How Seymour Whyte Used CDE Connect to Remove Risk, Rework, and Manual Overhead

The Challenge

Across Seymour Whyte’s design and construct projects, project stakeholders were operating in deeply siloed environments. Designers worked within ProjectWise and Autodesk Forma (Autodesk Construction Cloud), while surveyors and construction teams relied on 12d Synergy, with no automated bridge connecting these platforms. The result was a fragmented information ecosystem where coordination depended entirely on manual file sharing, creating an environment ripe for miscommunication and error. 

The pace of construction left no room for weekly data cycles, yet that was precisely what the manual process demanded. Surveyors routinely found themselves working with information that was weeks old; a dangerous lag on fast-moving projects. On the Sydney Gateway project, version mismatches between designer models and field information meant that when designers updated critical data, field teams had no visibility of those changes. The risk of building the wrong thing based on a superseded model was constant and significant. 

Beyond the operational risks, the information management burden fell on the shoulders of Seymour Whyte’s most expensive technical resources. High-value BIM managers and information managers were consuming substantial time manually transferring files between stakeholders. It was time that could have been directed toward higher-value project activities. For a contractor carrying design risk, time risk, and program delivery commitments, this lack of transparency into design progress created serious commercial exposure, particularly when working with external consultants on time-based contracts. 

The Solutions

Already a committed user of 12d Model and 12d Synergy on the construction side of their business, Seymour Whyte recognised that CDE Connect represented the missing link in their information architecture. When Daniel Di Mattina, Project Survey Manager at Seymour Whyte,  and his team learned that 12d Synergy had developed the capability to connect disparate CDEs, the decision was clear. As Dan noted, the company had been prepared to build their own software solution, but the fact that 12d Synergy had proactively identified and addressed this need made the choice straightforward and immediate. 

The team integrated CDE Connect into their project workflows, establishing live connections between ProjectWise, ACC, and 12d Synergy. This positioned 12d Synergy not simply as another CDE, but as the central integration platform, which was the middle layer that could serve as the single source of truth across the entire project ecosystem. The platform was also connected to Power BI dashboards, enabling real-time reporting and model progress tracking that gave project leaders unprecedented visibility into design development and contractor performance. 

The implementation also aligned directly with Seymour Whyte’s adoption of ISO 19650 information management standards, with CDE Connect enhancing and automating the required workflows within 12d Synergy. While there was initial resistance to change during rollout, the tangible benefits quickly became undeniable across the project teams. CDE Connect has since become standard practice on every design and construct project that Seymour Whyte undertakes and is a testament to how comprehensively it addressed the company’s core information management challenge. 

The Result

• Weekly manual data transfers eliminated entirely: On the Sydney Gateway project, the time-consuming weekly manual sharing process was replaced with fully automated, real-time data synchronisation across all connected CDEs. 
• Rework driven by outdated information reduced to zero: Field teams now receive design updates in real time. Instances of teams executing work based on superseded models, previously a persistent project risk, have been eliminated since the systems were connected. 
• Real-time model synchronisation across all platforms: Regardless of which authoring tool or CDE a team member works in, data appears in the right place at the right time; removing all guesswork around version currency. 
• Enhanced project control and accountability: Power BI dashboards fed by live CDE Connect data allow project leaders to track when packages were last updated and hold design partners accountable to contracted delivery programs. 
• BIM and information manager hours redirected to high-value work: By removing administrative file transfer tasks, Seymour Whyte’s most expensive technical resources are now focused on activities that directly drive project outcomes rather than data housekeeping. 
• Reduced commercial risk exposure: Real-time visibility into design progress enables proactive risk management for contractors carrying design and program delivery risk, particularly when onboarding new design partners. 

Feature Focus: CDE Connect by 12d Synergy 

CDE Connect is the capability within 12d Synergy that transforms it from a powerful CDE into the connective tissue of a project’s entire digital ecosystem. For Seymour Whyte, the following features delivered the most meaningful impact: 

• Multi-CDE Integration: CDE Connect bridges platforms that were never designed to speak to each other—ProjectWise, ACC, 12d Synergy—into a single, unified data flow. Teams can remain in their preferred authoring tools while automatically contributing to and drawing from a shared information pool. 
• Automated, Real-Time Data Synchronization: The platform eliminates the need for scheduled manual transfers by continuously keeping data current across connected systems. The right version of the right file is always available to the right team, without human intervention. 
• ISO 19650 Workflow Automation: CDE Connect enhances 12d Synergy’s native ISO 19650 compliance workflows, automating information management processes that previously required manual oversight and reducing the compliance burden on project teams. 
• Power BI Integration for Live Reporting: By connecting project data to Power BI dashboards, CDE Connect provides leadership teams with live visibility into model development progress, package update history, and contractor performance, enabling data-driven decision-making and accountability. 
• Centrally Governed Version Control: A single source of truth replaces the fragmented, error-prone manual processes that previously led to version mismatches. Teams always know they are working with current, approved information, eliminating the ambiguity that drives rework.