Unlocking True Collaboration in BIM: A Call for Industry Transformation

Drawing from extensive experience as a BIM practitioner, I've observed a stark reality: there is limited evidence that BIM is being employed more collaboratively than traditional 2D practices. This challenge is exacerbated by several factors.

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Firstly, the absence of effective frameworks for collaborative working is glaring. While terms like BEP (BIM Execution Plan), PIP (Project Information Plan), and PIM (Project Information Model) point in the right direction, they fall short of fostering genuine collaboration.

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Interoperability, or rather the lack thereof, remains a persistent roadblock. The industry's struggle to seamlessly integrate various BIM tools and software has hindered collaborative practices.

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The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) format, intended to facilitate interoperability, has seen mixed results at best, and some might even label it a substantive failure.

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Moreover, collaborative working has not historically been encouraged in 2D practices, leaving us without a cultural or practical foundation to reference.

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Even within BIM's own ecosystem, market leader Revit falls short in offering an effective collaborative environment. This is a significant impediment considering its widespread use.

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Compounding these issues, contractual structures in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry seldom promote collaborative practices. The industry's siloed culture has ingrained a clear demarcation of responsibility as a risk-mitigation measure, resulting in information duplication at almost every stage.

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This duplication is akin to a game of "telephone" where the fidelity of communication erodes with each pass. Transposing 2D culture and practices into the multidimensional and precise world of BIM is a key factor holding our industry back. In essence, we risk throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

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To truly harness the potential of BIM, we must confront these challenges head-on. Collaboration can only thrive when behavior aligns with incentives and rewards. Commercial benefit is the driving force behind effective collaboration, and BIM vendors often extol its virtues. However, in practice, these benefits are too rarely realized. The traditional adversarial triangle involving the design team, contractors, and cost consultants often discourages the alignment of mutual commercial interests.

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The time has come for us to face the facts. BIM, despite its immense promise, has not yet transformed our industry. Nevertheless, our current levels of BIM adoption indicate that we are on the cusp of a new era of maturity in this field. This will inevitably force a transformation in BIM authoring and interoperability.

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In a capitalist economy, companies that fail to evolve and innovate risk obsolescence. This inevitability will impact both those producing outdated technology and those relying on it.

Remarkably, just a decade ago, a significant portion of the AEC industry still operated solely in the realm of 2D practices. This transformation is a testament to our industry's resilience and adaptability.

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As we navigate this transition, it is imperative that we change not only the narrative but also the culture surrounding BIM. Only then can we unlock the untapped potential that BIM promises to deliver.

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