This study aims to examine how the causes of ineffective building information modeling (BIM) execution plans (BEPs) influence the strategies required to improve BEP development.

A systematic literature review of 57 articles and semistructured interviews with 20 BIM professionals identified 30 causes of ineffective BEPs and 32 improvement strategies. A total of 122 BIM professionals evaluated the criticality of the causes and strategies through a questionnaire survey. The collected data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

EFA grouped the causes into two constructs, namely, BEP deficiencies and BEP development issues, and the strategies into four constructs: adaptability and continuous update, BEP management requirement, comprehensive and integrated BEP and BEP technical aspects and deliverables. The PLS-SEM results show that BEP development issues significantly influence all four strategy constructs, whereas BEP deficiencies significantly influence only adaptability and continuous update. These findings indicate that development-stage problems require broader strategic responses than deficiencies identified in completed BEPs.

This study extends existing BEP research by modeling the relationship between the causes of ineffective BEPs and strategies required to improve BEP development. The findings provide a basis for strengthening BEP development in BIM-based construction projects.