Unveiling critical success factors for BIM stakeholder collaboration in Ghana: a Delphi study

Abstract

Purpose This study applies critical success factors (CSF) theory to address collaboration challenges in Ghana’s building information modeling (BIM) construction projects, where stakeholder engagement is hindered by fragmentation, misaligned expectations, and limited digital integration. It identifies and prioritizes CSF influencing stakeholder collaboration and proposes structured strategies that align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 9 and SDG 11. Design/methodology/approach A two-round Delphi method was conducted with 17 experts in the first round and 13 in the second, selected through purposive sampling for their BIM expertise in Ghana. The iterative process facilitated expert consensus on the most critical collaboration challenges and success factors in BIM-enabled construction. Findings The study identifies 16 CSF for BIM stakeholder collaboration. Seven were ranked as very highly influential (VHI: 9.00–10.00), including communication, collaborative attitudes, early involvement, coordination, joint decision-making, BIM infrastructures and fostering trust, mutual respect and understanding. The remaining nine were categorized as highly influential (HI: 7.00–8.99). These findings support SDG 9 by promoting digital innovation in infrastructure and SDG 11 by enhancing inclusive and sustainable urban development. Originality/value This research integrates CSF theory with collaborative delivery models such as integrated project delivery (IPD) and lean project delivery (LPD), offering a validated framework for improving stakeholder collaboration in BIM projects. It contributes to both academic understanding and practical implementation of BIM in developing contexts.