Design Management Process Reaches Next Level in Cloud

DESIGN MANAGERS are being enabled to better collaborate with their design partners and manufacturer supply chain using a Cloud system. The system speeds up the design process and reduces defects in construction according to NBS who developed the functionality on its Chorus platform.

Design Management

Construction and development group, Bowmer + Kirkland has been announced as the first contractor partner using NBS Chorus to work efficiently with design partners and better manage the design and construction phases of projects.

The system also helps contractors work with their approved suppliers. Design managers can then take snapshots of specifications at key work stages to create an archive of ‘big data’ from previous projects.

Specification Writers

Since the launch of the Chorus cloud platform in 2019, all of NBS’ specification writing customers have successfully transitioned from the desktop to the cloud and is now used by over 3,600 design practices.

The NBS partnership with Bowmer + Kirkland has been led by Framework Delivery Director, James Vaux-Anderson, who noticed that since 2019, use of the NBS Chorus platform has increased amongst its design partner architects and engineers.

James said: “Now that NBS is in the cloud it means that collaboration across the project team is a reality. We’ve seen continuous improvement from Chorus in terms of functionality around masters, collaboration, manufacturer content, licence options and publishing. Discussing required additional functionality with NBS to make it really work for our design managers has now given us the confidence to recommend that this is our process for future projects.

“This approach has benefits on an individual project level, but also aligns with our greater vision, to build a rich set of searchable ‘big-data’ across all of our projects.”

Collaborative Workflows

Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director at NBS

Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director at NBS, said: “When Chorus was initially launched, we focused on the needs of the specification writer. We then became aware of other benefits that came with working in the cloud as architects and engineers invited manufacturers to collaborate on developing complex system specifications.

“We’ve worked hard on improving these collaboration workflows around licencing, audit history and permissions. The next natural step for NBS is to widen the usage of Chorus to the design managers that oversee this process on large contractor-led projects.

“Working alongside Bowmer + Kirkland will allow us to hone our platform to the needs of contractors, improving collaboration on future projects and supply chains but also developing a standardised approach to specification development.”

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