The main challenges in the implementation of BIM and how to face them

Every day, more companies are jumping on the BIM technological bandwagon. Which is a logical response after seeing the advantages offered by this work system (normally you will hear it as BIM methodology) among others, the following should be highlighted:

• Improvement in work times. You can be much more productive with the same number of employees.
• Ability for a large group of technicians to work on the same project simultaneously and in an organized manner.
• Obtain higher quality projects and reduce risk by maintaining consistent information throughout the project
• Recreate a project virtually and anticipate problems before starting construction.

The key for companies that want to make the change to a BIM methodology lies in doing it in a controlled manner and knowing what these steps are. It is useless to train several technicians with an express course and go on the fly with a new project.

BIM is a system with many advantages but, at the same time, with a high technical complexity. It is basically a database system, the key is how to enter that information, manage it and extract it.

But that about BIM, what is it?

You are in the situation that you have discovered this work system and you want to incorporate it into your company. It is very likely that some of the companies you work with have not heard of BIM or have not implemented it yet. To do this, we recommend that you discuss the advantages of BIM implementation with your collaborators, suppliers and clients. It is very likely that they are interested in making the change and that will benefit you greatly. Since you can all integrate into a work system, as established by BIM, and you will avoid duplication of work.

Everyone rows in the same direction

Whether it is a small or large company, it is essential that everyone in the company is committed to implementing BIM. In the day to day we have seen 2 clearly recognizable patterns.

1. The management of the company DO want to change, but the employees DO NOT. This situation of forcing the structure of the company to adopt a tool that they do not understand or do not want, the hard way, never works. They may use this system at first but always try to find ways to go back to their old tools. To solve this, it is important to train ALL the staff of the company, show them how they can do the same thing they have done so far and how they can save a lot of time in repetitive actions. If the user feels supported and guided, he will embrace this system and will not want to let go of it.
2. The management of the company does NOT want to change and the employees DO. Employees may be interested in the program and see the immediate benefits of using this system but are faced with harsh reality. Their bosses don’t want to. They do not see any advantage (in their opinion) and do not want to make any investment. In these cases, we recommend training management directly on the advantages of this change. Show success stories and how they can favor your company in particular.

Evil and half ways

The transition to the BIM methodology has a significant initial cost (training, updating of computer equipment, software licences,…) which is quickly amortized by the advantages offered by the system. To avoid that initial cost, many company managers choose to cut corners and do it the hard way. They do not train their technicians properly and by experts in the material, they improvise, establish priorities that do not adjust to reality or worse. They put all the responsibility for the implementation on their technicians who have trained quickly and poorly.

How to face a BIM Implementation?

Any BIM implementation in a company in the construction sector must be customized. There is no one way that can be used for any company because it depends on many variables (employee organization, type of projects to be developed, resources, etc.) There are some aspects that are always taken into account. How can they be:

• Analysis of the work method and data collection. In this phase, the needs and characteristics of the company that is going to undergo the transformation must be analyzed in order to offer a plan adjusted to said expectations and needs.
• Implementation plan. Due to the significant change that it produces and the associated investment that it carries out, it is important to plan the steps to follow to optimize the transition.
• Implant training. It is useless to establish a BIM structure if users do not know how to use the tool. Therefore, it is essential to provide basic training in the use of the tool and specialized training in key positions (BIM manager, for example)
• Culture of change and innovation. The change to the BIM methodology must be born from the company’s will to change, although it can also show facets offered by this system that are not known until this system is deepened. BIM is known for its information management capabilities, but more experienced users find that BIM helps automate many processes that can become repetitive.

The transition to the BIM method should not be taken lightly. It is a radical transformation of the work system and an important investment takes place. That is why we recommend that you rely on companies that are experts in the field.

How can MaRS Group help?

At MaRS Group, we have a large team of specialists capable of integrating all phases of a client’s project by applying BIM methodologies, helping all types of companies (even those that are in the early stages of adoption) to achieve a natural implementation while fully respecting their procedures. and delivery times as we are a leading BIM services provider in USA.

We develop BIM projects in all disciplines: architecture, structures, engineering and construction. This allows us to maintain close coordination between everything that happens in a project globally.

We intervene in any of the phases of the project and design customized BIM implementation support projects based on the needs of each client.