The acronym VDC was first formulated and introduced as a concept by CIFE – the Center for Integrated Facility Engineering at Stanford University, California – in 2001, while BIM was still in its early stages. The main initiator of the methodology was Professor Martin Fischer, director of CIFE. VDC has been used for 15 years in many countries around the world, and year after year, the method has been tested and improved with each new project. The implementation process began mainly in the United States and Scandinavia, later expanding to Switzerland, Singapore, and Peru. Swedish companies were among the first to recognize its potential.
They began by sending their employees to Stanford University in the USA to learn how to implement the methods within their companies. Around that time, the leading construction companies in Norway hired certified experts for their teams, who gradually introduced VDC elements into their daily work.
After several years, the results of using this method became evident. Most notably, design and multidisciplinary coordination risks were significantly reduced. The new way of organizing interdisciplinary meetings shortened the duration and time involved in the decision-making process.
In addition, issues were resolved quickly by anticipating what could be built, the quality of work increased considerably, and miscommunication between teams was greatly reduced.
I used to frequently misinterpret the abbreviation VDC, just like most people, by focusing on the literal translation of VDC. Some people interpret it as another level of BIM, while others think it refers to 4D and 5D BIM — a 3D model with additional information, quantities, and costs. There’s some truth to that, but only to a certain extent.
Let’s start by breaking down the acronym word by word:
Virtual – With this word, the creators helped bring some freshness to the industry. The method was innovative for its time and different from the traditional approach; hence, the word “virtual” was meant to imply something new and modern. This can be interpreted as the creation of a digital twin of the project. In this way, planning and construction mean building before laying a single stone on site.
Design and Construction – These are, in fact, the two phases where we can create the most value in the project. The name might suggest that the methodology is intended only for designers and contractors, but VDC focuses on the entire project lifecycle.
Therefore, while it may be a literal interpretation of the acronym, let’s continue: creating a digital twin in the design and construction process. The method can be considered a support tool for better use of digital model creation. Nevertheless, that interpretation alone doesn’t tell us much. So, we need to dig deeper.
When it comes to understanding VDC, the Wikipedia definition (formulated by Professor Martin Fischer and John Kunz in 2004) may seem quite complex and difficult to grasp.
Let’s try to explain it as simply as possible:
First: VDC is primarily about people — people working together on multidisciplinary projects and across different teams. Today, technology allows us to organize virtual meetings that help teams work in an integrated and simultaneous way.
Second: Teams need new technologies to create digital twins — the product that will eventually be delivered to the client.
Third: Even the best workers and the latest methods won’t achieve the desired results if the work is not done with the right strategy and process.
More than that:
The foundation of VDC is gathering information throughout the project — monitoring progress and making corrections when necessary. This defined structure can help establish the project’s goals. These goals should be aligned with the client’s objectives.
“VDC is the combination of new technologies (BIM) with an appropriate management framework (PPM), supporting people working on a project in an integrated and simultaneous way (ICE). The framework is focused on achieving the project’s objectives, which should help the client reach their own goals while collecting information and monitoring the workflow.”
The following diagram shows the structure of the VDC method. It is divided into three categories that correspond to the questions: How? What? and Why? Let’s begin from the bottom up.
What is the biggest secret of a good football team?
There could be a variety of answers. Many would probably say: the number of talented players and the right strategies for the team, or the skills and experience of the coach. All of these are true. However, the biggest secret — and at the same time the most obvious one — is making sure that all players know their opponent and the team’s goal. Otherwise, no team will be successful.
Bringing this analogy into the construction industry, the success of a good project lies in ensuring that everything revolves around the same project and that everyone pursues the same goals.
Here, VDC can be considered a goal management tool, because even before the project begins, the client can define important elements. It helps ensure that the main objective of the project is clearly defined.
EXAMPLE:
Project: Olympic Stadium
Client’s Goal: The building must be completed on time
Delivery Date: At the start of the Olympic Games, during the opening ceremony.
The official date has been announced, staff preparation has begun, broadcasting rights have been sold, and sponsors have been confirmed. In one word: delivering the project after the deadline is not an option. This is how we must approach the client’s primary objective. The next step is to look for the project’s internal goals.
In reality, delivering the project on the same day as the opening ceremony is almost as ridiculous as delivering it a day late.
These goals must be established in a way that allows the team to lead the execution of the client’s predefined objectives. Initially, the team should carry out an analysis of potential risks that could affect the construction’s delivery dates. Of course, there are many design-related goals the team could focus on, but the most important ones must be directly related to the client’s objectives.
Let’s take the stadium example as a reference: the biggest challenge might be the design and construction of the steel roof structure.
Project objective: 100% of the steel roof deliverables submitted on time.
VDC includes three elements — ICE as the main one, supported by BIM. We will explain each acronym in detail:
ICE – Integrated Concurrent Engineering – This is the method for conducting interdisciplinary meetings using modern visual technologies, where design work is directed simultaneously. This makes it possible to introduce and approve changes over the course of days during working sessions. In the mid-1990s, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory “Team X” was the first to develop this method and use it to organize space missions in a more efficient and coordinated way.
PPM – Product Production Management – This is a method for establishing the production process. A process defines the workflow and the required resources. PPM uses tools such as the Last Planner System or visual planning methodology to guide the process — this is the foundation of LEAN Construction.
BIM – Building Information Modeling – BIM plays an important role in VDC. Above all, it supports decision-making in the creation of the process. Design challenges can be easily presented to the project team or the client. In addition, it is used for construction planning by adding scheduling information, for example, 4D.
BIM, ICE, and PPM are the foundations of the VDC methodology and must be used together.
METRICS
Metrics are key to VDC. Tracking achievements that should be completed daily or weekly is essential to achieving good results at the end of the evaluation. The individual objectives of each of the three elements can be monitored throughout the project, allowing for corrections and guiding the team toward better processes.
Here we outline two types of data to collect:
A) Production Objectives – Objectives can be easily reviewed. They help us control whether the project is heading in the right direction. The person responsible for implementing VDC in a company can define their own types of metrics.
For example: Weekly reviews of the number of conflicts resolved between disciplines in an ICE session, or the number of monthly model versions, etc.
B) Controllable Factors – These are the factors we can influence and decide on. Unlike production objectives, we can plan for them and decide whether to implement or stop them. They should be directly linked to the production objectives of each element (PPM, ICE, and BIM).
For example: The number of days between scheduled meetings. If the meeting agenda is sent in advance, the different disciplines will have enough time to prepare, allowing for more conflicts to be resolved in a single session.
WHO IS VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR?
VDC is for everyone, as it is based on interpersonal interactions. It requires a high level of commitment, consistency, and responsibility from all participants in the construction process — from investors and designers to contractors. This framework enables continuous improvement of work methods.
CONCLUSION
VDC is a new way of thinking — a method with an innovative approach to managing a project, handling information, and organizing people and their work methods. It helps achieve the project’s objectives because all the work is aligned with those goals. VDC is about how different disciplines collaborate, how they communicate, plan, and make decisions.
Article adapted and translated from:
https://bimcorner.com/what-is-virtual-design-and-construction/