Succeeding with building information modeling: A case study of BIM diffusion in a healthcare construction project

Abstract

Technological innovations such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) offer opportunities to improve collaborative work and integration in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. However, research to date has documented how many organizations struggle with how to work based on this new technology, and many implementations fail. In this paper we present a case study of a major healthcare construction project in which the use of BIM was paramount, and where designers claim to have succeeded in integrated design. The designers organized their digital collaboration by establishing 1) change agents; 2) a cloud computing infrastructure; 3) new roles and responsibilities; 4) BIM contracts; 5) an IS learning environment; and 6) by involving software developers. These factors have been identified as influential for the successful diffusion of BIM in this project, and may serve as an example for implementation of BIM in other projects for supporting integrated design. © 2014 IEEE.