Top 3 ways 3D visualization connects data and stakeholders to boost collaboration

Executive summary

If you are conducting design reviews, assembling products, or overseeing construction projects, you share a common objective with companies across many industries: enhancing collaboration and decision-making by effectively connecting stakeholders and data.

While most companies already have collaborative applications in place to achieve this goal, conventional tools hinder data insight and the quality of stakeholder engagement due to their lack of immersive, interactive visualization and real-time data integration capabilities.

In this e-book, we cover the importance of effective visualization within collaborative applications and demonstrate how 3D visualization can strengthen your stakeholder connections and enhance data transparency. We cover the topic in three sections:

• Understanding common challenges from various organizational perspectives, highlighting the shortcomings of traditional visualization methods, and showcasing the transformative outcomes achievable with 3D visualization.
• Three ways how 3D visualization helps companies create applications that elevate collaboration and decision-making, supported by case studies from companies like Honda and Vancouver Airport Authority.
• How Unity tools can help you get started on unifying stakeholders and data in one collaborative, immersive platform.

Keep reading to discover why collaborative applications, powered by 3D visualization, surpass traditional methods, and uncover the top three ways you can leverage this technology to connect your stakeholders with even your most intricate data.

The shortcomings of traditional methods

With 61% of organizations facing challenges in visualization for interdepartmental collaboration and 42% of employees pointing out inefficiencies in data transfer among stakeholders, it's clear that using collaborative applications relying on outdated visualization methods falls short of effectively bridging the gap between data and stakeholders.

This shortfall results in several costly impacts, including:

• Significant time loss: The inability to swiftly share and update information leads to delays and extended project timelines.
• Workflow inefficiencies and reactive responses: The absence of clear visibility into data and processes for nontechnical stakeholders creates inefficiencies and forces reactive rather than proactive decision-making.

Perspective insights

The consensus across the board – from senior management to hands-on teams of developers and artists – is a pressing need for advanced visualization solutions.

From the executive suite

Leaders hunt for visualization advances that can:

• Boost ROI by streamlining the discovery, reuse, and visualization of assets across various initiatives
• Shorten the gap between issue detection and resolution, fostering prompt decision-making and pre-emptive actions
• Accelerate market entry and revenue through innovative engagement strategies

From the artist’s studio and developer’s desk

In-house creatives and tech gurus seek advancements that solve their tech challenges like:

• Ensuring code written for one platform extends seamlessly to others
• Overcoming performance bottlenecks when handling detailed CAD/BIM models across various devices
• Avoiding long load times and poor visualization of large 3D models

The evolution of visualization techniques

From traditional methods to today’s cutting-edge technologies, the journey of visualization techniques has been transformative, paving the way for a future where dynamic, interactive, and immersive methods redefine engagement and collaboration. Let’s dive into this evolution:

Physical modeling: Once the gold standard, physical models – including 3D-printed prototypes and clay sculptures – have long sustained the visualization requirements of companies. While this method offers tangible hands-on interaction, its limitations are significant. They:

• Fall short in visual fidelity
• Lack interactivity, which limits engagement potential
• Are costly and labor-intensive to produce
• Require stakeholders to be in the same physical location to collaborate and review

2D visualization: Serving as an economical substitute for physical modeling, 2D visualization relies on static images like digital drawings and computer-generated imagery (CGI). However, this method also faces significant shortcomings:

• Difficulty in accurately representing scale and spatial connections
• Long rendering times, delaying project progression
• Inflexibility in visualizing various configurations and variants

3D visualization: This enables the rendering of interactive 3D models, environments, and virtual worlds in the blink of an eye. With 3D visualization, companies are not only able to visualize complex data sources like CAD and BIM in a more intuitive, engaging manner, but they also unlock the ability to connect stakeholders in an interactive environment, resulting in:

• Cost savings: Say goodbye to expensive physical prototypes and hello to catching design and engineering flaws earlier in the process, saving both time and money.
• Better data management: Break down data silos and reduce redundancy to create more meaningful use cases with data, and make more effective, timely decisions.
• Faster time to market: Enable seamless collaboration and communication between teams, accelerating the journey from concept to market-ready product.

3 ways 3D visualization boosts collaboration and decision-making

1. Streamlining the design review process

Design reviews are pivotal in the lifecycle of any project. Traditionally, without a collaborative, interactive environment, making decisions can be strenuous and slow. 3D visualization revolutionizes this process, enabling seamless collaboration between technical and nontechnical stakeholders. By engaging in interactive, real-time design reviews, teams gain profound insights into design concepts, which expedites decision-making.

Key benefits

✔ Early identification of errors

✔ Accelerated decision-making

Case study: Honda Design Center

Artists at Honda Design Center faced challenges in effectively visualizing and reviewing designs with management. Implementing a custom collaborative design review tool, built with the Unity Engine, allowed all stakeholders to explore and evaluate design concepts with unmatched prevision, high fidelity, and speed.

2. Detecting mistakes early to prevent costly rework

Rework, a significant issue in industries like manufacturing and construction, can cost up to 20% of a project’s total budget. Often attributable to poor communication and coordination, rework results in delays and productivity losses. With 3D visualization, real-time collaboration and alignment between virtual designs and physical environments are possible, ensuring projects stay true to their blueprints.

Key benefits

✔ Improved quality assurance and design verification

✔ Streamlined communication throughout the project lifecycle

Case study: SHoP Architects and JDS Development Group

SHoP Architects is among the first in the industry to embrace immersive 3D visualization with one of its signature projects: The Brooklyn Tower. By pulling a model of the tower into their immersive collaboration app, technicians on the ground can overlay SHoP’s designs in augmented reality on top of the ongoing construction project, while building owners review this data for more efficient and economical management.

3. Making big data accessible

Data that lacks centralization across roles, operations, organizations and project lifecycle stages often results in confusion and costly delays, causing difficulties for companies that need to make timely data-driven decisions and collaborate effectively with project stakeholders.

3D visualization methods transform how companies manage and interact with data, offering a dynamic and engaging way to oversee asset performance, optimize resource allocation, and predict project and maintenance schedules.

Key benefits

✔ Remote, real-time asset management across platforms

✔ Facilitated predictive maintenance

Case study: Vancouver International Airport

Vancouver International Airport’s digital twin application leverages historical and real-time data and presents key information through 3D visualization, enabling key stakeholders better understanding of complex operational systems, streamlined processes, and accelerated collaboration across the airport’s key stakeholders.

3D visualization in action: Remote operations demo

See what’s possible with 3D visualization and learn how connecting multiple data sources in real-time can help you operate and maintain a site remotely.

Check out this demo to:

• Explore objects onsite
• Review maintenance alerts and suggested actions
• Access historical site data, charts, and documentation

Try it out

(* A study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Unity)

Get started with proven 3D visualization methods

Conventional visualization techniques often fall short in providing context and engagement. Collaborative applications powered by Unity utilize 3D visualization to redefine the approach to decision-making and revolutionize stakeholder engagement.

Experience the power of 3D visualization and transform the way you work today. Learn more about Unity Industry.