Briefing & challenge

Convert an existing BIM component library—originally designed for single-user data access—into a collaborative platform where architects, planners, and engineers can jointly manage and exchange building data. The goal was to demonstrate a use case where general contractors could benefit from using central managed BIM data.

The Solution

A BIM project management platform that enables seamless data sharing across project phases, ensuring each participant receives the right information at the right time. The platform also streamlines manufacturer consultancy, allowing suppliers to efficiently advise planners on component selection and purchase.

Project details

Client

BIMSystems

Duration

12 months

UX role

Product designer

Design process

Analysis

  • Discovery workshop with general contractor and planers
  • 18 Interviews with planners & managers
  • Research on general construction processes in Germany
  • Analysis of google search terms for library components

Ideation

  • Key personas & their needs
  • Consultance process mapping & pain points
  • Project process mapping & pain points

Design

  • Manufacturer consultance concept
  • Central data & project collaboraboration concept
  • Category navigation and search for BIM component library
  • Detailed design of main UI components
  • Coordination of design system creation with an external agency
  • Show case user journey with high fidelity screens

Validation

  • Usability tests with 15 relevant users
  • User reviews in fair


1. Consultancy process

My first task in this project was to design a workflow that enables planners to contact manufacturer consultants directly within Waya and exchange detailed product information and configuration options — ensuring that the selected components can be correctly specified and purchased.

To validate this, I created detailed wireframes for a test scenario, and we conducted usability tests with several planners and consultants to evaluate the different steps of the process.

Architect to manufacturer consultant process.


2. Discovery for new product direction

To explore new market opportunities for the product, I was tasked with designing and facilitating a workshop together with a key partner — a general contractor.

The central challenge was:

“How can we help general contractors make construction processes in complex projects with many stakeholders more predictable and efficient?”

The workshop brought together participants from our product team, subcontractor planners, and general contractor managers to exchange perspectives and identify collaboration opportunities.


3. Understanding the context of construction projects

After our initial ideation we interviewed several planers and managers to understand their concrete needs and perspectives within the construction project process.

We summarized our findings as key personas with specific needs for a project collaboration process.

Key personas within the general contractor project process.


4. Project management concept

We discovered that one of the main obstacles to achieving efficient and predictable construction projects was the fragmented process of managing notifications, handovers, and project changes.

Waya Projects enables planners to synchronize different CAD systems, manage approvals and handovers of model changes, and improve collaboration and transparency across project decisions.

Data exchange between CAD systems was defined as the core feature to support better collaboration among planners. Additional proofs of concept were later developed for other clients who showed strong interest in this use case.

Improved collaboration in building process.


5. Category navigation and search for BIM component library

Parallel to the project management process, I also worked together with marketing, analyzing common search term combinations in google analytics and restructuring the library component navigation based on those.

Product subcategories and key search criteria per category were used to improve search and navigation.

Main entry screen for component library.

Learnings

On this project, I learned the importance of differentiating between a showcase prototype and a minimal viable product.

By conducting contextual interviews with the client’s team, I also learned how to refine product focus, extract insights about roles and processes in the construction field, and support the business in defining a clear value proposition from the user perspective.

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