The Importance of Interoperability in Structural Engineering

If data types and software products are not interoperable, software tools and engineering data become part of the problem instead of the solution.

In everyday life, we don’t give much thought to interoperability. But what if your make of car could only drive on a limited set of roads? What if you could only call people who use the same model of phone that you do? In addition to causing frustration, these situations would introduce delays, force you to implement kludgy workarounds, and prevent you from getting things done.

For the same reasons, interoperability is crucial for structural engineering. If data types and software products are not interoperable, software tools and engineering data become part of the problem instead of the solution. Structural engineers work against tight deadlines and rigid standards. Disjointed workflows waste valuable time, and open projects up to risk by introducing errors into design, analysis, fabrication, and construction.