A Cognitive Review for Improving the Collaboration between BIM and Lean Experts

Abstract

Collaboration between Lean Construction and BIM teams is a key factor in exploiting the synergies between Lean and BIM. Although various studies have underlined the importance of team cognition and Team Mental Models (TMM) in the success or failure of collaboration amongst teams, those concepts have not been sufficiently explored from a Lean/BIM perspective. Therefore, this study attempts to introduce the concept of TMM to the Lean-BIM domain by conducting a cognitive review of the Lean-BIM joint implementation at an engineering design firm in the UK with the principal aim of developing a set of suggestions to improve the collaboration between BIM and Lean experts. To collect data, this study used a mixed research approach including secondary research, a case study and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was conducted through Thematic Analysis to find the main barriers hindering an effective Lean-BIM joint implementation. Findings also suggest that improving the components of TMM can result in an improved Lean-BIM joint implementation. A set of recommendations for Lean and BIM teams’ collaboration is also given in the paper.