Digital delivery
Keep project conversations moving
The situation
Because of the technical nature of BIM and AI, conversations can quickly get bogged down in details like:
insider terminology or acronyms
complex technologies others have no experience with
niche or untested products
Often this leads to information overload or misunderstanding, which in turn:
alienates people from contributing
breeds scepticism of a project’s direction
kills conversations and progress with it
The goal is usually that everyone leaves a meeting with a similar level of understanding, which is more easily done in familiar terms.
“Digital delivery” can act as that familiar framing.
To clarify
Digital delivery, as the name suggests, is how a project is delivered digitally. Referring to how the digital serves the project, including the:
Tools - used to generate, analyse, or exchange information (eg. AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD, Procore).
Processes - including collaboration (eg. protocol at milestones, design and clash resolution)
Deliverables - the actual output (eg. 2D drawings, 3D construction model)
It also acts as an umbrella term that includes delivery methods like:
CAD digital delivery
BIM digital delivery
So the term does can do a lot of things at once by helping us:
Clarify where the tool sits or the methods used, whether it’s CAD, BIM, or AI
Visualise digital delivery as its own distinct layer across the project
Remember that the digital ultimately exists to support project delivery
The project - The digital, the people and the real-world delivery
In the wild
Some scenarios where “digital delivery” can be inserted to help get on the same page quickly:
Client > Architect
Question: What will be the method of digital delivery? Can the contractor build from the 3D model?
Answer: We will provide CAD digital delivery, so the contractor will receive 2D drawings in DWG and PDF.
Decision: I guess that’s fine; it’s just the kitchen.
Staff > BIM Manager
Question: What is a BEP?
Answer: A BIM execution plan outlines a BIM project’s digital delivery, including roles, workflows, and deliverables.
Decision: BIM hasn’t been commissioned for this project, I will use our internal digital delivery plan.
Workflow Manager > Themself
Question: If I update the door schedule workflow, how will this affect digital delivery?
Answer: Staff will need to do an extra step before issuing.
Decision: They are still getting their head around the new tools. Too risky right now.
Contractor > Architect
Question: Was BIM used for the project’s digital delivery? Can you provide model-based quantities?
Answer: Our office doesn’t provide BIM digital delivery, but our DWG drawings are suitable for manual take-off.
Decision: I’ll do it myself I guess.
Project Manager > Architect
Question: You’ve mentioned you were going to do AI-generated floor plans, how is this going to speed up digital delivery?
Answer: It won’t speed up digital delivery, but it will give us a greater variety of floor plans to select from.
Decision: The client is happy with this one, we don’t need more options.
In short
Digital delivery is a good anchor term and reset button. It provides a simple frame for BIM and AI, and can be chopped up into tools, processes, and deliverables when you need to dig into specifics. So, the next time someone bombards you with BIM or AI acronyms, cut through the buzzwords by bringing it back to digital delivery.
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