A Box of BIM

Today I had a special BIM experience.  No, not the BIM you'd normally think about.  Having picked the most wonderful architecture firm in Florida to work for, ACAI has hired 7 people since December.  So, today I had to order two more monitors for the newest hire.  Having been tasked with buying two 28" monitors, I set out to Amazon.com to take advantage of my wife's Prime Account with 2 Day free shipping.  I was disappointed that the monitors didn't qualify so I used the power of Google to find them elsewhere.  I didn't think $96 in shipping was worthwhile so I found them over at New Egg with free 3 Day shipping.  

So, what's the point of this little blog post?  Well, it was the email I got an hour after placing the order online. It was the UPS tracking number email.  Do you ever think about FedEx and UPS tracking?  Do you consider the infrastructure that's involved in the logistics of tracking millions of packages every day?  

This post is about Box Information Management.  The fact that I can instantly know exactly where the package is coupled with the automatic emails that I got really is amazing.  If the AEC industry could find a way to track all aspects of design, fabrication and construction, then we'd really have something great.  BIM is about the collaboration, sharing of information and the ability to work in sync with others  

Whether it's a box or a building, it's all the same.  New Egg provided an easy and efficient system for me to place and track an order.  The shipping company uses a phenomenal system to make it easy for me to automatically and efficiently know where my package is.  I made it easy for my VDC Director to not have to worry about getting the monitors in time.  BIM is about the people, the process and the productivity of all of us.  BIM is about problem solving and working with people and companies that make your life easier.  Would I have paid a little more money for that peace of mind?  Of course.  Did the power of the internet help me find the best price and shipping options? Of course.  

This is the whole point of BIM.  It's not about Revit or AutoCAD.  It's about what you do with the tools you have at your disposal.  Are you more efficient? Does your work or actions make it easier for other people to do their job?  So, today, I wasn't thinking outside of the box.  I was thinking about when I'd be getting that box.  

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Shipping Summary:

Sales Order Number:

122103428576

Item List:

Item Number:
UPS Tracking Number: 1ZX799390332326205257,1ZX799390326332d205266
(Shipped from Edison, NJ) Shipping Time: 2/23/2012 1:31:04 PM

Tracking number    1ZX799390326205257

Tracking number 1ZX799392d30326205257 Ship date Estimated delivery	Destination , , Service type UPS GROUND Weight 0.00 LBS
Status In Transit

Date/Time	Activity	Location	Details
02/23/2012 21:12:00	IN TRANSIT TO[I]	HIALEAH, FL, US
02/23/2012 21:11:00	DEPARTURE SCAN[I]	EDISON, NJ, US
02/23/2012 18:38:00	LOCATION SCAN[I]	EDISON, NJ, US
02/23/2012 16:32:00	ORIGIN SCAN[I]	EDISON, NJ, US

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