Integrated project delivery (IPD) and design-build are both contractual agreements that define responsibility for delivering a project and managing risks. In design-build, the owner executes a single contract with a single design-build entity. The design-builder assumes responsibility for meeting the contract requirements, including spotting inconsistencies between prescriptive requirements and performance standards and reporting those to the owner and other stakeholders.

In IPD the owner, architect, and general contractor all come together in a single agreement that shares responsibility across all stakeholders. By defining the contract before the project begins, all contractors, subcontractors, and trades are in communication with the owner from the outset. Many integrated project delivery contracts include incentives for design and construction teams to foster collaboration, align on goals, and encourage lean construction management.

Digital project delivery can flexibly support integrated project delivery, design-build, and other project delivery methods. 

Traditional project delivery usually keeps disciplines and tasks in separate lanes and data silos. Architects work in their applications; engineers work in theirs. Information flows in a series of waterfalls to the builders and tradespeople who turn plans in to reality. Errors missed in planning show up on site and bring work to a halt, causing a cascade of change orders and redesigns. Reviews, approvals, and document management also live in their own separate silos.

Compared to traditional project deliver, integrated project delivery is far more collaborative and efficient. The method provides a common definition of project success for all stakeholders, creates a shared outlook on risks and rewards, and enables project teams to work in parallel vs sequentially.

Our primary digital project delivery tool is Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro, which runs in the Autodesk Construction Cloud. Together, they connect the full range of Autodesk architecture, engineering, modeling, and construction applications into an integrated, interactive environment.

Here are some, but not all, of the Autodesk tools that can be used for digital project delivery:

• Autodesk Construction Cloud - Cloud-based construction management and data exchange
  
  • Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro - Cloud-based collaboration for architecture, engineering, and construction
  • Build — Construction project and field management
  • Takeoff — 2D and 3D quantification
  • Tandem — Digital twin technology platform
• Autodesk Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection - Includes core authoring applications, like AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Revit plus cloud-based integration Autodesk Docs for document management.

There are many ways to manage AEC projects. From spreadsheets, email, and shared drives to cloud-based services, like Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro that integrates data from AEC applications, document-management systems, and schedules into a single cloud environment. For help measuring the pros and cons, read Which AEC collaboration solution is right for you?

Autodesk Construction Cloud is a comprehensive digital project delivery platform that brings together multiple design and construction modules into an integrated solution. It provides a centralized source of truth for all project data and streamlines workflows, enabling collaboration across the entire project lifecycle. The platform includes solutions for project management, design management, construction scheduling, field management, cost management, and more.

Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro is a cloud-based offering that specifically focuses on collaboration and coordination for building information modeling (BIM) workflows. BIM Collaborate Pro is a bundle of modules accessible in the Autodesk Construction Cloud. These modules include Docs, Design Collaboration and Model Coordination.  BIM Collaborate Pro enables project stakeholders the ability to share project information in real-time in a centralized source of truth, reducing errors and rework and ensuring that everyone is working from the latest data. BIM Collaborate Pro, a digital project delivery solution, helps improve collaboration, ensuring the timely delivery of projects.

In summary, Autodesk Construction Cloud provides a comprehensive solution for design and construction across the project lifecycle, while BIM Collaborate Pro focuses specifically on BIM collaboration and coordination.