Process Integration Framework for the Design Phase of a Residential Building

Abstract

In Peru, the design phase of construction projects is frequently plagued by inefficiencies and poor coordination. These include clients’ failure to communicate project goals; architects’ and designers’ frequent lack of understanding of said goals; and the failure to communicate learning loops from previous projects promptly to improve design quality. As such, it is argued that Building Information Modeling (BIM) helps to improve communication and visualization during the design process and opens a door to continuous improvement. However, the transition from traditional tools to a BIM-enabled process in the design phase is a challenging task. Many organizations are not prepared at the operational level to deploy BIM in synergy with current practices in the context of multiple stakeholders such as clients, designers, key suppliers, and constructors. The aim of this research is to develop a process-integration framework to improve visualization and communication in the design phase, aligning BIM, Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) areas (including scope, communication, and stakeholder management), and the learning loops of the Lean Project Delivery System (LPDS). The data collection is done by means of a case study in a residential building in Lima. Direct observation during the design phase will help to understand the process alignment. Lessons learned, barriers, opportunities, and guidelines for future research are discussed.