Losing your BIM virginity and the Giants 300

It is unfortunately not clear to me that number of seats is an accurate measure of the degree of BIM implementation within a particular firm or the industry as a whole. It may be an easy way to assess a firm's _potential_ implementation of a BIM workflow, but that is as far as it goes. For example, theoretically all of the Vectorworks users I train or consult for are BIM users, as Vectorworks fulfills the common definitions of the term: project lifelong 3D modeling with data-rich, contextual objects (and even the less common definition which excludes 3D modeling and accepts 2D as BIM). Nevertheless, I assure you that in spite of my best efforts to teach a BIM workflow, there are some users who insist on using Vectorworks as a 2D product only, or at best a "dumb" 3D modeler. Similarly, I suspect that many Autodesk licensees are getting Revit and using AutoCAD. As for ROI, I have been using intelligent 3D modeling in my architectural practice for longer than the term BIM was common currency. I can absolutely attest that Vectorworks has allowed me to realize greater production efficiencies and thereby spend more time on design, with commensurately increased profitability.

Not convinced, while there are documented savings from using BIM that have been reported in this publication, we are not in the business of marketing for vendors. I would encourage you and every other professional struggling with the ROI issue to write to me or another editor and tell us your story. Yes, there are still questions out there about ROI and we would love to report that. The problem we, as editors have, is the BIM/CAD vendors are always crowing like proud Papas about successful projects and the project failures are all orphans. Tell us your experiences, we''d love to run articles on lessons learned and problems with the existing software.

As a BIM (Revit) user/Architect since 2002, I can attest that this methodology not only saves time and money (answering the ROI question) but leads to better design. Yes it is over hyped and yes the larger the firm, the harder it is to implement. However, it is the future and finally represents a tool to enhance the design and construction industry and not another way of drawings by hand (CAD). …The economy has slowed use of it for sure….but it is the future and those choosing to ignore are being left behind, much like their hand drafting-CAD counterparts from years ago.

You have neglected to include Chief Architect and Envisioneer both important BIM products for residential and small commercial Projects.

"Building Information Modeling is a lot like teenage sex." LOL! And accordingly, abstinence is for me a matter of religious conviction! ;-)

There are many that would say losing your BIM Virginity equates with being screwed. We''re walking both sides of the fence ourselves, but unconvinced that there is a ROI on BIM. It''s easy to assume that there is a ROI because the trade press (this article) and CAD vendors push the product as if there is. Obviously, there is still doubt in the real world, and the trade press would be wise to cover this possibility (or even probability), rather than be an extension of the CAD vendor''s marketing department. Communication and collaboration result from having common tools to communicate with. As long at there are proprietary file formats, etc., the promise of software to enhance C&C will not be realized.

It's not such a big deal considering how Autodesk licenses large firms. They all have that many Autodesk licenses, not explicitly for Revit. They could have that many licenses in the pool available, but how many are actively used?

Rhino isn't included. I mistakenly put in there because we had written about its use in a recent BIM project. I've taken it out in the copy. Here's the actual question: "Please provide the number of seats your firm licenses for building information modeling/3D modeling software, such as Autodesk Revit, Bentley Microstation, Nemetschek Vectorworks, or Graphisoft ArchiCAD."

"(defined for this survey as Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Bentley Microstation, Autodesk Revit, Rhino 3D, and Vectorworks)" I understand the inclusion pf ArchiCAD and Revit, and even Vectorworks to a degree. If you are speaking Bentley, it needs to be Bentley Architecture, not "just Microstation". And when did Rhino 3D become a BIM tool? Rhino is a NURBS based 3D modeling tool and 3D does NOT equal BIM. I agree that purchase and adoption are both indicators to commitment of BIM, but to include Rhino in that list is like including any program that can do 3D. BIM is abou so much more than just a 3D model.

Jeff, Great opening to your article. Charming analogy. Hey, I hope you're doing well and having a great summer. It's been ages since we talked/crossed paths. If you need anymore info about Vectorworks and its BIM capabilities, just holler. Or email me. Hope your summer is going well. ~ Jessie, at Nemetschek NA/Vectorworks.