Building information modelling and the culture of construction project teams: a case study

The collaborative use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) across a temporary project organisation (TPO) may represent the future of construction project delivery through greater design coordination, reduced conflict, efficiency savings, and a valuable information stream for use throughout the operational life of a building. However the success of BIM in a TPO is dependent upon participant firms that share compatible technologies, business processes and cultures, led by people who hold attitudes and display behaviours conducive to collaboration. Their collective interaction thereafter defines the culture of the TPO, more often than not resulting in differentiation, or fragmentation: true integration is the exception. This paper presents preliminary findings from a case study of a TPO, identifying differentiated cultures within the project, and explains their causes. It suggests that careful selection of trading partners and focused attention to the establishment of a TPO may mitigate many of these negative outcomes.