ephany/blog

Tag: Repeatable Design

McDonaldization and Construction: How Owner-Furnished Items Unlock Scalability

This morning, I saw a great question pop up on LinkedIn from KP Reddy:

It’s a thought-provoking question which reminded me of the concept of McDonaldization, a term coined by sociologist George Ritzer. This is something that I learned about in high school and it has stuck with me ever since. It describes how industries optimize for efficiency, predictability, uniformity, and control, just like McDonald’s perfected its assembly line for fast food. But this principle doesn’t just apply to burgers, it’s the secret behind how companies like Target, Walmart, and Wegmans scale their physical spaces to thousands of locations across the country.

In the world of construction and procurement, the best way to achieve this level of standardization and efficiency is through Owner-Furnished, Contractor-Installed (OFCI) items. By giving owners full control over critical assets, businesses can reduce costs, streamline procurement, and ensure consistency across every project. But what happens when projects don’t follow this approach? Chaos. Imagine if every McDonald’s location let designers pick their own furniture and kitchen equipment—it would be a logistical nightmare.

Let’s break it down.

1. Standardization & Compliance: The Secret Sauce

Just like a Big Mac tastes the same in Manila as it does in Los Angeles, physical spaces need to maintain design consistency across locations. OFCI ensures that furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) align with brand standards, regulatory requirements, and operational needs. When design teams specify their own products per project, it creates inconsistencies that make future maintenance and renovations a mess.

Imagine if McDonald’s let every franchise and/or their respective architects choose its own kitchen layout… One store might have deep fryers in the front, another in the back, and none of them would operate the same way. The same principle applies to retail spaces: consistency reduces friction and ensures every location meets the same quality standards.

In addition, each restaurant would spend countless hours selecting the kitchen equipment. This may seem like a simple trip to the appliance store, but if you’ve ever designed a commercial kitchen, you know how much work actually goes into it.

By centralizing asset decisions, owners create a repeatable, scalable playbook that maintains brand integrity and speeds up approvals.

2. Cost Savings: Cutting Out the Middleman (and the Extra Costs)

McDonald’s can sell a burger for a few bucks because it buys ingredients in bulk, cutting out inefficiencies. The same logic applies to OFCI procurement. When owners take control of purchasing, they reduce contractor markups, minimize unnecessary customization, and leverage bulk pricing across multiple locations.

A study on public works projects found that direct procurement reduces costs by up to 10% by cutting out middlemen and supplier markups (source). Now, scale that savings across hundreds or thousands of locations, and the numbers become impossible to ignore.

If every McDonald’s location sourced its own potatoes from different vendors instead of McDonald’s corporate handling it, costs would skyrocket, quality would suffer, and supply chain delays would become unavoidable. The same thing happens in retail construction when every project team sources assets independently. OFCI eliminates this waste and creates massive savings.

3. Scalability: The Assembly Line of Construction

McDonaldization isn’t just about saving money, it’s about scaling efficiently. McDonald’s doesn’t reinvent its kitchen setup for every new location; it follows a precise, repeatable formula that makes expansion fast and cost-effective. That’s exactly what OFCI does for commercial spaces.

When procurement is centralized, scaling new locations becomes a copy-paste operation instead of an unpredictable mess. Construction teams get exactly what they need, procurement timelines shrink, and store openings happen on schedule.

Compare that to a world where every project selects different assets and suppliers… It’s slow, expensive, and full of unnecessary delays. According to industry research, 80% to 90% of construction projects experience budget overruns or delays, often due to procurement inefficiencies (source). With OFCI, businesses cut through the complexity and keep projects moving.

Final Takeaway: The McDonald’s Model Works for Repeatable Design Too

The same principles that allow McDonald’s to serve billions of customers apply to construction and asset management. Standardization, cost control, and scalability create repeatable, efficient processes that drive success.

When businesses embrace OFCI, they take control of procurement, eliminate inefficiencies, and create a playbook for expansion; just like McDonald’s did for fast food. Whether you’re rolling out a hundred new stores or upgrading existing locations, this model ensures every site meets the same standards, at the lowest cost, and on time.

It’s time to stop treating asset procurement like a custom-built menu and start thinking like McDonald’s. OFCI is the key to scaling smarter.

Ephany provides a central platform to successfully manage OFCI FF&E processes. Ask me how!

March 1, 2025
Asset information does not belong in BIM. Change my mind.
I believe BIM is experiencing some growing pains, as with any new technology would. I’m starting to see that there is too much data in models, particularly regarding assets such as the furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E).

I do agree that any data that is required for design and construction processes need to be included in the model, especially the information that is shown on the permit and construction drawings. However, in the context of owner furnished items (OFI) for repeatable commercial real estate projects, storing too much asset information within BIM models can lead to inefficiencies, higher costs, and unnecessary complexities. Here’s why.

1. Asset data gets locked away in a model.

One of the most significant drawbacks of storing asset data in BIM models (e.g., data within in a Revit model) is that access to these models is restricted. Only team members with specialized knowledge of BIM tools and the appropriate licenses can manage the data directly.

Therefore, modifying that data in a Revit file isn’t as simple as editing a cell in a spreadsheet. Every update requires careful attention to ensure the integrity of the model, which often involves editing complex Revit Families. Additionally, these updates are often left up to the BIM team because the project-level teams are not permitted to make changes to program-wide standards.

2. Updating Asset Data in BIM is Expensive

Let’s think about a scenario where a Revit Family contains incorrect information about a particular furniture, fixture, or equipment (FF&E). For an owner-furnished item (OFI), the update needs to be made available to the project teams. Sometimes this can come in the form of a formal design bulletin, but for owners who have their own BIM manage, a Revit Family first needs to be manually updated by a BIM manager. Either way, this change needs to be off to the project teams to update within their project models.

For programs with repeatable design, that means rolling out the updated Revit Family to an entire fleet of stores. This process is not only time-consuming for that broader teams and their consultants, but will have downstream impacts on any project which includes the asset (which means added project costs).

The cost of updating Revit Family data.

For most organizations executing thousands of projects, making updates often requires engaging with an architectural firm in which the cost can range from $150 to $200 per hour (or more). Sure, an update to a Revit Family for $150 on a single project, is peanuts, however, now consider the scale of large programs—such as retail chains with thousands of locations—these costs quickly add up.

Think about our earlier example of an entire fleet of retail stores that need an updated Revit Family. Let’s assume the update takes three hours and needs to be applied to 1,000 projects.
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$600 in fees x 1,000 projects = $600,000
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That’s only for the design work. If drawings need to be resubmitted to the owner or contractor, this cost could easily double or triple.

3. Project Delays Equate to Losses in Revenue.

Moreover, these updates can delay projects, as firms may take days or weeks to complete the requested changes, further increasing both direct and indirect costs.

If a required update to asset data within a BIM model causes delays to a construction schedule, it could impact the launch date of a project, which would undoubtedly result in losses in revenue. According to Wave Grocery, large format stores could lose an average of $623,000 per week that a store launch is delayed.

The Case for a Better Approach

While BIM models are invaluable for design and construction coordination, relying on them as the primary source of asset data creates unnecessary limitations.

Asset data—such as product specifications, procurement information, facilities management history—needs to be easily accessible and editable for all team members involved in a project.

A Smarter Alternative

By separating asset data from the BIM model and using a centralized platform like Ephany, teams can overcome these challenges:

1. Ease of Updates

With OFI asset data stored in a system accessible to all relevant stakeholders, it can be easily updated regardless of their technical expertise. In addition, the data can simply be modified on a platform which doesn’t impact the design and construction models which means changes can be made quickly, without the need for complicated software or expertise.

2. Cost Efficiency

By reducing asset data that does not need to be published in drawings, you alleviate some dependency on architectural firms or specially trained BIM specialists. As described earlier, this can save a large organization millions of dollars annually.

3. Seamless Integration

Data can still connect back to BIM models through unique asset IDs, ensuring consistency without the need to lock it into the model itself. Ideally, you would implement a platform such as Ephany, which offers connectors to popular BIM and construction management tools. This way, you can maintain synchronization with the assets as shown in BIM models and construction drawings as needed when it’s time to calculate a bill of materials (BOM) or other analysis.

Conclusion

Storing asset data exclusively within BIM models creates barriers that lead to inefficiencies, high costs, and bottlenecks. By moving this data into a centralized platform that integrates with (not relies on) BIM processes, teams can streamline workflows, reduce costs, and ensure everyone has access to the information they need.

If you’re managing large-scale retail or commercial projects, it’s time to rethink how you handle asset data. Let’s talk about how Ephany can help you simplify your processes and avoid the pitfalls of BIM-centric asset management.
January 23, 2025
Managing FF&E asset data for repeatable designs sounds easy, but it’s not.
Although repeatable design seems like it should simplify the management of furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E), physical retail organizations who roll out a fleet of stores are faced with unique challenges. Surprisingly, some of the largest retail brands in the world are managing those assets in Excel spreadsheets (or other similar format). If that statement resonated with you, the below image probably looks all too familiar.

I know, some of you are proud of the cloud-based spreadsheets that you’ve spent months building, however, even a collaborative cloud-based spreadsheet has its pitfalls. In this two-part blog series, we’ll review those issues and how Ephany helps solve them.

The Challenges of Managing FF&E Asset Data in a Spreadsheet

FF&E asset data should be more than just a list—it should be a centralized, structured system that ensures everyone involved has the information they need. Whether it’s designers deciding which FF&E to use, procurement ordering the right parts, or contractors having access to installation manuals, an asset catalog should keep everyone aligned and on point.

The good news is, Ephany is built to solve these very problems. Below are our top three features that help physical retail organizations build repeatable designs at scale.

1. Find the latest and greatest assets in a catalog, not a spreadsheet.

Designers—whether they’re in-house or external consultants—need clarity on which fixtures, furniture, and equipment are approved for use. Without this clarity, they risk specifying items that don’t align with brand standards or store requirements which can lead to costly revisions.

When designers have easy access to an up-to-date catalog, they can focus on creating engaging store environments while staying aligned with organizational goals. An asset catalog should enable:
- More efficient FF&E selection at the project-level
- Compliance with brand and regulatory standards
- Consistency for customers across all store locations
While a spreadsheet can help with this problem, it introduces its own set of issues. It is more time-consuming to find what you’re looking for, especially when the number of columns gets out of hand (who likes to scroll horizontally anyway?).

Ephany provides a visual, data-rich catalog.

Ephany makes it simple for designers and consultants to stay aligned with approved standards. With an interface that allows for browsing, searching, and filtering, they can quickly find the right fixtures, furniture, and equipment for any project. Each asset’s status—like “pending,” “active,” or “deprecated”—ensures clarity on what’s ready for use, reducing the risk of costly revisions. By streamlining access to pre-approved options, Ephany empowers designers to focus on creativity while staying compliant with brand and operational standards.

Do you hate searching? Kit can find fixtures for you.

Meet Kit, your AI sidekick in Ephany. If you’re short on time or don’t feel like searching through the catalog, Kit can handle it for you. Just describe what you need—like a refrigerated case, a specific color finish, or even an asset ID—and Kit will surface the best match in seconds. With Kit, finding the right asset is no longer a chore—it’s effortless.

2. Find a home for non-textual asset information.

What about the information about an asset that isn’t text or a number that can be saved in a spreadsheet? Design, procurement, construction, and operations teams rely on supplemental asset information to do their jobs effectively such as:
- Product catalog sheets, technical specifications, Revit families, and CAD files for design teams
- Parts and accessories lists for procurement teams
- Installation manuals to guide contractors through the construction process
- Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals for the operations and facility management team
How would you provide these critical files in an Excel spreadsheet? You most likely need to provide a link to a Google Drive or other file repository, which opens up yet another disconnected set of data that needs to be managed.

Ephany enables access to downloadable files directly in the asset catalog.

With all of your FF&E information saved in one simplified platform, repeatable design and construction processes are accelerated by enabling teams to more easily find the right file, whether its a PDF, AutoCAD DWG, Sketchup model, Revit family or other.

3. Procure every nut and bolt, without scheduling them on drawings.

Procurement teams are the linchpin for turning repeatable retail designs into reality. They need accurate, timely information on what to order and when. Without a centralized asset catalog which includes component-level items (i.e., parts and pieces that aren’t on construction drawings), teams often rely on outdated spreadsheets or scattered communication, leading to delays and errors.

For procurement workflows, a well-defined asset catalog should include:
- Parts and pieces that are not tracked in construction drawings
- A list of distributors and their individual pricing
- Insights into lead times, ensuring orders are placed proactively aligned to project schedules
This is where managing FF&E asset data in a spreadsheet often fails. While I have seen many advanced Excel spreadsheets with advanced formulas and lookup tables, they still run the risk of duplicative and outdated data in multiple sheets and are difficult to manage in general.

If your organization solves this problem by scheduling component-level parts on construction drawings, you may have already realized that method can quickly get out of hand. Not only do your schedules get unwieldy, they would also then rely on architects to update outdated information. A costly solution!

Ephany provides procurement information that isn’t (or shouldn’t be) shown on construction drawings.

In the example above, this sunglass fixture is actually comprised of four different components, most of which are provided by different manufacturers. By integrating this component-level information into the asset catalog on Ephany, procurement teams have visibility on what to order and from who.

Furthermore, at the project-level, Ephany can calculate the total components per project and create a bill-of-materials (BOM), but more on that to come in the next post!

Stay tuned for part two of this blog series.

Stay tuned for part two of this blog series for more pitfalls of managing FF&E asset data in spreadsheets and how Ephany can help you break free.
January 13, 2025