The building was too dark to scan any way but LiDAR. And the fast path to starting construction ran entirely through a two month permit window, contingent on one architect using self cert authority, while our base files were scattered across fragmented versions and nobody clearly owned the permitting role.
I named one architect as architect of record on the self cert path and consolidated the fragmented base files into a single canonical file before anybody drew another line. I wasn't going to let three parties keep circling that decision.
The lighting made the scan method call itself, that part was never the risk. The real risk was upstream, no clear owner and scattered files, and either one of those blows the timeline no matter how good the scan is. Locking one architect of record and one base file is what turned that two month bet from aspirational into real.
I issued a same day directive, full recap of roles, responsibilities, and the permitting plan to the partners, and pick the canonical base file to start drawing from.
When the fast path runs through one person's authority, name that person and their scope in writing before you bet the schedule on it.
I gave one person clear authority instead of letting ambiguity between three capable people quietly cost the project its timeline.