For me BIM is more about the restructuring of the information flow process.  In some cases a virtual full sized model is used in other cases the project may be simple enough  not to require such a model.  The essence is really about a single source of information being used and the design team using this source to make decisions.  If the project is complex with complex information pathways the benefits can, from my point of view, only be realised if you use BIM from the start, otherwise you're simply tacking BIM onto a traditional project - and the traditional pathway has been shown to be less effective than a BIM pathway. For less complex projects you might be able to get away with traditional information flows and then do a final check at the end, largely because of the smaller design team and likely greater level of connectedness that such a small team inherently has anyway.

so in short yes and no, it all depends on the project complexity, size of design team, complexity of the design etc.

Below are three comments that - collectively - may answer your question:

• A pause between project phases to generate an ‘integrated and optimised model’ is not a commercially viable approach on most live projects. It does however occur in markets with low BIM maturity or when the project team has low BIM capability;
• The term VDC – as defined - is a bit confusing here. While this may sound controversial (especially to our colleagues in the US), the term is only useful to complement ‘BIM’ when understood to refer to Building Information MODELs rather than Building Information MODELLING (the latter is used in the BIM Stages index*). Also, the term omits the Operation Phase which is more/as important as the Design and Construction phases. Most importantly, the normative adoption of the BIM term across the world – especially in standards, protocols and specifications – leave little room for this or any other overlapping term; and
• The benefits of network-based integration (BIM Stage 3) cannot be accrued without a continuity of data from project inception to project conclusion. Any break in the continuity of the process (e.g. the Designers didn't use the right tools/processes/protocols, or only the Designers and Operators used data-rich models) then the critical benefits of BIM Stage 3 cannot be achieved.

I hope I didn't misunderstand the premise of your question.

*For those not familiar with the BIM Stages index, please refer to http://bit.ly/BIMStages (short post with links to papers and a video summary).

The answers were very inspiring and generate many other developments!

It depends!

• I agree with Simon Bush: the complexity of the project has to be considered.
• I agree with Farook Hamzeh: It has to be considered if the partial BIM benefits allow investment.
• I agree with Bilal Succar, critical benefits of BIM Stage 3 can not be achieved.

However, I would like to believe that it will be possible to get some benefits of BIM Stage 3. Especially in terms of design coordination detecting classes, best constructability analysis, etc., as said by Farook in the answer to this question.

Clarification:

1) This question came from the observation of someone who is located in a market with low BIM maturity that is led by project teams with low BIM capacity

2) the choice of the term VDC was to make a thematic cut, justify the choice because BIM involves many concepts!