Open BIM: Interdisciplinary Collaboration Strategies for a Plural World

Using advanced tools to manage a collaborative, interdisciplinary workflow process without limiting your choice of the electronic design and communication tools used
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Sponsored by GRAPHISOFT
Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED-AP

Beyond the contract itself, various other AIA publications go on to list the principles and characteristics that support a mature IPD business relationship including:

  • Mutual respect and trust as the basis for the relationship
  • Mutual benefit and reward shared for the successful outcome of the project
  • Early involvement of all key participants
  • Early goal definition, jointly developed and validated
  • Collaborative innovation, decision making, and appropriate responsible control between the key participants
  • Intensified early planning
  • Open communication within the entire project team
  • Appropriate use of technology, including BIM, used by multiple parties
  • Agreement on the team leadership, organization and roles
  • Agreement on the overall design and delivery process

In addition to the above, it is often desirable for IPD projects to include "lean" principles of design, construction, and operations, the co-location of project teams (i.e., everyone in one real or virtual "Big Room") and transparent project financial information (open books).

It is worth pointing out that some licensing and business laws in various states will have very direct impacts or limitations on how IPD is practiced in those states. Therefore, it is critical to have appropriate legal advice before entering into any such collaborative arrangement or agreement. Of particular relevance is the principle of "responsible control" by a licensed architect or engineer which needs to be maintained throughout the design and construction process.

The Connection between IPD and BIM 

It is not surprising that IPD has emerged as a significant current trend during the time of increasing BIM usage. BIM does indeed provide a needed and very appropriate foundational technology to support the multi-faceted collaboration of IPD.  Meanwhile, the people engaging in IPD and fully collaborating are defining their needs and pushing the development of BIM to reach levels of ever greater usefulness. The connection, then, becomes one of strong interdependence between the parties or team members in their IPD business relationship and the technological tools of BIM where the day-to-day work of that relationship is carried out. IPD and BIM support each other, but they do not supplant or replace each other. It is also worth recognizing that either one can be carried out without the other, although it is just as easy to imagine that, in light of the information above, those scenarios are less than ideal and over time could be less common.

Firms that choose to pursue projects using IPD and BIM need to recognize that such a decision does not eliminate the basics of good management and design. Joining forces with others means that clear lines of communication and management must be agreed upon to keep the relationship healthy and whole. And using a computer with sophisticated software doesn't mean design decision making is made by a machine. More than ever, the human element and the skills of the architect are needed to orchestrate, oversee, and manage the workflow process.

AIA Position Statement #31 - Interoperability

The AIA believes that all industry-supporting software must facilitate, not inhibit, project planning, design, construction, commissioning and lifecycle management. This software must support non-proprietary, open standards for auditable information exchange and allow for confident information exchanges across applications and across time. This is best accomplished through professional, public- and private sector adoption of open standards. The AIA encourages its members and other industry organizations to assume a leadership role in the ongoing development of open standards.

The Interoperability Position Statement of the American Institute of Architects adopted by the AIA Board of Directors in December 2009.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in March 2010

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