How do you think design coordination was done before we started using digital models?
I think design coordination was likely much slower and done in much larger iterations before digital models. I think it was likely a series of interactions where the architect would make plans, send to the engineer, receive updated plans, change the plans, send back, and so forth.
What strategies can design teams use to find and avoid clashes prior to the start of construction?
Working through everything digitally including schedules, structure, electrical and more prior to building will help prevent issues. Taking advantage of the all encompassing nature of BIM, teams can attempt to cover every base before they break any ground.
At what point in the project development process should design coordination start?
It should start as early as possible. As soon as the architects have an idea of what they want to build, like what mass, and out of what material, the other teams should be able to start considering what they can do to compliment that.