Data plays an integral part in most if not all, industries. Proper data utilization offers valuable insights businesses can utilize to craft ultra-personal customer experiences, enhance collaboration, and more. On a larger scale, leveraging data is how businesses save time and money and streamline operations.
This rings true for the construction industry, in which 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated every passing day. Another truth, however, is the fact that only 20 percent of companies in the construction industry use this data effectively. Most organizations are still left with massive amounts of unused data scattered throughout multiple software and tools. This problem is further complicated when numerous vendors are working on the same project, as data becomes even more unreliable and inconsistent.
Common data environments address all of the mentioned data problems while also promoting collaboration, productivity, and resource management.
Key Takeaways:
In order to fully grasp the power of a common data environment, it is best to start from its definition.
A common data environment (CDE) is a cloud-based digital platform that centralizes and manages all project data for construction projects. It serves as a single source of truth, facilitating the storage, sharing, and access of various types of data, including building information modeling (BIM) data, project contracts, estimates, reports, and material specifications. Information captured in the CDE is then fed into the BIM model, making it an even more valuable project management tool in any construction project.
Accessible by all authorized project team members based on their roles and permissions, a CDE promotes collaboration, reduces errors, and streamlines communication throughout the design, construction, and operational phases. It is especially beneficial for complex projects with multiple stakeholders, providing real-time access to essential data to ensure efficient project execution and management.
Vistapoint is an open CDE that ntegrates with AutoCAD, Revit, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Mircostation, etc.
As a product from Trimble, Trimble Connect integrates seamlessly with Trimble CAD software like Sketchup and Tekla.
Bentley is more well-known for Project Wise. While Project Wise uses cloud-based digital twins to facilitate the management of infrastructure projects, Bently CDE is their solution for project collaboration.
The whole project team can manage and control construction documents with Autodesk Docs, a cloud-based common data environment.
Aconex is a product by Oracle and is part of Oracle’s common data environment (CDE).
ThinkProject provides its customers with tailored solutions, which customers will need to contact them for further information.
A CDE is designed to ensure the information flows systematically, from initial drafts to the finalized documents, maintaining data integrity and collaboration during the entire project.
The approved information is then moved to the client’s shared space for authorization.
Contains information that has been “signed off” by the client, such as production data for construction or tendering and design outputs for the whole project team.
This is where the project record is maintained, providing an audit trail for future reference.
The CDE acts as a centralized data hub for the relevant project teams. In addition to being the single source of truth, establishing a CDE provides further attractive benefits.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a highly collaborative process involving the creation and management of a digital 3D model representing the physical and functional characteristics of a structure. This process allows architects, engineers, contractors, real estate developers, manufacturers, and other construction professionals to plan, design, and construct buildings efficiently. BIM is also used in the operation and administration of buildings, offering information that helps governments, municipalities, and property managers make decisions that are well-informed at every stage of the building’s lifecycle.
In the construction world, CDE both supports and plays a pivotal role in BIM.
As the construction sector is increasingly adopting new digital technologies, it only makes sense to common standards and values to regulate usage. The ISO 19650 is an international standard for building information modeling (BIM)-based information management throughout a built asset’s life cycle. It also provides clear definitions regarding the information that clients or asset owners need and how to transfer such information effectively.
ISO 19650 3.3.15 common data environment (CDE): “agreed source of information (3.3.1) for any given project or asset (3.2.8), for collecting, managing and disseminating each information container (3.3.12) through a managed process.”
ISO 19650 key requirements for a CDE include:
CDEs have undoubtedly provided professionals with a more structured approach to storing and managing information while maintaining consistency and transparency. If you want a CDE that meets the ISO 19650, allows you to access data anywhere, anytime, and follows the standard CDE workflow, here are the steps that you need to take:
1. Assess and plan: Understand the project demands, data types and stakeholders involved and define the goals for implementation collaboration, data management, and project lifecycle.
2. Choose your CDE solution: Take a look at the CDE platforms on the market, and based on the plans and requirements defined earlier, choose the suitable solution and vendor.
3. Configuration and customization: Tailor the chosen CDE to meet your organization’s specific requirements and data types while also adapting features and settings to fit the goal and plan.
4. Data migration and integration: After the initial setups, it is time to migrate the existing data into the CDE and integrate it with other tools for smooth data exchange.
5. Training and onboarding: provide stakeholders with training sessions and ensure a smooth onboarding process through initial interactions and troubleshooting.
6. Establish protocols and governance: set up permissions and access levels and frameworks for data management, collaboration and version management.
7. Testing and iteration: Deploy the CDE in a controlled testing environment and identify potential issues. Refine the CDE to address problems.
8. Evaluation and optimization: Assess the CDE’s efficacy regularly using a predetermined set of measures. Collaborate with teams to improve and optimize the system, or update it as needed.
All in all, the CDE is a valuable system in today’s digital landscape - where the data generated often is massive and unstructured. Hence, having the ability to organize and analyze the data to reveal valuable insights will not only deliver any project swiftly with the best quality but also give the business a competitive edge.
Orient Software is happy to assist you in the journey of digitalizing your construction projects efficiently and sustainably. Contact us to learn more!
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