For a late afternoon dose of collaboration inspiration, head over to Olivier H. Beauchesne’s blog and marvel at the remarkable graphic created by linking scientific research collaboration across the globe. Below is a sneak peak at the outstanding image:

On the Autodesk HQ project, Hanson Bridget partner Howard W. Ashcraft, Jr. gave KlingStubbins, Tocci and Autodesk each 5 “IOU”s as an additional incentive to help each other out. The three principals-in-charge exchanged them throughout the project, and the winner (KlingStubbins!) was given a case of wine from a favorite winery near Howard. In typical IPD spirit, the team shared the wine at the closeout cocktail party.

We are always trying to incorporate more of the “spirit of IPD” into our day-to-day at Tocci, so we are currently testing a similar incentive. Each month, employees will exchange “Tocci Dollars” as they help each other out with various tasks. The person with the most “Tocci Dollars” at the end of the month gets an additional vacation day! In January, we tested it out in VDC: Each member of the VDC team got 5 “Tocci Dollars”. As the team exchanged them, they endorsed them, so the path of “Tocci Dollars” could be tracked. Other than that, there were no rules for exchange! At the end of the month, “Tocci Dollars” were totaled (excluding those that hadn’t been endorsed). Jeremy Garczynski won with 8 “Tocci Dollars”; although, George Hunt was right behind him with 6.

Before the team started up again in February, they discussed how it went and how it could be improved for February. They decided on the following:

• Each person will start with 10 “Tocci Dollars”
• People will be penalized ½ “Tocci Dollar” for every undistributed “Tocci Dollar”
• Cost Engineering and Marketing would participate as well.

After February, the team will evaluate, and ideally roll out to the entire company.

Source photos capturing what may be the next exciting piece of innovation to grace the halls of Tocci Building Companies’ headquarters…

On January 28th, one of Tocci’s VDC associates, Pierce Reynoldson, represented Tocci as a panelist at the 2nd annual Construction Visionaries Institute Forum in Cromwell, CT. The topics addressed largely prophesied  2011 as the year the design and construction industry will embrace BIM and VDC, marking the start of an era that will reverse the waste (both in time and money) that is replete in the construction industry today.

Continue on to the Hartford Business Journal to read more…

The Q5 team just got back from a whirlwind week of BIM in the UK: meeting with and presenting to contractors, owners, government agencies and designers. See the team’s activity below and read about it at the Q5 blog.