Behavior and performance of BIM users in a collaborative work environment

Abstract

Collaborative work in Building Information Modeling (BIM) projects is frequentlyunderstood as the interaction of modelers in an asynchronous way through modification requests orvia e-mail/telephone. However, alternative work methodologies based on creating a common andsynchronous environment allow solving issues instantaneously during the design process. This studyaimed to analyze the behavior and performance of BIM users with different specialties who weresubjected to an experimental exercise in a collaborative environment. For this purpose, a processwas devised to collect, sort, and select the data from the log files generated by the BIM software.A timeline of the experiment was populated with data on the intensity and types of commands usedby each specialist, which allowed determining behavioral patterns, preferred commands, indicators oftheir experience, further training needs, and possible strategies for improving the team’s performance.In the experiment, the mechanical designer ’s performance was 49% and the rest approximately 64%,with respect to that of the architect. An average rate of 1.66 necessary or auxiliary commands foreach contributory command was detected. The average performance was 200–400 commands perhour, which intensified by the end of the experiment. Further training needs were detected for theplumbing designer to reduce the use of backwards commands. Conversely, the electrical designershowed a positive evolution regarding this aspect during the experiment. The analysis methods heredescribed become useful for the aforementioned purposes. Nevertheless, combinations with methodsfrom existing research might improve the outcomes and therefore the specificity of recommendations