Monitoring Design Buzz: A Visual BIM-Based Approach

Abstract

The requirements of modern buildings have increased the complexity of design, where several systems need to be developed and coordinated simultaneously. Although BIM has improved the construction process, it has also led to increased information size generated by each discipline, which complicates the monitoring and control of the process. Several tools allow the one-to-one comparison of BIM model versions to reveal progress aspects related to location, geometry, and property changes. Although these tools are beneficial, current platforms do not document progress over time or reveal the zones in the BIM model where design efforts are exercised. This study develops an artefact that (1) tracks changes in model versions over time, (2) categorises them based on location and recency, and (3) visualises the progress while showing the areas having the main design buzz. The visual artefact is expected to increase process transparency among different disciplines, promote concurrent engineering by carefully managing design works in selected zones, enhance the control of design progress against a pre-set schedule, and support takt production by linking current design work to the information needs of takt areas.