5 Concluding Remarks and Lessons Learned

Throughout the development of this Guide, multiple case studies were conducted to validate the information contained within the planning procedures, and to provide additional insight into the implementation of BIM within existing organizations. The following lessons have been documented from the case studies.

Strategic Planning Lessons Learned:

• There is no one-size-fits-all approach to BIM adoption. Every organization is unique. They have different strengths, weaknesses, and priorities. Therefore, it is important to remember that any strategic planning, such as BIM adoption, requires significant effort. The procedures outlined in this Guide can be customized to meet your organizational needs, goals, and mission.
• Strategic Planning is a long term process. Capital projects take years to develop and execute. The plan and roadmap will probably not procede exactly as planned, partially because it is difficult to predict which project will move forward next year much less four years from now. The BIM Implementation Team needs to be on the lookout for project opportunities which present themselves to advance the plan.

Implementation Planning Lessons Learned:

• Set achievable tasks. As with any change, buy-in from the entire organization is essential to success. By creating realistic and achievable short-term goals, management is able to observe the benefits of the changes and is more likely to buy into the overall initiative and support future, more challenging adoption goals.
• Communication is the key to success. One of the most challenging tasks with implementing BIM processes is adequately communicating how BIM will integrate with the rest of the organization. Maintaining an open line of communication with all parties, and discussing their concerns and questions in a way that they understand can significantly improve the implementation success rate.
• BIM Uses are interdependent. Many BIM Uses are dependent on other Uses that happen in previous stages of BIM development. To provide an example, developing the record model of a new facility is not possible without an initial design model, 3D coordination of the model, and various updates throughout the model’s development. Because of these interdependencies, the BIM Uses and specific information of interest should be mapped out in detail to assist in determining the Uses to be pursued.

Procurement Planning Lessons Learned:

• Prior BIM experience improves the likelihood of a successful BIM project. When selecting a project team, it is important to remember that BIM has a learning curve and those with prior experience are more likely to efficiently implement the required BIM Uses. While this may seem like a simple observation, the focus is not on the project use success, but the successful transfer for Owner BIM Uses and the value of leveraging the teams’ knowledge for advancing your interests.
• No two projects are exactly the same. While it is recommended to develop standard BIM contract requirements, it was found that all projects cannot be treated the same. The benefits of a BIM Use to building and operating an office building are very different from those for a hospital. Standard BIM requirements are a good start, but each project must be individually evaluated. The BIM Project Execution Plan specializes in guiding a team through this process.
• Prior BIM Strategic and Implementation planning greatly enhances the quality of BIM contract documents. While many organizations implement BIM on a new construction project prior to planning and implementing it internally, it is very difficult to create contract requirements that provide BIM benefits to facility operations without first understanding the internal BIM goals and needs.

General Lessons Learned:

• This Guide can be adapted for organizations other than owners. While this guide primarily focuses on owner needs, many of the principals and procedures can be applied to benefit organizations such as construction management companies and design firms.
• BIM Development is a continuous process. As the organization progresses in developing their BIM goals, the plan will need to be re-evaluated, and updated. As you may have already learned in deploying the BIM Project Execution Planning process, the plan is intended as a living document that evolves with the project; in this case the BIM Strategic and Implementation Plans are living documents that should evolve with your organization.
• Pilot initiatives in small steps. The Implementation Team needs to seek small opportunities to pilot elements of the strategic plan or Roadmap, and not the single perfect project to implement every BIM use. This engages many of the conversations and steps for implementation, but at a much smaller and more manageable scale. These opportunities may not be projects where the targeted BIM Uses were required, but leveraging projects where BIM is already in use by the project team.
• BIM Planning requires management commitment and resources. While BIM has the ability to save the organization money in the long run, the initial planning and implementation will require resources and management support. Without this support, it is unlikely that the initiative will be successful.

In conclusion, The BIM Planning Guide for Facility Owners provides methods for facility owners to plan for the implementation of BIM within their organization. With the proper management support, this Guide can assist an owner in developing an overall BIM Strategy that supports the organization’s core goals, generating detailed implementation plans, and developing the necessary contract considerations to successfully execute BIM within the organization.

You should develop strategic, implementation, and procurement plans that achieve sufficient buy-in from all parties involved to improve the likelihood of success in integrating the appropriate BIM opportunities into your organization. Adopting BIM, especially as an owner, requires commitment and significant effort, but with a dedicated team and a well-developed plan, you should be able to successfully implement BIM and gain significant value for your organization.