Your latest building design project is moving forward quickly. But you discovered a small hitch yesterday: the MEP engineers referred to an old version of the structural model while modifying the duct work. Luckily, the team spotted and resolved the issue before it created serious problems or caused more than a couple hours of rework. Not a big deal, but it could have led to the kind of design error that 21% of architects consider to be a top cause of uncertainty and potential issues on projects. Working in the cloud delivers the power to prevent those kinds of errors.

According to the Construction Industry Council, cloud computing is on track to become the leading way firms store and share design models. That’s because when design teams work in the cloud, they get anytime, anywhere access to the latest design information. They can also quickly review any up-to-date changes without even opening the latest version of the model in their Building Information Modeling (BIM) or CAD tools.

Cloud-based collaboration makes those things possible. When you collaborate in the cloud, you link the extended project team members to each other. You can even include client reviews into your process, adding speed and clarity to the important decisions that clients need to make as projects advance.

Buried under a mountain of email
To really appreciate how cloud-based collaboration improves projects, consider how things get done without it. Projects move faster than they did just a few years ago. Tools like email and PDFs have replaced endless phone calls, faxes, and the wait for overnight delivery of drawings or data. Keeping track of all those bite-sized pieces of information drains productivity—limiting some of the benefits of BIM. Architects say that BIM already increases productivity, with 68% saying it reduces time spent on project delivery and 45% finding it reduces rework. Think how much more time could be saved with better information exchange and change tracking.

Keeping track of project changes can be as time consuming as staying on top of communications—but it’s even more essential. When designs progress at such an accelerated pace, you need to know what version of the project model or drawing is current. You also don’t want to hunt for differences in every data set or PDF you receive. There are disconnected, offline ways to compare models and drawings, but taking the time to do so can disrupt your workflow.

Liberated by the cloud
Contrast the typical communication flow described above with what’s possible in the cloud. With cloud-based collaboration, you create an online project hub that the whole team can access—anywhere within a web browser or on a mobile device. So if a structural design question is nagging you as you sit on the commuter train, you can turn to your smart mobile device and find the answer.

The whole team connects in the cloud. The design and engineering team shares 2D and 3D design files and other project files. Clients can go online and review drawings or models from their connected devices, and markup tools make it easy for them to ask clear questions and provide feedback, accelerating decision making. You can even share browser views with other team members to help everyone make better choices, faster. The team communicates in one location, helping everyone stay organized—without wasting time on inefficient modes of keeping up.

*Visit the BIM 360 Team website to learn more about how you can connect your team to faster, more efficient project delivery.*

Keeping ahead of changes
While the timesavings gained by working in the cloud definitely add up, the quality gains and reduction in risk may produce an even more transformative impact on projects. Why? The increased ability to track and review changes. You can automatically keep a record of all design changes as you track the design process. You and the whole team can see version histories, helping to eliminate the risk of working on the wrong iteration of the model. You can also compare design versions right in a browser-based viewer—without having to download a file.

Let’s take a closer look at how version comparison in the cloud can impact your projects. Take the scenario above as a starting point: one team member fails to account for the latest changes in his or her design. The issue is spotted—but what if it had taken days or weeks to spot? Version control issues could have cascaded through the project, leading to significant delays, and missed clashes could have made it into the field. With cloud-based version compare, team members simply log into the project hub, check for changes, and proceed with their work. Each little status question doesn’t turn into multiple emails or phone calls. And you reduce the risk of missed changes impacting quality or schedules.

Connect your team
One survey found that 74% of architects think that BIM leads to better multiparty communication. Online collaboration is poised to take that improvement to the next level—across virtually all firms. That’s in part because cloud-based collaboration isn’t just for massive projects or huge firms. Any team working on projects of any size can benefit. You simply create a workspace and invite the team to share information. As your collaboration needs evolve, you can integrate your workspace with other cloud-based tools that empower your team to actually work from the same model. Visit the BIM 360 Team website to learn more about how you can connect your team to faster, more efficient project delivery.

Reference Sources:

1. Smart Market Report – Managing Uncertainty and Expectations in Building Design and Construction
2. CIC publish ‘Growth through BIM’
3. Smart Market Report – The Business Value of BIM in North America