The intention of a contract, especially when geared toward BIM users, is not to point fingers if something goes wrong but rather to clearly define tasks, responsibilities, and rights at the onset of a project (Figure 2.3). Unless contract language is defined before creating, using, or transferring BIM technologies into a project, no team member can be held responsible for delivering on their intended goals. And unless the terminology and plan have been established, it is difficult to uphold any standard means of working together in BIM. In a typical BIM contract, there are three groups of professionals: the owner, the design team (architects and engineers), and the contractor. These groups are professionals who share similar but different rights and privileges when completing a BIM-led construction project.

Figure 2.3: BIM contract negotiation begins at the onset of the project.

Contracts on a BIM project determine a contractor's ability to influence and collect and share data throughout the project's life cycle. Thus, it is critical to define these responsibilities early on. BIM contracts in general are in their infancy in the construction industry, and BIM project planning is new ground as well. Current BIM contracts require that the parties entering the agreement have a thorough understanding of BIM processes, model sharing, and ownership privileges. Although this is fine for an experienced BIM team, it can be difficult for a team new to BIM to spell out at the beginning of a project what challenges they are anticipating. If you are...