Monday 26 October 2015

Being an Outstanding BIM Manager - 1

1.     Business Development and Direction

Examine how and where BIM can improve your business opportunities.

Advancing the BIM Agenda in your firm
Talk to the decision makers and present to them the benefits and capabilities of BIM.

How can we educate our clients to take advantage of our services.
Be a part of the initial project process, talk to the clients about what BIM can for the benefit of the project. Make the promotion of BIM a marketing opportunity for your firm.

Business opportunities utilizing BIM
What opportunities are out there utilizing the power of BIM; QTO, Visualization, Marketing, AR, VR.... etc....

Through the adoption of collaborative delivery practices, project outcomes are enhanced through the alignment of the goals of the project team and early involvement of all members of the project team.

Things to consider when establishing your BIM project are:
  • Who should be included in the team
  • Establishing principles of trust
  • Methods for enhancing effective collaboration and information sharing
  • Ensuring team success through successful collaboration
  •  Establishing project team decision making process
Afterthought
If you are not in a position to educate the decision makers start at a level where you can. 

Start with your peers, introduce them to new tools and features they may not be already using, you will quickly be known as one of the “go to guy” in your office and this will elevate you to a position where you will have an influence on those around you where your comments will be heard and given the proper consideration they deserve.

Next time you have the opportunity to speak with senior staff mention how aspects of BIM can be utilized for the benefit of the project. For example next time you’re in the elevator with a partner or project manager mention to them ways that the model and be utilized for the benefit of the company or the project.


Plant the seed….


Thursday 22 October 2015

Integrated Design Process - Where is the Value?

On Wednesday November 18th I'll be facilitating an executive event on BIM and the construction process titled: An Integrated Design Process - Where is the Value?




















BIM and the effort towards a more efficient design and construction process is changing the way we design and build. How we communicate. How we collaborate. Yet, many organizations are struggling to see the results that BIM has promised.

BIM is a key tool for the success of a process that has existed for years - an Integrated Design Process (IDP). Join us for a series of presentation in which your peers will discuss how they are applying the concepts of IDP and where they are seeing the value.

The key takeaways from this event are:

  • A practical approach to using BIM as a catalyst for the long accepted concept of an Integrated Design Process
  • The difference between an Integrated Design Process (IDP) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
  • Current industry challenges and expectations.
Download the full event brochure.

This full-day event includes three presentations from five speakers, including a primer on innovative approaches to project delivery, and tips on how best to implement architectural and structural collaboration.

The seminar presents a unique opportunity to gather with like-minded individuals and mingle with experts in the BIM field; spaces are limited, so don’t miss out!

Registration
Registration fee is $250 per person. 

This will be a great opportunity to gauge the effectiveness of IDP projects and see how IDP is having an effect in our local market.


Click here to register. 


See more at: 
http://www.bimblog.ca/2015/10/an-integrated-design-process-where-is.html#sthash.amij0dpl.dpuf

Dear Architect... Please don't adopt BIM

Dear Architect.

Please don't adopt BIM, there really is no point.

Look at it this way, you won't ever get the opportunity to work late coordinating plan views with the elevations and sections. When your client makes a last minute change, if you adopted BIM, you won't be able to spend numerous hours chasing down changes in each view.... sorry, I meant viewport.

If you took on the onerous challenge of changing your culture and mindset to BIM what would you're clients think? Your clients have expectations. Drawings with your signature look is what’s important to them. What would the consultants think if you sent them a 3D Mode asking them to "collaborate"?

Just what can BIM modeling software do that 2D cad can't do anyway? All you’re doing is creating pretty pictures, no real value there! Where's the fun in not being able to track, coordinate and schedule all 300 doors by hand, mmm what fun!

Don't adopt BIM....it’s a gimmick anyway and it won't last. Stick with what you've been doing for the last 20, sorry, 30 years. It’s working for you, right?

Adopting BIM....it’s too hard… your staff doesn't want to do it and your computers can't handle it!

Sincerely,


Your Competition.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

Get down on one knee


No, it’s not a proposal…

I use to work with a Senior Architects (later partner) who, whenever he was explaining something to you, he would get down on one knee beside your chair and patiently explain the detail or the design to you. He basically would get down to your level so he’s not “looming” over the top of you or leaning over your shoulder.

As junior staff member this senior person would make the effort to engage with me, a member of his team, at my level. This gained him so much respect and admiration from his staff that people would enjoy working with him and would go the extra mile to make sure tasks were completed to the best of their ability (or quite often better). We all wanted to please this person who was in a leadership role, we felt that he not only respected out capabilities but he also appreciated our efforts.

This individual has made such an impression on me that I adopted his technique of “getting down on one knee” when engaging with my team members one on one.


Engaging with your staff is important, at every level from the CEO to Custodian, each person has an important role in the business and has something valuable to contribute, make them feel valued by engaging with them on a human level.

Engagement is a fine line, you still need to be an authoritative position but also be seen as approachable. You should aim to be a great colleague, as opposed to a great friend, because one day you may have to discipline (or worse) a team member and there’s nothing worse than losing a friend because you had to do your job.


Get down on one knee to be engaging. ;-)