How do you like your BIM?

Abstract

This paper’s objective is to investigate what practitioners across various disciplines in NZ construction including academia expect to find in BIM models. What specific information do they actually want from models and can this be provided in reality? Traditionally building designers received and developed client briefs to help produce successful designs but it seems not enough time is spent presently at BIM briefing stages determining what information is explicitly required from digital models, producing frustrating results for end users expecting to find selective, productive information embedded therein. This situation arises in academia also where some BIM endeavours investigate its’ potential as an educational tool. However, if lecturing colleagues fail to adequately brief model authors on how the final model will be used pedagogically, it will inevitably fail to benefit teaching as envisaged. At the moment it appears not enough BIM briefing is actually taking place across the New Zealand construction industry nor sufficient use made of published guidance. Helping people better express their BIM requirements at briefing stage, exploring their feasibility for present and future work roles should result in more effective briefing of BIM authoring colleagues. Hopefully leading to more valuable, information rich models benefitting the entire construction sector.