BIMForum Breaking into BIM/IPD How can you manage the process Mark Buckshon, Interim Editor Florida Construction News special feature he decision to acquire the knowledge and technology to pursue collaborative projects with BIM and Integrated Project De- livery (IPD) needs to be made at the highest strategic level. The biggest cost of pursuit, of course, is gather- ing resources to develop your capac- ities to reach the stage where you are qualified and capable enough to even pursue the opportunities that exist. These ideas, gathered from inter- views and some of the resources listed in the bibliography, may help to make the process simpler. T line by clicking on an element in the BIM model to bring up its cor- responding schedule. Other key features of Asta Pow- erproject’s BIM module include: • Easy deployment as a bolt-on to users’ existing Asta Power- project software; • Faster schedule building with drag-and-drop functionality be- tween the 3D model view and schedule tasks; • Ability to split IFC elements down to reflect build se- quence; • Structured templates with pre- defined searches to automati- cally link to the model objects; • Visual comparisons of ‘planned’ and ‘actual’ schedule plans in 3D window; and • Model simulations using dates from timeline. “This release of Asta Powerpro- ject with BIM capability represents a tremendous advance in project scheduling where more than 50 percent of the value of BIM is re- ally derived,” said Ruddle. “No longer is BIM just for architects and mega builders. It’s now acces- sible for all schedulers and can help make their jobs much more efficient.” The company will showcase the new BIM module at the Or- lando BIMForum trade show. For more information on Asta Powerproject, visit www.astapowerproject.com. Collaboration and BIM – developing your current relationships The question of whether one BIM platform or another is “best” might best be answered by looking at your current collaborative arrangements. Most industry professionals have worked with counterparts and own- ers collaboratively on successful proj- ects, and these relationships are likely to be the best ones to help you set your course for enhanced rela- tionships and more formal IPD proj- ects. So, you could check with your counterparts and learn which plat- forms they are using, and why, and this may help you to narrow your search and go beyond specific soft- ware or service vendors. (If your best customer/owner prefers one BIM ap- proach over another, you naturally might want to follow the owner’s lead.) Learning the ropes – gathering information As I write this article, I’m attending a national specification writers conven- tion; where (not surprisingly) several sessions have been dedicated to BIM and IPD discussions as they relate to contract documentation, project and risk management. You can learn more by attending relevant conferences and events, picking brains, and read- ing. You’ll also be able to communi- cate informally with non-competitive colleagues who may be able to share their experiences and insights with you. Executive commitment, champions, learning Expect a challenging learning curve as you move forward. You won’t have much in the way of revenue and you certainly won’t achieve much com- petitive advantage for current proj- ects as you go through the leaning process and your clients and col- leagues cannot see any proven suc- cess track-record. You’ll need to build the costs into your budgets and have some patience: Immediate payback is far less likely for architects than contractors, for example. Start small and learn by doing Use a current, simple project with lots of lead time and flexibility (and ideally an understanding and cooper- ative client) to put things into opera- tion. With the lessons you learn, you’ll be able to advance to more challenging initiatives. Should you wait, or go now? As the technology advances and inte- gration issues are resolved, costs are declining. BIM technology previously could only be afforded by the largest practices and integrated design and construction businesses. Now it is less expensive. The question is – is it better to wait until things are even less expensive and more reliable? This is an easier question to ask than answer but there will come a point when you risk losing business to competitors who have moved for- ward while you have remained be- hind. You may gain enough in expertise/time and first-to-market credibility to offset the potential sav- ings in costs by waiting. Florida Construction News — SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 – 9