how revit changed an architectural firm

How Revit Changed an Architectural Firm

The HCA Story: 2000 to 2004

Revit Adopted in Early 2000

A Business Decision, not anything to do with BIM. We had no idea what BIM was, we just wanted the “800 lb Gorilla” off our backs

The Revit Subscription Business model was the 'deal maker'

BIM? What's that?

All we thought we were getting was native 3d in an easy to use package.

Found out Components would “atomize” the design and production process

“Atomic” components revolutionize work flow.

Now work can be easily divided up and standardized.

Implementation--Simplimentation

Contractor comes to us to create a D/B firm

We do one better, we create “Team Build”

Contractor becomes “Go To” resource for families, documentation style and document layout.

Revit models aren't about what Designers think should be in production documents. It's all about what Builders and Fabricators need to understand your design.

The Birth of “Team Build”

New markets opened up

For over two years all work from from “Team Build” marketing

We stopped doing public work due to low profit and higher risk

Other GC's came to us wanting an association to market business together as a TEAM

Became the start of IPD-type work

How Did it Happen?

Process Transformation

Realization old system was broken

Change needed to be permanent

Mindset change needed to succeed

New BIM tool Changed Operations and Marketing

Work became standardized and reuse from project-to-project greatly increased

Flexible work teams evolved as most productive

New perspective improved work environment

How Did it Happen?


Marketing became solution based with an experienced Team

Sold past performance of no increase in price

Sold proven faster delivery

Sold greater value for every $


Marketing was transformed from

“Let me show you my great design.” to...

“Let me show you how I deliver more value.”

How Did it Happen?


Operations focused on collaborative knowledge

Standardized work methods

Peer to Peer and Mentor to Peer pairings increased understanding and in-place value more quickly


Waterfall scheduling changed to 'value in place' objectives

Flexible work teams evolved as most productive

What Changed

Class Rooms:

Put Plan, Elevation, Casework Schedules and Finishes all together

Kitchens:

Put Plans, Elevations and Equipment details/schedules together.

We studied old document sets from over 50 years ago. We found multiple views of the same assembly all together, more like a manufacturing diagram than modern documents.

What Changed...more

Toilet Rooms:

Put Plan, Elevation, Equipment Schedules and Finishes all together

Stairs and Elevators

Put Plans, Sections and details all on same sheet.

Common features and associated information was important to place together to provide clear communication.

What Changed...more

Class Rooms:

Put Plan, Elevation, Casework Schedules and Finishes all together

Kitchens:


Providing constructors, equipment suppliers and associated trades quickly understood information reduced RFI's and increased field performance.

What Changed...more

Used more Perspective views with Elevations

Placing Elevations and oblique views together enhanced understanding

Kitchens:


Complex construction components better understood when presented as a totality, rather than as a series of parts.

Results?

New business model reduced RFI count by 20% initially

RFI count reduced by 50% after one year.

Decreased RFI's during bidding and construction.

RFI's were found to cost US over $2,000 under old business modelCost of RFI reduced to

$1,000 and turned in 24 hours

Results? … for Builders

Reduced RFI count for builders put $$'s directly back in their pockets.

Decreased RFI's during bidding and construction.

RFI's were found to cost BUILDERS over $3,500.

Contractors praised documents for clarity and completeness

Quick Takeaways

BIM exposed old methods brokenness

Work roles changed dramatically

New efficiencies drive new processes

New value propositions change marketing possibilities

Collaboration becomes paramount

Revit is transformative software tool for both designers and builders.

Quick Takeaways...more

Old top-down design review and management fails to deliver good value.

New design tools drives concurrent review and collaborative approach from initial ideas through final implementation.

BIM easily provides this, CAD does not!

New management tools needed to leverage new technologies.

Quick Takeaways...more

Focus is on delivery of highest value in this moment

Work flows change to focus on needed value in time

Standardized components allow for faster assembly of models for evaluation and decision

New management tools needed to leverage new technologies.