Method and Procedures for Coordination Planning According to ISO-19650

In the last article, I talked about how we can solve the problems with performance metrics. Coordination planning actually brings together and harmonizes the actions of multiple individuals, task teams, or organizations towards a shared goal. This procedure creates a shareable digital model of the building. This model can be used to identify and resolve conflicts between various building systems and components, enhance communication and teamwork, and ultimately accelerate and enhance the quality of the construction process. From what I know about ISO principles, the following steps can be taken to plan coordination throughout the lifecycle of a project:?

1. During Procurements Phase:

According to ISO 19650, it is the first phase of the project lifecycle for building information modeling (BIM) and information management. The pre-contract phase is crucial to the success of a construction project because it lays the groundwork for the entire undertaking, and all decisions made during this phase will have repercussions for the entire project. As shown in the previous diagram of the information management cycle, the primary documents of the pre-contract phase are the exchange information requirements (EIR) and the pre-BIM execution plan (Pre-BEP). Planning for the future must begin when the appointing party conducts the assessment and project needs, as well as when the project requirements (EIR) are written.?

• During Invitation to tender:

The appointing party must specify exactly what he requires and provide a deadline. When one writes "EIR," he must specify the required level of information or level of development (LOD). In addition, he must define the acceptance criteria for coordination. It is also recommended to share supporting documents, such as a coordination matrix template, with the lead appointed party and task teams. Finally, he must specify the tender response requirements for this topic.

• During the tender response:

The lead appointed party shall establish a response to the project's EIR by establishing a pre-appointment BIM execution plan for the delivery team. In order to improve coordination, the lead must plan very well and develop an effective coordination plan within Pre-BEP, taking the following into account:

• Define a workflow for coordination.
• Conflict avoidance technique
• Investigate the priority list.
• Define the permitted tolerance.
• Create a clash matrix between disciplines.
• strategy for hard-clash detection
• Strategy for soft-clash detection
• Create a schedule for BIM coordination meetings.
• Create a milestone for coordination and update the responsibility matrix.

2. During Planning Phase:

The planning phase is essential for ensuring that the project is well-defined, feasible, and has an agreed-upon execution plan, which is the basis for a successful project. ISO19650 says that the appointment and mobilization are part of the planning phase.

• During the appointment

The lead appointed party shall update the PRE-BEP by updating the delivery team’s coordination delivery strategy and the delivery team’s high-level responsibility matrix.

In consideration of coordination planning, the lead appointed party may need to establish their own EIR for each appointed party, as depicted in the figure above.

• During the mobilization:

The lead appointed party shall confirm the availability of all resources, such as the clash coordination matrix, the BIM Execution Plan, and the Navisworks template, which will assist each task team in advancing with a clear vision. During mobilization, the team may require additional coordination training. Also, we should test the coordination workflow.

3. During Production Phase:

• Start with avoidance

During the development of the model within the work-in-progress area (CDE-WIP), we can consider the prepared clash avoidance strategy to prevent a significant number of clashes.

• End with Detection

The coordination process will be concluded with the creation of a shared BIM model within a work sharing area (CDE-WS) for all design disciplines to share their work from a single source of truth. This model serves as a central hub (similar to the NWD model) for all of the other models (NWCs), and is used to ensure that all of the models are aligned and consistent with each other according to the agreed matrix. Finally, we should monitor the project's coordination through the project life cycle and make necessary adjustments to ensure that it remains on schedule and within budget.