NavVis develops reality capture technology that brings clarity to the built environment. With dynamic laser scanners like NavVis VLX and NavVis MLX, and NavVis IVION software for visualization and measurement, spatial data becomes accessible, accurate, and easy to share.
JTM, a Seattle-based commercial contractor, has built everything from tenant improvements to complex high-rise structures. They are “doers,” as their Director of Construction Technology describes, but are also early adopters. In 2022, they invested in NavVis VLX. In 2024, they transitioned to Autodesk Forma®. Together, these tools have changed how JTM approaches project planning, coordination, and client communication.
JTM’s clients include architects, owner-operators, and developers. Across all of them, expectations are rising: fewer surprises, more transparency, and reliable information from day one.
By combining NavVis and Autodesk Forma, JTM is meeting those expectations while simplifying work for its own teams.
Before adopting Autodesk Forma and NavVis, JTM’s workflows were fragmented. Data moved from one application to another in a long chain, draining efficiency. Each project required managing multiple tools, which created what James calls “app fatigue.”
At the same time, their previous construction management platform had become increasingly expensive.
Clients and trade partners were asking for more accuracy and more visibility into project conditions. BIM models alone weren’t enough, because real-world construction rarely matches drawings exactly. And inside JTM, the workforce itself had different comfort levels with technology. Younger engineers were at ease with 3D digital environments, while many experienced field staff still relied on 2D drawings and printed sheets.
This resulted in a gap where data was captured, but not always easy to use or share.
JTM responded with two decisive moves. First, they brought in NavVis VLX for fast, photo-rich scanning of jobsites. Then, in 2024, they shifted from their previous construction management platform to Autodesk Forma, a platform that could unify their workflows.
The combination quickly showed its value.
NavVis scans in Autodesk: Estimators discovered they could access NavVis IVION data directly inside Forma Build®. Instead of juggling files, they could review scans in the same platform where they prepared bids.
Points of interest for collaboration: Project managers began using NavVis IVION’s points of interest, shared through Forma Build®, to highlight project details for trade partners. This reduced the need for large groups to walk sensitive spaces, like museums or labs, in person.
Flexibility for different users: For engineers, NavVis data inside Autodesk Forma offered a true 3D environment for collaboration. For field crews, the same data could be turned into a simple PDF slice with dimensions. Everyone worked from the same information, in the format they understood best.
True as-builts: NavVis provided measured conditions that could be trusted over office-created BIM assumptions. When walls were slightly off or ductwork was rerouted in the field, those changes were visible. Autodesk Forma made it simple to bring that data into coordination platforms.
Together, NavVis and Autodesk Forma reduced the burden for JTM’s technology team. Instead of being the only ones who could process and distribute data, they empowered estimators, managers, and trade partners to access it directly.
Because NavVis data flows easily into Autodesk environments, the integration focused less on setup and more on function: Points of Interest created in IVION could be linked with Issues in Autodesk Build and tied back to coordinates in the Revit model, so teams could go straight to the right location instead of searching through the model.
Across all client types, the combination of NavVis and Autodesk Forma makes information easier to use, whether as immersive 3D or simple 2D drawings.