7 Implementing the BIM Project Execution Planning Procedure
The development of the BIM Plan is a collaborative process. Some portions of the procedure, e.g., discussing the overall project goals, are collaborative tasks, while other portions, e.g., defining the required file structure or detailed information exchange, do not necessarily require collaboration. The key to successfully developing the plan is to ensure that meetings are scheduled for the collaborative tasks when needed, and that the non-collaborative tasks are completed in a timely manner, in preparation for these meetings. The BIM Plan can be developed through a series of collaborative meetings, followed by work tasks which take place between the meetings. A series of four meetings have been defined to develop the BIM Plan. The goal of presenting the four meeting series is to illustrate one structure that the team can use to effectively develop the plan. For some projects, the team may be able to reduce the number of meetings through effective collaboration between meetings.
Meeting Structure for Developing a BIM Project Execution Plan
The four meetings proposed to develop the BIM Project Execution Plan are closely aligned with the primary steps outlined in Chapter One. The meetings and interim tasks include:
Meeting 1: Identify BIM Goals and Uses
The first meeting should focus on the discussion of the overall goals for implementing BIM, along with identifying the BIM Uses. A draft agenda for this meeting would include:
- Introduce and Discuss BIM Experiences (both individual and organizational)
- Develop BIM goals (reference BIM Goal template document)
- Identify which BIM Uses to pursue (reference the BIM Uses worksheet)
- Develop the frequency and sequencing for the BIM Uses and identify a responsible party to develop a high level (Level One) BIM Overview process map
- Identify the responsible parties to develop detailed BIM Use process maps, e.g., the level two maps
- Organize the schedule for future meetings
- Agree on the tasks ahead and who is responsible for each
This meeting should be attended by senior management personnel and BIM management staff for all involved participants including the owner, designers, contractors, and key subcontractors.
Tasks Prior to Meeting 2
After the initial kick-off meeting, the organizations should clearly understand who will be responsible for the defined tasks, and in what sequences the BIM Uses will be executed. The responsible party for the Level One map should clearly document and distribute it to the project team for review prior to the following meeting. Each responsible party for the specified BIM Uses should also draft their workflow prior to the Design BIM Project Execution Process meeting (Meeting 2).
Meeting 2: Design BIM Project Execution Process
The Project Specific BIM Use Process Maps shall contain a detailed process plan that clearly defines the different activities to be performed, who will perform them, and what information will be created and shared with future processes. The agenda for this meeting will include:
- Review the initial BIM Goals and Uses
- Review the high-level BIM Overview Process Map
- Review the more detailed workflows from the various parties and identify areas of overlap or gaps between the various modeling tasks
- Review the process to address opportunities and concerns
- Identify the primary information exchanges within the process
- Identify responsible parties for coordinating each information exchange including the author and user of each exchange
- Allow sub-teams for each information exchange to coordinate potential interim meetings as needed to discuss the information exchange requirements
- Agree on the tasks ahead and who is responsible for each
This meeting should be attended by the owner, BIM managers and project manager for the project. It may also be valuable to have contracting managers in attendance or have them briefed soon after this meeting.
Tasks Prior to Meeting 3
After the Design BIM Project Execution Process meeting, the team must focus on developing the information exchanges. Each responsible party for an exchange should take the lead in developing the information exchanges. The authors of the information exchange will need to coordinate with the information receivers to ensure that they have developed consistent information exchanges with minimal inconsistencies to discuss at Meeting Three.
The team members should also prepare for the discussions regarding infrastructure requirements which will occur in Meeting Three. Team members should compile examples of typical methods that they have used or wish to use on the project to share with the team.
Meeting 3: Develop Information Exchanges and Define Supporting Infrastructure for BIM Implementation
The agenda for this meeting will include:
- Review the initial BIM Goals and BIM Uses to ensure that the project planning remains consistent with the initial goals
- Review the information exchange requirements developed by the team members between Meeting Two and Meeting Three
- Identify the infrastructure needed to support the process and information exchanges as defined in Chapter Five
- Agree on tasks ahead and who is responsible for each
This meeting should be attended by the BIM managers. It may also be valuable to have contracting managers in attendance or briefed soon after this meeting.
Tasks Prior to Meeting 4
The categories and information should be compiled into the final BIM Execution Plan format and distributed to the project team in preparation for the final plan review meeting.
Meeting 4: Review Final BIM Project Execution Plan
The agenda for this meeting will include:
- Review the draft BIM Project Execution Plan
- Develop the project controls system to ensure that the plan is being followed, and that the plan is up to date
- Outline the procedure for formal adoption of the BIM Project Execution Plan and monitoring process
- Agree on tasks ahead and who is responsible for each
This meeting should be attended by the owner, BIM managers, and all parties that are responsible for the identified BIM Uses.
Tasks after Meeting 4
Once the meetings are complete, the BIM Project Execution Plan should be distributed to all parties and approved as appropriate for the project and contracting structure. Team members should ensure that the plan monitoring and updating procedure is implemented into the project controls system.
Planning Meeting Schedule
One of the first tasks of the team is to determine the planning meeting schedule. This schedule should identify the defined meetings, along with the scheduled dates for the meeting. The team may decide that they wish to spread the planning procedure across several weeks with one of the defined meetings each week or every other week. But they also may wish to define an accelerated planning schedule over several days with the team specifically focused on the development of the plan.
Monitoring Progress against the BIM Execution Plan
Once the initial BIM Execution Plan is created, it will need to be continuously communicated, monitored and updated throughout the project. In particular, the Project Execution Plan should be embedded into appropriate contracts, and then updated as needed when new team members join the project team. At a minimum, it is valuable for the BIM managers from the various team members to meet on a monthly basis to discuss the progress of the information modeling initiatives on the project and to address any implementation challenges that team members may be encountering. These meetings may be incorporated with other team meetings, but it is important to specifically address issues that may arise in the implementation of the plan. It is important for the team to continuously modify the planned process as needed due to the addition of team members, revisions to available technology, changes to the overall project conditions, and to reflect the actual process that evolved. The team should agree to a formal plan for accepting updates to the plan, and then accurately document any changes to the original plan for communication to other team members, as well as for accurate future use and reference.