With great apps comes great responsibility to fully understand their capabilities, limitations and implementation.

Project teams are increasingly embracing virtual design and construction (VDC), and an array of new software applications are being developed to meet that demand. VDC apps can be powerful tools in the hands of those who know how to use them effectively.

When VDC apps are used correctly, project teams have the opportunity to improve productivity, reduce rework in the field, enhance building documentation, and feed into management systems that can result in lower long-term facility operating costs.

In light of these potential benefits, it can be tempting to think of software as a “silver bullet” to the solution to the many complex hurdles that project teams face. But even the very best software is simply a tool and is only useful if the person (or team) who wields it, does so effectively.

HOW TO CHOOSE

In a new DPR white paper, “Getting the Most Out of BIM: The Secret Guide to VDC Apps,” DPR’s Andrew Fisher addresses those issues and more. The educational guide for owners and users describes what major apps can do and which ones currently lead the market in six functional areas: BIM authoring, coordination, visualization, analysis and measurement, sequencing and estimating.

A BRIEF LOOK AT THE BEST VDC APPS

When it comes to authoring, Autodesk Revit continues to reign supreme. The program can create 2D and 3D visualizations, model scope gaps, and create shop drawings. DPR’s Self-Perform Work (SPW) drywall detailers also use Revit with an add-on application to create wall framing elevation drawings.

For coordination, Autodesk Navisworks Manage stands out for its clash detection capabilities, while Autodesk BIM 360 Glue is also gaining popularity. Tapping into the power of the “cloud” to access the model, BIM 360 Glue works with iPads in the field.

For other BIM functions, some of the top applications include Lumion 3D for visualization, Solibri Model Checker for analysis and measurement, Synchro for sequencing, and Vico for estimating, to name just a few.

Understanding how to select and fully utilize the best BIM tools to their potential can create the most direct benefits to a project team’s processes, productivity and overall performance on a job.

Read “Getting the Most Out of BIM: The Secret Guide to VDC Applications” in its entirety.