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BIM process control
BIM strategic planning BIM development and implementation BIM programme management BIM information preparation and review BIM input BIM change BIM focusing/ discipline BIM information risk management
Architects
M&E Consultants Structural Engineers
FIGURE 10.18 Hypothetical process audit template for a BIM environment.
1 BIM strategic planning
Strategic planning of the BIM should begin by instigating a series of audits based on those discussed earlier. The outcome should shape the extent of a common understanding of what the BIM environment will look like. The principles are the same for any scale of company or team; use should be made of what is appropriate in any given context.
• Would it cover the entire project life cycle or some sub-set of it?
• Which collection of software should be used and what is its information exchange performance?
• What sort of information is manufactured by individual authors – 2D, 3D, objects and to what degree, or parametrics?
• Which conventions should be adopted for structuring information?
• Is the BIM environment voluntary or backed up by procurement, contractual or employment documentation?
2 BIM development and implementation
Once the scene is set, then comes the task of ensuring it becomes a reality.
• Where is the BIM to be located? – office server, remote server, web portal, server farm?
• Test communications – wifi communications, intranet, extranet and web connections.
• Test the chosen software collection and its ability to connect together where necessary.
• Create shared and focus/discipline group areas.
• Create the information structure for folders and file contents, including any standard templates.
• Ensure all members have access to the BIM environment.
• Monitor the performance of the BIM over time.
3 BIM programme management
BIM programme management in this context means the timing of inputs, outputs and updates to the BIM. Clearly information cannot just come and go as anyone pleases in the BIM environment, given this is a collaborative atmosphere where everyone working in a small office or a larger manifestation of BIM has access to BIM information which is open, editable and shared. It would be possible for anyone to ‘chip in’ at any time but this would most likely lead to chaos. Nevertheless contributions must be made to the shared
information environment, but in an orderly fashion.
A programme of when it is appropriate to make interventions to the BIM must be formulated and this will have to be co-ordinated with the normal design and construction programmes. This is one of the responsibilities of the BIM Manager.
4 BIM information preparation and review
Disciplines or focus groups will prepare their own information, for example design concepts, structural concepts and general arrangements in their own area of the BIM. That might physically be on their computers in a small office implementation of BIM, or on their own computers but connected to an intranet which has a route out to a private area on a remote server in larger implementations of BIM.
Once an individual or group feels information is ready they should ensure it is checked and peer reviewed internally before submitting it to the BIM. This will entail making sure any new or amended information is properly co-ordinated with the latest version extracted from the
BIM. Information should be audited to ensure it conforms to the agreed BIM conventions and only the absolutely necessary information is ready for entry to the shared BIM environment.
Pre-preparation also implies assessing whether there will be any consequential effect on other interested parties, for example does the new information impact on overall
programmes or resource levels? Pre-preparation reviews may take place at a number of levels depending on whether the information being produced has an impact on detailed design or overall project strategy. The BIM Manager may set out a programme for routine reviews and their approval sought for any other specific checkups. The BIM Author or the BIM Focus Group/Discipline Manager should be the point of contact for the pre-preparation process.
5 BIM input
When an information author is confident that all quality control processes are complete then information can make its entry into the shared domain. Existing information must be carefully removed and the new integrated with precision. All interested parties should be informed of the latest amendments, and any anomalies reconciled because although localised checking will ensure the new information batch is consistent within itself, its integration might reveal further co-ordination is necessary.
Although all information will be tagged to show who the author was, its ownership is now in the collective possession of the BIM players. The BIM Manager should then inform everyone that is the case. The BIM Manager should also inform BIM members about any change in status; in other words, is the new version for information only, for comment, draft, final, or capable of being acted upon, for example?
6 BIM change
As we all know change can come at us from all directions and involve minor or major adjustments to any aspect of a project. It should be established when and by whom change can be instigated, as well as at what level and which processes. Change of another sort might be necessary. The original information structuring conventions require attention over time. The BIM Manager along with the BIM Technologist should ensure that information conforms to the norm. However as the BIM environment develops extensions to the BIM information structure will inevitably be required. The information structure should not be allowed to grow like Topsy; ad hoc modifications and inventions to information structuring techniques should be outlawed otherwise information will become a liability with severe consequences.
New requirements should be carefully thought out and presented by BIM Authors. Consensus on new areas of conventions should be reached and a phased implementation plan made.
7 BIM focusing/discipline
The focusing/discipline process focuses on how the BIM should be compartmentalised to deal with issues, for example zoning or phasing a development, partial or sequential completion or the integration of the work of various disciplines. Focusing will be dynamic in that input will be required from different groups of project team players according to priorities.
8 BIM information risk management
The nature of risk to information in the BIM environment must be thought through. What constitutes risk to information? There are the technological issues of losing information by any cause, for example servers going down, communications links failing, information corruption, viruses and hacking. Some of these are new to our way of working but the future will see more and more tampering with information by mischief or commercial sabotage as it journeys around the virtual world.
Then there are what might be termed the normal types of risk with information: Is it late? Is it too much or too little? Is it wrong or inadequate? Has it been checked properly? Is it the information the next person wants? Is it clear? Has it been structured wrongly?
The BIM therefore requires its own risk register which will follow the normal format of risk identification, ownership, impact assessment, mitigation and prevention. Following normal practice the risk register should be reviewed at regular intervals.