CHAPTER 3 KEY FINDINGS

Key findings from this research are summarized below:

• Significant Gaps in Quality Management for 3D Models: Most states do not have clear processes for managing 3D model quality, even when their quality management processes for 2D plan development are mature. At a minimum, standards need to be developed for the following:
  • Version control (keeping track of model updates).
  • Data management (how digital models are stored, accessed, and maintained).
  • Model-based design review (using the model to check a design in new ways).
  • Tracking review actions (creating a record of the checks that have occurred).
• Quality Management Fundamental Principles Apply to 3D Models: The fundamentals of effective quality management systems have not changed and can be applied to 3D models. Agencies should update their quality control job aids any time there is a significant change in the process for developing construction information or the media through which the information is provided.
• Industry-Level Lack of Resources: There are no consistent, national-level or industry-level guidelines for quality management in 3D model–based project delivery. Even resources like the National BIM Standard-US, which is in its fourth iteration, and the ISO 19650 standard, do not provide details on how to manage the quality of 3D model–based designs or deliverables.
• Inconsistent Practices Across States: Each state has developed its own approach to managing the quality of 3D models and the designs developed using 3D modeling software. While practices are inconsistent across the States explored, no state has developed a holistic approach to managing the quality of 3D models that includes using the 3D models to check designs in new ways.

• Need for Automation and Job Aids: Automated tools are needed to facilitate quality reviews of 3D models. Developing job aids (e.g., checklists) helps practitioners perform quality control checks on digital models in a consistent manner. States lack resources to translate and integrate their existing job aids from 2D design workflows into 3D model development workflows.
• Comprehensive quality control procedures are a prerequisite for capturing the benefits of digital delivery: Capturing the potential benefits of digital delivery requires that the information delivered to construction is reliable. This means both the model integrity, compliance with model standards, and the fidelity with which the design is represented. Opportunities to review designs in new ways using 3D models is a key benefit stream associated with the transition to digital delivery and needs to be formalized and incorporated into job aids.
• Key Barriers to Adoption: The main obstacles to adopting 3D model–based delivery include:
  • A lack of fully-featured software with a focus on review functionality and a user-friendly interface that makes reduces the training burden for non-CADD users.
  • There are not enough skilled professionals with significant design experience who also know how to use the 3D modeling technology, specifically, discipline-specific knowledge of how to properly construct 3D models so that they can review the inputs to the 3D models.
  • Unfavorable behavioral economics, with a high barrier to entry in terms of 3D modeling skillsets to execute tasks that were previously conducted using pen, paper, and markers. There is no clear best practice for replicating this process in a digital medium that does not also introduce the need to have advanced 3D modeling skillsets.
  • Lack of open data standards for 3D models makes it difficult to bring new software to market for design review because of the vast number of proprietary data formats that would need to be supported.

• Next Steps for Research: Future efforts should focus on developing national open data standards for 3D models and creating a complementary national standard Level of Information Need (LOIN) definitions for core design elements that expresses in designers’ terms how to create models that are compatible with the open data standard.