Our approach to using BIM in AEC is shifting from traditional to outcome-based workflows.
Our Goals for the Design Process are Growing
What we expect to accomplish during the design process is changing and growing. In the past, architectural design was often focused on a relatively limited set of requirements—mainly form, function, and basic technical constraints
- In the early 2000s, we began to integrate more performance-based thinking—things like energy use, structural systems, and regulatory requirements. And over the last decade, this has expanded even further.
- Today, design needs to respond to sustainability goals, climate resilience, urban density, social equity, and user well-being—all at the same time.
Moving to an Approach that Focuses on Design Outcomes
In traditional workflows, because of time constraints, designers typically explore only one or two options. Performance evaluation—like energy, daylight, or comfort—often happens later, sometimes by specialists, and often after key decisions have already been made.
In an outcome-based approach, the focus shifts to achieving the best possible outcome.
- We can explore many more design options because automation reduces the time needed to generate them.
- Analysis becomes part of the design process—not something that happens at the end. Designers get immediate feedback as they work.
- Workflows become more connected. Instead of working in isolated tools, we work within a shared, cloud-based environment.
Our Early Design Workfow: Propose > Analyze > Compare > Iterate
Early Feedback Empowers Designers to Make Better-Informed Design Decisions Before Committing to Details.
Our New Approach: Forma Site Design > Forma Building Design > Revit
Forma Site Design supports this early-design workflow for informed design decisions and lets us transfer the best design options into detailed building modeling tools, such as Revit.
