Why is CDE so important in BIM? – Agile BIM Part 4/10

Why is CDE so important? Because a common data exchange platform is primarily a space designed to streamline communication. In projects executed in “2D,” it is common practice to exchange information, including design files, via email. Chech out importance of CDE in BIM.

This post is part of the “Agile BIM” series. Click below to check out other posts.

1. Why BIM? Origins of New Solutions – Agile BIM Part 1/10
2. British Approach to BIM – Standards and Protocols – Agile BIM Part 2/10
3. CDE in British Standards – Agile BIM Part 3/10
4. Why is CDE so important in BIM? – Agile BIM Part 4/10
5. Przykłady platform wymiany danych CDE – zwinny BIM cz. 5/10
6. What is BIM? – Agile BIM Part 6/10
7. BIM vs. Traditionally Managed Construction Projects – Agile BIM 7/10
8. Agile Project Management – Introduction to Agile – Agile BIM 8/10
9. Translating Agile Principles into BIM – Agile BIM Part 9/10
10. How to Make BIM Agile? – Agile BIM 10/10

Of course, the CDE platform used may vary depending on the project size. A cloud drive like Dropbox or Google Drive might be a solution for tiny projects, although it is limited to data exchange. It should not merely be a place for storing documents and sharing them with relevant people. In the previous post “Agile BIM 3/10,” we presented an iterative approach to project agreement and coordination adopted in British documents BS 1192:2007+A2:2016 and PAS 1192-2:2013, which clearly define the use of CDE as the entire data transfer process in a specified, systematic manner. There should be no room for improvisation.

Key Features of a Good CDE

A good CDE environment should enable real communication, including adding comments, assigning issues to those responsible for resolving them, automatically numbering successive file versions, or, for instance, recognizing differences between selected file versions (what has been added, what has been removed, what has changed). Importantly, all of this can and should take place on the CDE platform, without the need to send emails.

Advantages and Prospects of CDE – Importance of CDE in BIM

The main advantages of using CDE are:

• Information is shared and can be reused, but only the author can change it
• The ability to use an agile approach to project management – CDE allows for cyclical sharing and agreeing on project information
• Sharing information shortens the time and costs associated with project coordination
• It is possible to generate any number of documents (summaries, drawing sheets, etc.) of various model file combinations
• Streamlining communication – by, for example, reducing the number of emails sent, making comments visible to all interested parties, approving documentation, etc.

We will write about the most commonly used CDE data exchange platforms in the next post soon.

References

https://bim-level2.org/en/standards/“