Building Better Project Delivery

Company Profile 

Wheelihan Construction, Inc. is a commercial building and construction management firm established in 1990 and headquartered in North San Diego County, California. The company provides general contracting and construction management services across all phases of a project, from pre‑construction and design development through final completion, serving clients throughout Southern California.  

Wheelihan Construction has delivered a diverse portfolio of work, including ground‑up commercial buildings, multi-family, medical, hospitality, restaurants, breweries, nightclubs, tenant improvements, retail spaces, and historical renovations. The firm is distinguished by the hands‑on involvement of founder Mike Wheelihan, whose direct participation in day‑to‑day project operations—from pre‑construction through punch‑list closeout—ensures quality execution, accountability, and strong client relationships.  

In addition to its proven construction expertise, Wheelihan Construction is a forward‑thinking firm focused on improving collaboration, project management, and delivery outcomes. Recognizing the importance of connected data and standardized workflows, the company made a strategic investment in Autodesk Forma (Formerly Autodesk Construction Cloud), including Autodesk Forma Build, to strengthen project execution across the organization.  

With a clear vision for improving project delivery and collaboration, Wheelihan Construction identified specific challenges that needed to be addressed to ensure their technology investment delivered real business value. 

Client Challenges 

As Wheelihan Construction Inc. expanded its use of Autodesk Forma Build, the company recognized several challenges common to organizations modernizing their construction technology stack: 

• Heavy reliance on manual, paper-based processes limited project visibility, increased costs, and created inefficient collaboration.  

• Managing complex document workflows manually (e.g., 37 deltas on a single project) highlighted the need for better tracking and coordination.  

• Lack of a clear, real-time view of overall project status and individual issues drove the need for a more connected solution.  

• Ensuring consistent use of Forma Build across diverse project teams.  

• Providing practical training that aligns with day-to-day construction activities. 

• Establishing standardized configurations and workflows for repeatable success. 

• Transitioning from legacy, manual processes to a cloud-based collaboration platform. 

• Maximizing the value of Autodesk investments through effective adoption and usage. 

√ These challenges helped Wheelihan Construction clearly define what success should look like and set focused goals for the Forma Build initiative. 

Client Project Goals 

Wheelihan Construction approached this engagement with clear, outcome‑driven goals designed to support both immediate needs and long‑term strategy: 

• Enable teams to use Forma Build confidently and effectively on live projects. 

• Develop internal power users who can champion adoption and support peers. 

• Improve collaboration and visibility between field and office teams. 

• Reduce onboarding time for new users through consistent workflows. 

• Create a scalable Autodesk Forma foundation that supports future expansion and growth. 

√ To bring these goals to life, Wheelihan Construction aligned with Symetri for targeted guidance, training, and configuration support. 

Symetri Prescribed Solution (in Support of Wheelihan’s Vision) 

To support Wheelihan Construction’s objectives, Symetri delivered a structured Professional Implementation and Training Services engagement focused on practical outcomes: 

• 24 hours of instructor‑led, remote Forma Build training. 

• Power‑user‑focused sessions to build internal expertise. 

• Workflow and configuration guidance aligned to Wheelihan’s construction operations. 

• A formal kickoff process to ensure scope clarity and shared expectations. 

• Ongoing coordination through dedicated account management and client success resources. 

√ Through this collaborative approach, Wheelihan Construction positioned itself to achieve tangible operational and strategic benefits. 

Business Outcomes 

By taking an intentional and structured approach to Forma Build adoption, Wheelihan Construction Inc. is positioned to realize meaningful outcomes, including: 

• Stronger and faster adoption of Forma Build across projects. 

• Improved collaboration and alignment between field and office stakeholders. 

• Increased confidence and productivity among key users. 

• Reduced risk associated with inconsistent processes or unclear workflows. 

• Greater return on investment from Autodesk Forma. 

• A solid digital foundation that supports future technological initiatives. 

Initial Autodesk Forma Project “Measurable Metrics” 

• 15% reduction in management staffing requirements as a direct result of focused Forma training, improving efficiency and reducing reliance on manual processes.  

• Project duration shortened from 9–10 months to 8 months, driven by improved team adoption, streamlined workflows, and better schedule adherence enabled through Forma training. 

√ These outcomes reinforce Wheelihan Construction’s leadership in adopting modern construction practices and continuously improving how work gets done. 

Conclusion 

This Autodesk Forma Build training engagement represents a strategic step forward for Wheelihan Construction, Inc. By investing in structured enablement and embracing standardized workflows, Wheelihan is strengthening its ability to deliver projects more consistently, collaboratively, and efficiently. The company’s active role in shaping adoption positions itself for sustained success, well beyond the initial training period.  

“Training was seamless with the Symetri team guiding us every step of the way, and Autodesk Forma immediately solved long-standing challenges—greatly improving workflows, communication, and coordination between our office and field teams.”  – Brandon J. Wheelihan, Officer 

As Wheelihan continues to build on this momentum, potential next steps may include: 

• Post‑training adoption reviews to refine workflows. 

• Expansion into additional Autodesk Forma modules. 

• Advanced or role‑specific training for field leaders and executives. 

• Ongoing support or managed services to maintain consistency. 

• Development of firm‑wide digital construction standards. 

• Integration with BIM, estimating, or ERP systems. 

Each of these steps represents an opportunity for Wheelihan Construction to further strengthen its digital capabilities and reinforce its leadership in modern construction delivery.