If only….

…Someone was prepared to launch the ‘world’s only, exclusively designed for the AEC-contractor digital modelling package’!

It can’t really be that hard.

Rebranding an architectural/engineering modelling program (ArchiCAD, Microstation, Revit or other) into one focused for the contractor-end of the AEC.

Slap on a bit of a customized interface and include lots of site-based libraries and da-da…

Your market for selling the product has just tripled!

Not something one should frown on, in a tight economy.

Actually, most software vendors DO recognize the need to market to the construction segment, just aren’t able to do it well.

Where even the big 3 (or 5) of the AEC’s digital modelling tool-providers really struggle is the notion that nowadays contractors need to create (god ‘forbid model) project information from scratch!

As in, not just view, or re-purpose information provided by design consultants.

They look at it as a forgivable thought in Design@Build projects but for traditional contracts?

The idea that main-and-sub (construction) contractors could want full-blown modelling packages designed specifically for them is incompatible with the rosy-picture of ‘cradle to grave’ BIM models guided by design consultants.

So, while they dance around the consultants basing their strategies on the past, when architects and engineers were significant influencers in the AEC, they throw ‘over-chewed’ crumbs to their construction counterparts, the ones that often wield powers much higher than the consultants.

They sit on the fence, not wanting to offend their old time clients (consultants) by seriously marketing to the contractors.

This historical assumption, that engineers working from within contractors’ rooms will do just fine with second-hand toolsets packaged up for the design industry is costing the software vendors major opportunities.

Last year I wrote a post playing with the idea of the Construction Archie…

http://debunkthebim.blogspot.com/2011/10/archie-construction-bacsi.html