Enhancing BIM Design Process by Integrating Risk Management

Abstract

Among the most recent demands in the construction industry, is the implementation of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology to deliver integrated designs. The BIM workflow emphasizes detecting design conflicts early, increasing the early stage design effort while minimizing later-stage costs and delays. However, the current BIM workflow lacks a formal structure for prioritizing, escalating, and resolving issues identified during iterative design cycles. This challenge becomes more pronounced in complex projects where multiple disciplines interact simultaneously. The absence of a structured issue management approach leads to informal and uncoordinated issue resolution, making it difficult to track and prioritize issues effectively, decreasing the efficiency during design phase.
This research explores how Risk Management (RM) principles can support BIM workflows to
improve project results, with a specific focus on issue management. By analysing existing gaps
and inefficiencies in BIM issue management, the study develops a framework that integrates RM concepts. The aim is to enhance the ability of BIM processes to systematically prioritize, escalate, and address issues.
The result of the research is a conceptual risk management-based issue management framework, developed through a combination of literature review, practical insights, and the application of socio-technical theory. This framework incorporates an iterative process for detecting, filtering, and prioritizing BIM issues based on risk criteria. It spans the design phase, offering a structured roadmap for implementation that considers stakeholder communication and resource optimization. Risk management addresses deficiencies in issue management through an integrated framework that guides the process based on RM principles. This integration has significant implications for issue management and requires a top-down, step-by-step approach. The integration of this framework is presented in steps to achieve understanding and sense of usefulness among different stakeholders.