A socio-technical intervention in BIM projects – an experimental study in global virtual teams

‘Global Projects’ and Virtual Teams’ are revolutionizing the construction industry. An increasing number of multi-national engineering firms adopting this business model due to possible advantages cost time optimization. However, literature identifies several challenges that project teams endure in temporarily organizing while transitioning through space, some which include cross-cultural differences limited richness communication media. Perceiving virtual execution as a multi-variable construct, organizational theorists sociologists adopt socio-technical approach understand dynamics action embedded process recommend implementation pre-process, during or post intervention strategies enable performance. In paper, we address research concern an experimental study conducted across two global universities, National Institute Construction Management Research, Pune, India Washington State University, USA. Around 24 students from each university ten collaborated virtually for period 2.5 weeks develop 3-dimensional Revit 4-dimensional BIM Autodesk Navisworks, respectively, multi-storey residential building. The aimed investigate role coordinating projects tasks taking approach, explored Execution Plan pre-process strategy. Data collected qualitative survey experiment was qualitatively analyzed using ethnographic coding techniques. Findings showed team primarily stemmed coordination issues institutional differences. Members significantly mitigated proactive priori planning. allowed members instantly get involved with plan apart being able foresee complexity. Teams emphasized importance implementing detailed planning phase collaborative successful outcome further observed strategy such needed impetus collaborate coordinate tasks.