes, ideas, and more can be reused in future projects.  Taking a few hours now will certainly save you and others from reinventing the wheel later on.  The time spent will be well worth it, even if it may even have to be considered (gasp) nonbillable!   You can share this new good stuff with others by establishing a system of review and updates.  These may include updates and additions to files, directories, templates, and documentation.  Not only will it make you more efficient in the long run, it just may save you from having to look up “length” in Italian.

NO if, why, or when about it! Focus on how to do it now.

I was recently asked a few weeks ago how I would convince someone that they should be working with Building Information Modeling software.  I thought of all the usual responses - better coordination, effective production that cuts down wasted time, improved communication, greener and more efficient buildings, the use of templates with libraries of model components and details, and a host of other reasons why architecture, engineering, and construction firms should be using BIM for their clients projects.  None of these were the correct answer.  They may have been 3 or 4 years ago, but the answer was simple enough.  It's because you will not be able to respond to RFP's, you will not be awarded jobs, and ultimately you will not be in business.


In his keynote speech at the 2009 Autodesk University, Carl Bass, CEO of Autodesk gave the most insightful explanation about BIM.  He spoke of how BIM has reached its sweet spot and was at the moment when technology has become possible.  It is the point in technological innovation when users of a certain technology will have a competitive advantage over their competition.  These early adopters will have worked through the growing pains and be positioned to effectively use technology when it eventually becomes expected and ultimately required.


That was just 2 short years ago and the eventually is now upon us.  Many federal agencies have adopted BIM as a requirement along with states such as Texas and Wisconsin.  It is only a matter of time when all public and private owners will be asking for projects to be completed in BIM.  Are you ready to start a project in BIM tomorrow?


As a BIM consultant, I urge firms to get in as soon as possible regardless of project type or size.  There should be no question of why to use BIM or if you will use it and if so, when.  I'm not going to give you those reasons because if you don't do it, then kiss your business goodbye.  What you should be asking is how to effectively implement and the use of BIM tools in your part of the design, construction, and maintenance of a building.


This blog will be dedicated to answering that question.  For those of you seeking a way to get started, think of me as your hero to help guide your way.  My BIM Hero will bring your business into the 21st century and beyond.  Think of this blog as your resource for news, information, tips & tricks, and all things BIM to help you on the path to success.