Integral work equals drawing borders
19 maart 2015
The removal of internal borders between disciplines improves interaction and limits the risk of errors in information transfer. This approach also benefits the client, as the coordination and guarding of these internal borders are no longer his responsibility.
One integral project cannot be compared with another. It all depends on where you remove the internal borders between disciplines. If you divide a project into several building blocks, each being a separate discipline, two of these merged blocks can already be considered an integral project. The challenge is to draw the outer borders in such a way that an optimal total product emerges: 1+1=3. In order to draw these outer borders, you must be prepared to look beyond the borders of your own discipline: think “out of the box”.
A good example of integral working is the way in which ABT designs foundations for wind turbines. I started my career as a structural designer. At a certain point, I became involved in wind energy projects and recognised new possibilities by looking at the combination of geo technics and structural designing. By also learning about the geotechnical possibilities, I was able to study new potential for optimisation.
Result: 30% savings
The next step in the integral design of wind turbine foundations consisted of a merger of several design models. And the subsequent step is already within reach. The 3D drawing model will be used as input for the calculation programmes and as a basis for the digital on-site quality inspections. By using the 3D model directly for reinforcement production, that internal border too will disappear.
Result: reduced risk of error.
“Will there be limitations to integral working?”, you may ask. Of course. The more disciplines that are integrated, the more difficult it becomes to work effectively. At a certain number of integrated disciplines, unintended internal borders may appear. It will therefore always be a balancing act.
Integral working results in higher quality and innovative solutions. But you do need to know where the outer borders must be drawn.
