Beyond Design: the Construction and BIM blog

Navisworks 2018 is here…

Annual product launch is always a busy time of year for the Navisworks team and this year has been no different. We've completed some interesting projects this year, so here we would like to introduce them to you in some detail. You've asked us to improve our connectivity and our interoperability and we heard you!  Navisworks 2018 continues to improve our BIM workflow integration, with a particular focus on Revit, Recap 360 and IFC. Underpinning this are three key themes that describe our approach to developing Navisworks:

Current

Making sure that Navisworks stays up to date with the latest file formats and data types (e.g. we recently added extensive IFC improvements; and added support for .vue format)

Integrated

Integrating Navisworks with Autodesk cloud solutions (e.g. Navsiworks integration with BIM 360 Glue), plus integration with other Autodesk desktop solutions and complementary suites products (e.g. we invested in Navisworks integration with Revit via the underlay feature for Revit 2018; integration with Recap 360 Pro).

Quality

Fixing blocking bugs and significant regressions.

Revit 2018 & Navisworks 2018 – together at last!

Two years ago, with the release of AutoCAD 2016, we introduced the ability to bring your Navisworks model directly into the design app. Ever since, we have been working closely with our friends in the Revit team to offer the same capability with the release of Revit 2018. Using the 'Coordination Model' feature you will now be able to open NWC & NWD files and import them using model origin or shared coordinates. Once in Revit you can visualise the coordination model in plan, elevation, section or 3D view.

This was a major project that required us to fold Navisworks components (aka Navisworks Core Engine) directly into the Revit codebase.. We think it was worth the effort - now you can bring all the 60+ supported Navisworks formats directly into your Revit projects, with the ability to work with the same huge datasets that you can in Navisworks. Best of all, this performs the same as Navisworks and wont cripple your working environment in Revit.

This workflow could fundamentally change how your project teams collaborate. Rather than the design team or supply chain working independently and then coordinating with other team members after they have produced their designs, the Revit user will now be able to design within the context of the whole project view. This is a big step towards the holy grail of 'clash avoidance' – project team members creating coordinated, clash free data as a seamless part of the design and detailing process.

Further to this, the Revit folks are very excited that this unlocks the "direct context" workflow, where huge models, such as the city of Berlin shown below, can now be used as context for your projects at a scale that was previously impossible!

Fabrication parts in Navisworks

Autodesk continues to invest in building out our fabrication and detailing capability on the Revit platform to extend design development through fabrication level of detail and coordination to installation on site. Navisworks is a key part of this workflow, and we introduced support for the new Revit Fabrication parts properties as part of the 2018 release.

IFC Interoperability Enhancements

IFC is an increasingly important format and there are some significant improvements wrapped into the 2018 release. A completely new IFC file reader is integrated within Navisworks, which leverages the work that the Revit team have done in support of IFC.

This doesn't mean that we now only support IFC from Revit (as some of you have asked). Now, Navisworks has the benefit of parity with Revit because we are using the same open source code to handle IFC files.  This translates to greater consistency for your workflows and illustrates our investment into the support of the open source format.

You still have the option of using the older Navisworks IFC reader, but from 2018, the Revit IFC reader is now the default. Direct benefits of this include support for additional IFC property and object types, such as IFCSpace and IFCZone, plus PSets and improved IFC hierarchy handling. In addition, more than 80% of our backlog of IFC bugs were addressed.

Some of you will know that we introduced this as in its first release as an update last year. Since then, we have worked directly with our customers and made improvements to the handling of property data and organisation. We continue to listen out for more, so keep the feedback coming!

Recap 360 and Reality Capture workflows

Bring your Navisworks model directly into the ReCap 360 Pro desktop product (see the reality capture team's blog here). This lets you visualize your as-designed data from Navisworks directly alongside your as built data in Recap 360 Pro 'Real Views', enabling a set of quality and progress-checking workflows by comparing planned and actual datasets. Alternatively, if you want to bring your ReCap models into Navisworks, the current integration will now support filtered ReCap points. This lets you work with a subset of the point cloud data, so speeding up review and verification workflows by importing just what you need for your process.

This video highlights the possibilities for construction workflows where progress scanning is blended with the as-designed data for immediate review and coordination purposes that will benefit the entire team.

General fixes, product stability and performance enhancements

We continue to invest in the stability, performance and quality of Navisworks – the new 'optimize on load' function has a dramatic impact on file size when working with previous versions of Navisworks as many of you still are. One customer reported that a Navisworks 2016 file of 4.7gb was reduced to just 200mb using this function– saving them several minutes every time the model was opened. We always encourage you to work with the latest versions, hopefully this is another reason why that's such a good idea!

Navisworks and BIM 360

Using Navisworks together with Glue, Field and Layout opens up real value for construction teams. By leveraging the power of 'connected BIM' – where the desktop and the cloud work in unison, project teams can realise great savings in time and cost through greater collaboration and anytime, anywhere access to the as-designed data you create in Navisworks. This year we further simplified that workflow, by integrating the Field connection directly into the ribbon interface for Navsiworks. Now its even easier to pull field data through your project by connecting to BIM 360, and bring in progress or commissioning data into your Navisworks model for your analysis workflows.

Final thoughts…

So, that's the Navisworks 2018 release. We hope you find the additions and improvements useful.

This year Amar spoke at Autodesk University about the Autodesk Desktop App, and showcased a new experience for updating our products, integrated into the desktop and providing a smoother way to access updates releases and the like. Navisworks 2018 is part of that, and as the business as a whole transitions into a subscription model as well, we're looking into delivering more frequent updates and less 'big bang' annual releases that we have traditionally done. Whilst this changes the way we deliver updates, hopefully you can see from above that we're continuing to work on the themes we've set out.

And of course in addition to our own work we continue to maintain our API.  Navisworks alongside BIM 360 has an extensive API and we have many customers and partners that are building on the core product. We've seen many partners realise many workflows this way, and the Navisworks app store has several examples of some great functionality that leverage the API for specific workflows.

As always, we look forward to your feedback. Thanks and enjoy this release.

For more information on Navisworks:

Visit the Product Center: www.autodesk.com/Navisworks

Visit Autodesk Knowledge Network:  https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/navisworks-products

Announcing the AEC Excellence Awards 2017

Want to showcase that amazing project you've been working on for weeks/months/years/as long as you can remember (*delete as appropriate). The AEC Excellence awards have come around again and we're looking for you to submit the amazing work we know you do! Introduced back in 2012 to recognize BIM in Infrastructure projects, this world-renowned competition now includes Infrastructure, Building, Construction, and Sustainability categories that showcase innovations using connected BIM workflows and Autodesk software.

Awards include 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place prizes in each category, which makes this your chance to show off your truly inspirational projects. You know, the ones you're most excited about, like projects that use augmented reality, virtual reality, drones, generative design, computational design, and more—in short, your best design efforts using BIM workflows and Autodesk technology!

As well as all the free publicity across AEC publications and through us, HP and Construction Dive, you could win a brand-new HP workstation, a trip to Autodesk University Las Vegas 2017, and recognition at the Autodesk University Awards Ceremony. And, of course, you'll receive a beautiful trophy you can show off to colleagues and clients once you return.

Take for example, 2016 winners, this amazing project, the Vamma 12 Hydropower dam in Norway, it not only was a feat in physical engineering, it also used only 3D models, not a 2D sheet in sight. It also used mobile technologies like BIM 360 on site to reduce potential communication errors and ensure everyone was working from the latest versions, and used extensive reality capture and 4D to reduce risk in complex operations.

The deadline for entry is June 23, 2017. Finalists for each category will be announced in August, and then winners will be announced at the AEC Excellence Awards Ceremony at Autodesk University Las Vegas 2017 in November.

Enter now! aecexcellence.autodesk.com

Laser Scanning and 3D models - As built verification for the masses!

One of the main uses for laser scanning in construction has been checking your 3D CAD and BIM against the real world situation, to check some refurbishment work will fit or the next trade can install their HVAC run rather than turn up onsite and not be able to work. It has long been possible to do this within Navisworks, and more recently with the introduction of Recap, also within Revit. Both of these do the job, but are still in the hands of the specialists.

Towards the end of last year the Recap team snuck out quite a big update, allowing you to view Navisworks NWD models alongside the 360° panoramic Realviews within Recap. These are the easy accessible way to access the point cloud, think of Google Street View in your laser scan!

So what does this mean? Well you can bring your files from over 50 different file formats together in Navisworks (or via BIM 360 Glue), and save out an NWD file. This can then be "Attached" in Recap (make sure the scan and model files are on the same coordinate system), whenever you then go into one of the Realviews, you'll be able to see the models alongside the images captured by the scanner with correct depth being applied (so items in front of the model are shown as that).

The video below is courtesy of Faro and BAM Construct who worked together on seeing what this new feature could do on a real life project.

Tips related to Navisworks and Recap Realview

• To check the coordinates in Navisworks open the Measure dialog (View > Window > Measure Tools) and when you make a measurement the coordinate will show.
• To check the coordinates in Recap you should see the coordinates in the lower left corner as you hover over the view.
• To change the coordinates of the Navisworks model use there are a number of ways, the Measure Tool is my preferred method
• To change the coordinates of the Recap scan add survey points
• Learn more about Attach NWD in Recap

Industry Collections, what do they mean to you in construction?

Today we launch Industry Collections, it's a new way of thinking about how to access software and is a perfect fit for construction. Based on a term license they allow you to easily scale up and down during the course of a construction project and include contingent employees in software planning.

So what does the new AEC Collection include? And what advantages do each of these offerings bring to my construction project?

• AutoCAD, verticals, and AutoCAD 360 Pro – As a common platform used throughout the industry, this suite of AutoCAD products allows you to access and create documentation and share detailing with all partners on the project team
• Revit – The leading BIM tool to create construction parts, access schedules and convert designs to fabrication parts for coordination
• AutoCAD Civil 3D – The best tool for road, rail and earthworks detailing, cut and fills, landscaping and getting to machine control
• Navisworks Manage – Create federated models from over 50 file formats and run Clash Detection, Construction Simulation, Quantification, Design Review and Rendering
• Vehicle Tracking – For analysing site movements in advance and ensuring trucks, cranes and large vehicles can move around site
• 3DS Max – For those high end visualisations to help with winning planning, buy in from stakeholders, or winning tender bids
• Formit 360 Pro – A conceptual design tool for buildings that links to Revit that allows you to create site layouts on the PC or mobile device
• Infraworks 360 – A conceptual design tool for infrastructure that links to Civil 3D that allows you to create construction site layouts, traffic simulations and visualisations
• Insight 360 – Run sustainability analysis and verify that any significant changes in materials you make won't affect the end result
• Recap 360 Pro – Use reality capture laser scanning and photogrammetry to better understand existing conditions and verify as built conditions
• Rendering in A360 – Create quick and easy high quality renders and panoramas from Revit and Navisworks
• Structural Analysis – Do easy structural analysis to help with foundation design decisions
• Online Storage – As we work in an 'always connected' world, being able to access models, drawings from office or site

So with an AEC Collection, does my team have everything we need?

Not included in the package but worth considering for construction needs are:

• BIM 360 – A full suite of products built around the needs of a contractor, covering cloud enabled coordination, 3D layout, quality checks, safety programs, commissioning and production planning
• Point Layout – To get coordinate information to total stations seamlessly from the design and review packages and bring back for as built analysis to speed up and reduce rework
• Stingray – To 'gamify' 3D construction project data to improve understanding and health and safety on site

Want to know more? Read this FAQ and contact your reseller for more information about Industry Collections, how to get hold of them, and introduce new workflows to your firm.

Happy 5th birthday Beyond Design!

Happy Birthday to us,

Happy Birthday to us,

Happy Birthday Beyond Design!!

Happy Birthday to us!

Five years ago today myself and Paul Walker launched this Beyond Design blog. When we first launched our aim was to "focus on the functionality, workflows and interoperability between Autodesk Construction solutions". At that time that was mostly Navisworks and certain tools in Revit and AutoCAD. What a difference a few years makes in technology as BIM 360 and the cloud have become our core platform for coordinating and delivering models to site, and fabrication is no longer a siloed part of the process. In the five years since we started this blog mandates for usage of BIM have come in place all over the world and many governments now see digital construction as a high priority to reduce waste and costs in major building and infrastructure projects.

So whilst it doesn't seem that long ago since Adele topped the US charts with Rolling in the Deep and the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film was number one around the world, the construction site has changed considerably.

• Mobile devices have gone from a rarity on the most tech savvy sites to commonplace across industry. Powerful computers in your pocket or the size of a notebook allowing you to do multiple jobs in one go rather than needing 6 or 7 devices, printing bills have dropped and more people are using tools like BIM 360 Docs to load the latest construction documentation straight to their phone or tablet and feed issues back to the office.
• Connectivity and the Cloud has shifted from the latest buzzword to a normal part of our everyday lives. Think back 5 years, most people were still adding to their CD, DVD and Bluray collections, now they're gathering dust in many people's attics due to companies like Netflix and Spotify. In construction, the link between office and site has changed the way technology is perceived by many firms with investment in decent internet connection on site and suitable hardware becoming a priority.
• Drones and UAV's have become the must have toy for many children and big children but the real life applications to help with inspections of hard to reach areas, and ability to create 3D models accurate enough for cut and fill calculations from photos taken by these self-piloted devices, would five years ago have been dismissed as something from a sci-fi film.
• Reality Computing is an area that already had traction back in 2011 but was still scarce, over the last five years drops in hardware costs, innovative new data capture methods like from backpacks, cars and UAV's and new technology like Project Tango from Google have made a conventional laser scanner look boring.
• Wearables such as the prototype Google Glass, DAQRI smart helmets, smart watch's and location and sensor technology embedded in safety vests might not have taken over construction yet but we are seeing a change in tone from why to how, in five years' time I think we'll see more of this technology becoming standard on larger projects and filtering down to certain personnel on those smaller projects, like tablets are doing today.
• The Internet of Things and sensor technology in buildings, again have gone from a rare example of how things could be done to a common part of many people's lives. For example I can't imagine how I'd get on without my Nest, a thermostat that allows me to switch off my heating from my phone on the other side of the world, now many of the largest projects in the world such as Hudson Yards, are looking at sensor technology as an essential part of their design.
• Increase in use of Big Data as a way to measure projects to identify problems early in an industry notoriously bad at predictions, allowing contractors to make better decisions about which subcontractors they work with and when to invest in additional resources.
• With 3D printing we've seen a couple of false starts such as the story of ten 3D printed houses in a day which was found recently to be faked, however there's still a lot of interest in how this method of manufacturing on site could change how buildings and infrastructure are delivered in the future with many proof of concepts that just weren't around five years ago. There's starting to be more of a push to 'local factories', where items are built on or very close to site for quicker assembly, mirroring some of the trends we see in manufacturing.
• We have seen a surge in the interest in Advanced Robotics for construction with companies such as MX3D are looking at how to 3D print a bridge in the middle of Amsterdam using these robots, and other examples of robots being used for bricklaying!

That's how our world has changed over five years, here's some interesting stats about that journey you've joined us on: -

• Nearly half a million views!
• 35% of users from the US, 10% from the UK, and 5% each from Australia, India and Canada
  • In fact the only countries I couldn't see any visitors for were Chad and Vatican City (hurry up Pope, get into BIM!)
• Around half of you find us by searching through things like Google!
• 10 Authors who have contributed regularly so far (with 2 more added today)
• 277 posts (that's over one a week!)

Some of the most popular posts were about: -

• Navisworks Keyboard Shortcuts (update here)
• 14 things you'll be shocked you never knew about Navisworks
• Autodesk Graphics about an improved view in Navisworks
• BIM 360 Glue on the go about the mobile app
• Clash Rules to reduce false positives

So to celebrate we have had a reshuffle of our authors and would like to welcome Lejla Secerbegovic and Julien Drouet to the Beyond Design Team! They'll bring a different perspective on how fabrication and improved use of the design tools can bring more to the contractor and more tips and tricks to improve your day to day workflows.

You may also notice a new look to the blog, one of the things this allows is better mobile access so you can view our blog on the move!

Our aim hasn't changed in the last five years, so it leaves us to thank you for your support, feedback and continued use of our software, and here's to another five years and more!

What if you could layout against reality?

I've just returned from the Capturing Reality Forum in Salzburg (the newly combined SPAR Europe and European LIDAR Mapping Forum) where myself and Andy Evans from Topcon presented a live workflow showing point clouds and design data together within BIM 360 Layout, a proof of concept workflow where we posed the question 'What if you could layout from reality?'.

We had many interesting discussions after the presentation with people thinking of possible uses. My favourite was the idea of MEP layout based on a scan from earlier that day, you can run clashes against the point cloud to identify issues before going to site using Navisworks, then use the current information to help visualise and layout your work.

With three scans we were able to quickly register them, export to a TXT format with RGB data, import in Navisworks, add control and layout points using Point Layout then upload to BIM 360 Glue for use in BIM 360 Layout.

You can also then use the measurement tools to identify distances between the design and the point cloud out on site.

Andy Evans and Autodesk's Michael Moran will be demonstrating this workflow at Autodesk University next week https://events.au.autodesk.com/connect/sessionDetail.ww?SESSION_ID=10127&tclass=popup

Just-in-Place: The Case for Augmented Reality in AEC

AR: An Extension of Lean

For decades, pundits, prophets, prognosticators, and purveyors of technology have been forecasting the fit of Augmented Reality (AR) for the AEC industry (I know, I'm one of them!) In recent years, as hardware evolves, and BIM matures, we find ourselves on the threshold of AR solutions being truly capable of extending capabilities for architects, contractors, and owners.

Autodesk is no stranger to AR, and we continue to keep an eye on the technology, looking for the right solutions for our customers. We've defined (refined?) AR as the real-time display of spatially contextual information, where context is the physical environment. In today's world of "big data," we are seeking out ways to support the industry's efforts to offer the right information and the right materials to the right people, in the right place, at the right time. In manufacturing and construction, we talk about just-in-time (JIT) delivery to support Lean operations and production control. With AR, we extend that conversation beyond Just-in-Time, to Just-in-Place delivery of information. That is, information is served up to the end user in an appropriate, localized, specific spatial context.

Is AR Ready for You?

That's me, kicking the tires on DAQRI's Augmented "Smart Helmet"

I recently attended both the Augmented Worlds Expo in Santa Clara, and Autodesk's NAC3 (North American Construction Customer Council) hosted by DAQRI in Los Angeles. At both events, you could all but taste the anticipation of AR solutions made ready for the AEC industry. The evolution of hardware sensors and processors, wearable form factors, and software development toolkits has bred a diverse range of AR solutions for businesses and consumers alike. DAQRI, in particular, is now offering their Smart Helmet, with a world of potential to disrupt the way we consume and process information on the construction site. On the low end, 3D-printed lenses can be clipped to your smart-phone to support immersive viewing of spatially contextual information for as little as $20!

No AR solution on the market today is without its flaws, and there is plenty of room for improvement when applying AR in AEC, such as: support for collaborative decision-making, hands-free tasks, balancing task-focus and safety, and application in harsh environmental conditions. But there are a lot of things to like about what solutions are here and on their way as technology continues to get better.

AEC Use Cases for AR

At Autodesk, we've identified over a dozen use cases for AR in design, construction, and facilities operations and maintenance. We've analyzed these according to the business pain points they address, the scope or value of that pain, the potential for integration with our solutions, phase of a project, and level of effort to implement (including user's motion area, indoor/outdoor mix, scene preparation, tracking accuracy required, display latency allowed, see-through requirements, and data-serving burden).

We've also asked ourselves: in which of these uses cases is AR a truly unique solution, as opposed to alternative ways to solve the problem? That is: where is AR desirable, and perhaps even necessary, to eliminate specific industry pains by applying its unique characteristics?

Overlay and Compare

A skeptic can reasonably argue that, while beneficial, AR isn't a unique or necessary solution in almost all AEC use cases. However, one condition keeps coming up over and over again, where AR can truly and uniquely solve a problem, save valuable time, and improve confidence in decision-making: real-time overlay of information onto the real world to support comparison (and contrast).

To illustrate this, think of these cartoon sketches, in which you are tasked to identify the subtle differences between them, and think of how dramatically the process could be improved simply by overlaying one image over the other in a single display:

Can you spot the 8 differences?

Overlay the images into a single display to easily identify the differences!

Sweet Spots for AR in AEC

We perform this comparison exercise again and again in design, construction, and operations – except in AEC it's much harder than the challenge shown in the cartoon example above. In some cases, the question isn't simply: "can you spot the 8 differences?" Rather, it's: "Are there any differences? If so, where? And, how many are there (and how do you correct them)?"

With this condition applied as a filter to the long list of potential AEC uses cases, just a few rise to the top: the ones in which we need to perform compare and contrast tasks in quickly and accurately. In gross terms, they exist where the real world (as-is conditions), the Building Information Model (intended conditions), and the newly constructed world (as-built conditions) each intersect with the other, as shown here:

There are three intersections between these realms. Architects deal with the intersection between "as-is" and "intended" when visualizing their designs in/at the project site. Think of AR here as a real-time, interactive, "photo-match" for studying and communicating a design in context. Next, contractors face the comparison between the "intended" design and the "as-built" project, both when performing layout on the site and again when performing quality control to confirm that their work was installed or assembled correctly (see also: Capture Reality, Recapture Time). Finally, owners contend with the overlap between the "as-built" documentation and the true "as-is" world of the facility in operations. Here, they seek to supplement their experience of the living project with meta-data and systems hidden or enclosed by architectural finishes.

In all of these cases, the key project stakeholders look for a solution in which they can view virtual data overlaid on the physical world, intuitively and in real time, to compare and contrast new and old, desired and actual, recorded and reality.

Serving up the proper information in context is key, both just-in-time and just-in-place. After all, there is a time – and a place – for everything.

Chewie, We’re Home! #empireBIMcrew Videos and presentation from AU and BSL

There's only one topic of conversation in the office this morning, how many times have you seen it?

If you have no idea what I'm on about, you need to stop what you are doing for 2 minutes and watch this.

Back now? How many people just clicked on it to watch it again? Thought so!

Anyway, as a massive Star Wars fan (geek), I've been far too giddy about this for too long as anyone who follows me on Twitter will realise. So last night I was ready to publish a blog about the cool new features in AutoCAD using Navisworks and BIM 360 technology, but immediately realised that will have to wait till next week… Priorities!

I've been lucky enough to present a couple of Star Wars themed classes at Autodesk University in Vegas and more recently BIM Show Live in the UK about workflows between products, using Star Wars themed datasets. I wanted to share some of the videos created for these presentations. The last presentation was about how Han and Chewie (I can't believe Chewie got the best line in the trailer!), had to renovate the Millennium Falcon after winning it from Lando. So first up, design review in BIM 360 Glue: -

Then quickly setting up Search Sets for advanced Navisworks use, with help from a familiar friend…

Setting up custom properties to collect in BIM 360 Field…

Point Cloud Analysis in Autodesk Revit using the Point Layout add in, guess who ran into this wall…

And finally we found the Millennium Falcon at Pinewood studios using Infraworks 360

There's lots more videos in the full Autodesk University Star Wars Youtube playlist and the AU presentations with lots of tips and tricks are below: -

The #empireBIMcrew Strikes Back

Building the Death Star the Autodesk Way (includes video of presentation)

Thanks to everyone who helped me pull together datasets, from Dace Campbell and his USB charing GNK to David Light and his amazing Revit RFA of the Falcon and many more!

Capture Reality, Recapture Time

Many people in the construction industry are familiar with "Lean" Construction, and the Plan-Do-Check-Act/Adjust ("PDCA") cycle as an iterative management method to support continuous improvement on projects.

"PDCA Cycle" by Karn-b - Karn G. Bulsuk (http://www.bulsuk.com). Originally published at http://www.bulsuk.com/2009/02/taking-first-step-with-pdca.html - Own work. Originally developed for Taking the First Step with PDCA. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

While this four-step process is not specific to construction, informing practically every activity performed in the AEC industry, you can easily apply the process to on-site field labor, where trade partners and subcontractors step through these phases every day.

For example, a carpenter installing casework will: 1) PLAN by carefully measuring and verifying the existing conditions; 2) DO by putting the casework in place; 3) CHECK by inspecting with a level and a plumb; and 4) ADJUST the casework with shims. And the process repeats reiteratively until the work is correctly in place.

Note: In some cases, if the casework isn't installed properly, rework may be necessary. And "inspect" need not be a formal inspection by an Authority Having Jurisdiction; it can be an informal check of the quality of installation by a skilled trade partner. When the work is inspected and completed, as-built information must be recorded. However, since most work goes in right the first time (doesn't it?), and since most field laborers do not necessarily develop the as-built documentation themselves, let's ignore rework and combine "as-built" with inspection, to reflect what the field labor actually does.

In addition to being reiterative for a single trade, the process is also progressive in the "parade" of trades on a project site. In our casework example, the carpenter cannot plan his work by doing layout in the field until after the rough-in and drywall are completed. Furthermore, the installation and as-built documentation of the casework then in turn leads to planning and layout for the countertops, and subsequent trades. In this way, the final state of as-built conditions for one trade becomes the point of departure for the next.

Unfortunately, documentation on the project site does not cleanly follow this process and progression of labor. As-built records are poorly kept during the project, and trade laborers are rarely responsible for sharing accurate as-built drawings in real-time to assist fellow trade partners. Significant time is wasted as each trade partner must become oriented to their task, measure conditions, and plan their work individually as if no previous information was recorded or available.

However, new technologies, such as "Reality Capture," and Autodesk Recap have the potential to disrupt the PDCA cycle, and allow compressed cycles among trades by sharing information. With instruments to capture reality (laser scanners, photogrammetry, etc), "layout" ("plan") and "inspect" ("check") merge into the same activity, where one trade's inspection artifacts become the layout documents for the subsequent trade!

Or, to put it more generically, "Recap" technology enables a two-step process, rather than a four-step process:

Of course, the process is cyclical and reiterative, both within a single trade and between the trades:

As one trade scans their installed work, the Recap artifact as a 3-D document can be instantly re-used/re-purposed as the layout-information for the next trade.

There is a tremendous opportunity to save time and effort across the breadth of a project, between the dozens (hundreds?) of trades that are involved in "check" and "plan" activities.

Of course, it will take more than a laser scanner to change the everyday workflows in our construction industry; it will take strategic thinking, process changes, and training for all personnel who touch a project. Some construction professionals are already getting started doing just that, at events like the Real2015 conference in San Francisco. Others are engaging business consultants, hardware vendors, and software developers.

What is your plan to take advantage of this technology?