2026 Design-Build Workflow Study
We’re conducting a short study to better understand how design-build teams are handling workflow fragmentation, owner communication, and alignment between project phases. Share your experience in a 20–25 minute interview and receive a $50 Amazon gift card.
TRUSTED BY
Design-build is growing faster than the tools that support it.
At DBIA this year, one theme came up again and again: project information is scattered across too many systems, and teams are struggling to keep owners, estimators, VDC, project management, and field operations on the same page.
This study aims to capture how these challenges show up on real projects, in the day-to-day workflows of the people who live inside design-build delivery.
Participation is open to 2024 DBIA conference attendees and newly DBIA-certified professionals, as well as precon, VDC, PM, PE, and owner-side practitioners across the industry.
The same four issues keep coming up in conversations:
Too many disconnected systems causing duplicate entry & misalignment
Procore, BIM tools, spreadsheets, shared drives, email, estimating systems — none of them talk to each other, forcing teams to re-enter the same information multiple times.
Owner visibility gaps leading to time-consuming manual reporting
PMs and project executives spend hours assembling summaries because the real story of the project lives across several platforms.
RFIs, submittals, and coordination slipping between tools
When attachments, discussion threads, and assignments are split across systems, handoffs get messy and things get missed.
Data not flowing between Precon, VDC, and Ops leading to decisions made on outdated info
Estimating quantities, model updates, production rates, and schedule logic often drift out of sync, slowing down decision-making during design and early construction.
Let's get a clear picture of where design-build workflows need to evolve next.
We're looking for professionals involved in any part of the design-build lifecycle:
Preconstruction & estimating
VDC & BIM coordination
Project managers
Project engineers
Design managers
Owner’s representatives
DBIA-certified professionals
Anyone working in PDB or CMAR
Every participant will receive:
A $50 Amazon gift card as a thank-you
Early access to the study’s findings
Aggregated insights from peers across the industry
A chance to influence future conversations around design-build workflows
About Sunrise Systems
Sunrise Systems builds tools and technology that support modern construction workflows. We work closely with general contractors, VDC groups, preconstruction teams, and design-build organizations to better understand the technological and operational challenges they face. This study is part of our ongoing effort to contribute meaningful insight back to the design-build community.
3 of 10 slots remaining
Participate in the 2026 Design-Build Workflow Study
20–25 minutes · $50 Amazon gift card Your experience can help advance the industry’s understanding of how design-build teams actually coordinate in practice.