Duc Quoc Dang
BIM Manager I
Detailed oriented and a natural at absorbing knowledge.
Duc started down his BIM path in 2014 as a BIM Modeler. He was mostly an observer of everything around him and completed all the tasks that were assigned to him to pinpoint accuracy. He was and still to this day, so focus on doing everything right the first time. His ability to be so detail oriented made him stand out from the rest.
In 2014, during the most difficult time of the company, Duc was able to show his determination by volunteering to do whatever it takes to make his work and the company he is associated with more efficient. From overseeing the team of his peers to traveling by himself to Singapore for months and work with total strangers in a foreign country. His focus and perseverance were a natural progression for him and it was then that we realized, Duc is not going to blend in with the rest, but instead, he is setting himself up to be a great leader.
Relentless in his pursuit of perfection, Duc created from scratch many working processes by himself in order for his team to be more efficient. More importantly, who would've thought that his entire future and happiness is tied to the company, but it happened when he met his future wife Mai Doa who is our very own accountant here at THE BIM FACTORY.
Duc certainly has a bright future ahead of himself, a true leader in the BIM modeling process in Vietnam, from creating customized workflows to coming up with unique modeling matrix, Duc is a pioneer in our BIM industry in Vietnam and a force to be reckoned with in the near future.
Q & A session with Duc Dang.
What attracted you to join TBF?
People! The first time I came to TBF, I saw a group of people going through the wreckage (our old factory) with their own hands and all kinds of tools, and yet at the same time, they were all smiling. I decided immediately that I have to join this group! I can imagine the amazing things that we can do with that wreckage and believed that these people saw the same things I did. Because when you build something with your own hands, you will have the responsibility to take care and respect it. Therefore, I know I can always believe in them in the long run.
What is proudest achievements at TBF?
My "Most Valuable Employee" achievement at the end of the first year of TBF mainly because I got the opportunity to successfully complete majority of the projects from Singapore. That is also why I got the nickname "Mr. Singapore" that year. I aim to get that achievement every year.
How did you get into what you do - involving BIM?
In 2009 - when I still was at the university, I got a chance to meet Yu Tsuji. He was seeking people to help him with some Revit projects. And at that time, I was the only one using Revit at the university. He was the first person who forced me to do BIM when I knew nothing about BIM except Revit. He gave me a chance to do 3D modeling, clash reports, and some housing assembly work for projects in the US. And I continued the exacty same tasks when I became Modeler I and II at TBF.
What do you love most about your work?
The thing I love most about my work is that every time I complete a project, my company is a step closer to becoming better. Each issue that comes with a project is a challenge I love to take on. At the end, I feel happy when it is solved because it makes what I do seems valuable.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get to where you are now?
Focus on your work and try 120% of your best when you are needed. When you get a challenge, that is your chance. Do not waste it. You will be better in everything that you do when you can get over that challenge.
What do you think the types of skills you need in order to succeed at your job?
Three are many skills we need to improve in order to succeed at not only at our jobs but also in anything we do. These skills can be; communication, teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, organization, perseverance, motivation, and confidence. But as a Coordinator, I think the negotiation and persuasion skills are most important. Since you have to work with all parties on any project, you have to make sure everyone is on the same page. Also, a Coordinator is at the middle position of a typical BIM organization, you generally don't have permission to make critical decisions like as Manager. It would be a big problem when you can not negotiate and persuade with all parties especially with your manager and your modelers in order to let them understanding the potential outcomes in order to find the right solutions.
What have you learned the most being at TBF?
I learned about BIM. I've been working on BIM projects since 2009. But only after joining TBF, I know what BIM is really about.
When did you first learn about BIM?
The first time I know BIM is from my Revit teacher at my university. He said that Revit utilizes a specific BIM method. At that time I didn't really know or cared about what BIM was, but I saw how amazing it was that we can build virtual elements on our computer as the same exact way they built on-site. To me, that makes much more sense than any other tools I know at that time (AutoCAD, 3Dsmax, SketchUp, etc.). When I started using Revit I realized that I can do the same amount of work as three of my friends and my work was much more accurate. That was my first time learning about BIM by using Revit - as a BIM tool.
What do you see as the big trend in BIM in the next five years?
To me, BIM has just become popular worldwide for only about ten years. One of the first projects applied BIM is moving to operation phase. Soon we are going to see what is real 6D,7D. But for next five years, I think the assembly and fabrication should be a big trend in BIM because of their effectiveness (However, I am not sure we still use the term BIM or VDC or perhaps something else in the next five years).
What is your biggest weakness involving your work?
My biggest weakness is communication. I am a quiet person. However, at my position, sometimes I need to repeat and repeat directions many times for my team to remember. But often, I don't like to say things twice, since we are all adults! The second weakness is my English. I a still not still not comfortable and I am not confident when speaking. I have just to come up with a plan to overcome these weaknesses.
What is your biggest strengths involving your work?
I think my biggest strength is my ability to adapt. I can work at any position when I am needed for the company. Being flexible and working at new positions allows me to make mistakes once. But after, I believe that I can become an expert shortly.
What is your passion outside of work?
I love wood working and train karate. Next year I intend to take more time to focus on both of these hobbies.
Where do you see yourself in 2 - 5 years?
I see myself becoming a BIM manager. I realized that in Viet Nam we have many BIM managers, but I see their roles and work are not effective enough. I want to become better, a real BIM manager that can make a big change when jumping into any project. Also 2-5 years is the same time needed for our company to become steady.
Find out more about Duc and follow him through his social networks below.