Why is AI important to construction ? The construction sector is famously conservative, expensive and prone to mind-blowing cost and program overruns. It is also
The Evil Digital Twin
The term ‘Digital Twin’ has recently become popular in BIM & Digital Engineering circles. However, to have any value, the digital twin needs to contain relevant, easily accessible information. All the data generated during design and construction is not necessarily useful. This post examines both good and bad digital twins.
Digital Engineering: Top 10 Mistakes
As a consultant in digital technology for design, engineering and construction, I have compiled my 10 top mistakes made in this field. These are not just observations or a critique of other people, but mistakes I’ve made myself.
Construction Analytics: Beyond 4D
To my mind, there has to be a better way of communicating and analysing a construction program than a gantt chart. Using visual analytics methods to present activities and other data such as cost over time offers improved program communication & understanding.
Digital Value Pyramid
Technology is certainly part of the solution, but should not determine strategy alone. In other words, ‘because you can’ is not good enough- there has to be a specific and measurable benefit.
In this post, I illustrate this concept using a ‘digital value pyramid’
Construction: Bring in the robots
Construction has largely missed out the massive technology changes affecting other industries. In this post, I examine this issue through the eyes of a wildly optimistic comic-reader of the 1970’s
BIM: The Holy Grail
For the owner and operator of an asset such as a building, bridge or railway, just a tiny fraction of the data generated during design & construction is useful. This post examines the downstream use of BIM, beyond design & construction
BIM: Forget clash detection, think cash ($$$) detection
‘Clash Detection’ is often a waste of time particularly if applied without adequate planning, or when it is assumed that a technical solution can solve a process (design) issue. There is a lot more to good design merely than stuff not clashing.
Computational Construction
In construction- the usual argument for doing something a particular way is usually “that’s the way we have always done it”. This post examines the future of technology in construction decision making.
BIM: The new typing pool ?
In the olden days, many organisations had a group of people (nearly always women) in what was known as a ‘typing pool’. The idea was that if you needed a non-handwritten document, then these people would apply specialist skills (typing) on an incredibly complicated bit of kit (a typewriter) to produce said document.
A surprising number of organisations still work in ‘typing pool ‘ mode when it comes to BIM.
BIM: But I’ve got 3D goggles
A construction project, with quality documentation so everything fits together properly, budget and program are achieved (or improved upon), construction runs efficiently and there are not any acrimonious legal disputes at the end between client, designers, contractor and subcontractors is an elusive beast.
3D goggles aren’t going to make much difference.
MTBIM
With BIM, it is easy to get bogged down in technology & detail and neglect the important strategic aspects. In this post, I draw parallels between the approach needed to successfully get down a mountain on a bicycle, and that needed for BIM.
BIMinnovation
Everyone talks about innovation. Most companies have some sort of mission statement, ‘values’ or other corporate mantra that mentions innovation. Some might have a separate department
Your BIM Plan does not weigh enough
BIM plans, standards and other documents have a tendency towards excessive detail in which important issues are lost. In this post I explain that the quality of a BIM plan is much more important that the quantity (or weight) of the document
Beware the technology magpie
A common phenomenon with technology (and specifically BIM) is to focus on the shiny and disregard the dull. In this post, I argue that the dull is quite often more important and valuable.
Articulating the benefits of BIM
The benefits of BIM have generally been poorly explained and communicated. Depending who you ask, you may get a jargon-laden and overly technical explanation, or a vague & salesy definition. This post covers the issues and includes a simple, plain English description of the benefits of BIM.
Do we need a BIM Mandate in Australia?
There is some discussion within the Australian BIM fraternity on the merits of a strategy/mandate similar to the UK. In this post, I examine the issues.
The Puzzle of BIM
The real puzzle of BIM.
Forget crappy maths puzzles on LinkedIn or Facebook, the real challenge is how to make BIM work for you. I hope some of the posts on this blog help.
BIM & Infrastructure
There is quite a lot of interest in ‘BIM for Infrastructure’ at the moment. However, much infrastructure design is quite different to ‘traditional’ BIM. This post examines the use of BIM in infrastructure.
BIM: Another construction headache ?
Construction has become an increasingly bureaucratic and slow moving business. This is coupled with a deep conservatism and a distrust of technology. Many view BIM as just another headache that did not exist even 10 years ago. This post examines this perception.
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