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What do you hear, most frequently along with the term BIM? I mostly hear that BIM design generates savings, eliminates collisions and improves the design process. At the same time, what are the challenges for designers working with BIM technology? I hear from them that projects are getting bigger and bigger, more and more complicated, […]
Source: Data Driven Design Explained In One Guide – Bim Corner
Pros and cons of Data Driven Design
The pros of the data-based design process represent a reaction to the cons of model-driven design:
- Files size – thanks to the fact that we do not need to keep all attributes in objects, files are much smaller.
- Information management – database workflow opportunities are the same as with Excel. Filtering, searching, sorting rows and columns is simple and fast.
- A single source of truth – all information starts with an entry in the database which determines the truth. And thanks to the background synchronization with modeling programs, we may easily transfer the data between those two sources.
- Validation – having all the investor’s requirements, designed data and connected model in one place, we can efficiently perform requirement vs. design control.
- Redesign – due to the possibility to perform control at an early stage of design in the database itself, or only in attributes, introducing modifications take less time. Of course, the relationship between cost of modifications and progress of the project does not alter – the later the modification is made, the more expensive and more difficult it is to implement.
- We can check the progress of the whole project through an easy insight into the progress of the data.
Unfortunately, Data Driven Design does not solve all the obstacles faced by participants of large projects:
- The design process differs from that known by designers and investors. Without being open to changes and the will to learn a new workflow and mindset, the data-based design will only be another tool and burden for all parties.
- The need to rewrite the investor’s requirements from descriptive documents to metadata – currently, documents and Excel tables continue to prevail among investors. Introducing and structuring the information requires time and is subject to the risk of error.
- Starting with the design process for the first time, we must be prepared to adapt standard databases to our requirements and create a strategy as well as modify the information flow if necessary.
- Additional costs for the project – it is not a solution available from the Revit or another tool. If we prefer a dedicated solution, there is the cost of a license or purchase of the appropriate plug-in. To lower the entry barrier, you can stay with Excel and have (or create yourself) a script for Dynamo or Grasshopper.
Summary
In the first post starting Data Driven Design series, we introduced two different approaches to design. You have already discovered the pros and cons. Hence, if you are interested in Data Driven Design methodology, I invite you to the next posts, where I will discuss in detail the following issues: how should the database and the information management strategy on the project look like. I will also introduce specific project cases for various participants of the investment project.
Thanks to Konrad Fugas
lpcetraprojects 