How BIM Works in Construction
How BIM Works in Construction Building Information Modeling (BIM) has emerged as a transformative force in the construction industry, revolutionizing the way projects are conceived, designed, and...
Published: March 20, 2023
BIM Implementation: A Quick Guide for Project Managers
Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become an essential tool in the construction industry, helping businesses improve project management, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. However, subcontractors are often hesitant to adopt BIM due to the perceived complexity and cost of implementation. In this blog, we will provide a step-by-step guide for project managers to help SMBs successfully implement BIM.
Before implementing BIM, it is essential to understand its benefits, which include improved collaboration, reduced errors and rework, enhanced visualization and analysis, better cost control, improved project scheduling, and increased sustainability. Understanding these benefits can help project managers articulate the advantages of BIM to stakeholders, increasing buy-in and support for the implementation process.
Assessing business needs involves understanding the current project management processes, identifying pain points, and setting clear goals for BIM implementation. Key questions to consider include:
What are your current project management processes?
What are the pain points in your current processes?
What are your primary project goals?
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) you want to measure during and after implementation?
What are the specific BIM tools and workflows you need to achieve these goals?
Implementing BIM requires a team effort. It is important to build a team with the right expertise, including project managers, designers, engineers, contractors, and IT specialists. This team will be responsible for overseeing the implementation process, managing workflows, and training other team members.
Developing a clear and comprehensive implementation plan is crucial to the success of BIM implementation. The plan should include a timeline with clear milestones and deadlines, budget and resource allocation, training and support for team members, standards and guidelines for BIM use, integration with existing software and hardware, and quality control and assurance processes. The implementation plan should be communicated clearly to all stakeholders, and progress should be regularly monitored to ensure that the plan is on track.
Choosing the right BIM software is crucial for successful implementation. Popular options include Autodesk Revit, Trimble SketchUp, Bentley MicroStation, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, and Vectorworks Architect. It is important to research each software option, and possibly even test them out in a trial period, to ensure you make the right choice for your specific project needs. Most projects in construction require the use of Revit and with its ability to work with third-party add-ons through your fab shop, this is the go-to software for sub-contractors. Ultimately, BIM Makes Construction More Efficient!
BIM implementation requires proper training and support to ensure that team members are using the software effectively and efficiently. It is important to provide training and support for team members throughout the implementation process, as well as ongoing training to keep up with new software features and workflows.
Monitoring and evaluating BIM implementation is crucial for ensuring its effectiveness. This process involves tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as time and cost savings and identifying areas where improvements can be made. Regular review meetings should be scheduled with stakeholders to discuss the progress of the implementation and to identify any issues or concerns that need to be addressed. By monitoring and evaluating the implementation, project managers can ensure that their BIM processes are efficient and effective in achieving their goals.
Step 5: Implement BIM Workflows BIM workflows are the specific processes and methodologies used to create, manage, and share BIM data. It is important to develop and implement BIM workflows that align with your business needs and support your project goals. Here are some key steps to implementing BIM workflows:
Develop a standard BIM project template that includes the necessary views, sheets, and families required for your projects.
Establish clear communication channels and protocols for exchanging BIM data between project stakeholders.
Ensure that all team members are using the same version of the BIM software to avoid compatibility issues.
Implement a standardized naming convention for files, views, and families to improve organization and reduce errors.
Use BIM standards and guidelines, such as the National BIM Standard-United States (NBIMS-US) or the BIM Level 2 standard in the UK, to ensure consistency and interoperability.
Once BIM implementation is underway, it is important to monitor progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation plan. This involves tracking KPIs, such as time and cost savings, and identifying any areas where improvements can be made.
Regular review meetings with stakeholders can help to identify any issues or areas for improvement and allow for adjustments to be made to the implementation plan if necessary. It is important to keep track of lessons learned during implementation and use them to improve future BIM projects.
Implementing BIM can provide significant benefits to subcontractors in the construction industry, including improved project management, increased efficiency, and reduced costs. By following these eight steps, project managers can successfully implement BIM in their businesses, and reap The Benefits of BIM in Efficient Project Management.
Understanding BIM, Improving Communication with BIM, assessing business needs, building a BIM implementation team, developing a clear implementation plan, choosing the right BIM software, implementing BIM workflows, providing training and support, and monitoring and evaluating implementation progress are all key steps in the BIM implementation process. By following these steps, SMBs can effectively adopt BIM and improve their project management processes, ultimately leading to increased success in the construction industry.
