Breaking Down Silos and Unlocking Powerful Project Data

April 17, 2025
By Andy Kaiyala, Vice President, Digital Construction Management, WSB

In today’s fast-paced civil construction industry, the ability to make informed decisions quickly is paramount. Model-centric design and construction management is revolutionizing how complex projects are planned, designed, and delivered by bringing powerful, real-time data to the forefront for enhanced decision making. These model-based workflows go far beyond visualization. They create a shared source of truth that fuels both collaboration and data intelligence.

Digital Models are the New Meeting Room

One of the most impactful benefits of model-centric workflows is their ability to break down silos across project teams. Traditional design and construction management processes often suffer from fragmented communication and isolated data, leading to inefficiencies, rework, and missed opportunities. By adopting a model-centric approach, engineers, contractors, and owners can access a single source of truth, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. This streamlined collaboration reduces friction, closes communication gaps, and improves overall project efficiency.

From Models to Meaning

Model-centric design turns static visuals into dynamic, data-rich environments. Everything from utility crossings and drainage systems to street signs, sidewalks, and signals is modeled in one centralized, collaborative space. Real-time updates to design work in progress, schedule, cost, materials, and asset information ensure the data is always current and actionable. This level of integration allows project teams to anticipate and resolve issues early, improving decision-making and project outcomes. In addition, the ability to visualize potential conflicts in the design phase minimizes costly surprises during construction.

Enhanced Decision Making

The collaborative nature of model-centric workflows means every stakeholder can contribute to and benefit from a continuously enriched dataset. With access to accurate, up-to-date information, project managers and decision makers can respond to challenges with confidence. The result: projects that are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. This proactive, data-driven approach not only enhances outcomes, but also builds stronger client relationships.

From Reactive to Predictive

Model-centric design and construction management is not just a trend; it is the future of the construction industry. By leveraging the power of integrated models and construction intelligence, teams move from reacting to problems to preventing them altogether. This evolution sets a benchmark for efficiency, risk management, and successful project delivery. As model-centric approaches continue to develop, partnering with teams who understand how to translate data into decisions is a valuable step forward for long-term project success.

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WSB is a design and consulting firm specializing in engineering, community planning, environmental, and construction services. Our dedicated staff improves the way people engage with communities, transportation, infrastructure, energy and our environment. We offer services in a wide range of complementary areas that seamlessly integrate planning, design and implementation.

We share a vision to connect your dreams for tomorrow to the needs of today – the future is ours for the making.

December 7, 2023
By Andy Kaiyala | VP of Construction Technologies and Controls, TX, WSB

In an ever-evolving construction industry, Digital Construction Management (DCM) is the future of our industry. Utilizing cloud-based connected data environments that visualize the physical world in an interactive digital space is the next step to advance civil construction project delivery. This undertaking will produce accurate 3D models that become the single source of truth for project delivery, with each stakeholder building upon the work of the previous.

Simply put, this is the future of civil infrastructure and WSB is at the forefront with our DCM service.

Defining Digital Construction Management
Digital Construction Management represents a paradigm shift. At its core, DCM is the fusion of advanced technology and traditional construction practices that allows all stakeholders to evaluate the same data and make smart decisions.

The shift from 2D to 3D workflows will not occur overnight, but we recognize the value of 3D modeling and its ability to provide a more comprehensive and intuitive view of a construction project. 3D models enable stakeholders to visualize the project in its entirety. Where are utility clashes? Where are the trouble spots that need to be addressed? How will shifting elements of a project play out in the real world?

DCM has far-reaching implications for every stage of a construction project, from design to execution.

Unparalleled Problem Solving
Every project comes with risk, but DCM helps create the opportunity to take risk from an abstract concept to a concrete reality so challenges can be solved efficiently. When the proposed design is analyzed in context of a full existing-conditions model, problems are identified early, risk is mitigated and projects are ultimately more efficient and cost-effective.

Putting the Design Model to Work
WSB is excited about DCM because it is the intersection between services and software, and what is next for our industry. WSB provides both cutting-edge software tools and the expertise to use them effectively. DCM enhances our clients’ capabilities, allowing them to integrate operational data within one platform from the very earliest stages of the project through construction close out.

WSB’s in-house DCM expertise spans construction modeling, visualization, design modeling, 4D scheduling, data analytics, project controls, IT development resources, constructability review and automated machine control. This holistic approach ensures that every facet of the project benefits from DCM.

Preparing for the 3D Future
WSB’s approach to Digital Construction Management is about meeting clients where they are today while preparing them for the future.

The future of construction is digital, and our DCM services are empowering clients to make informed decisions while fostering collaboration, utilizing data intelligently and mitigating risks.

The digital future is here, and WSB is leading the way.