The impact of BIM on new professional roles
The BIM methodology envisages a new framework of professional figures, creating new roles: BIM managers, BIM specialists and BIM coordinators
As the BIM technology is increasingly spreading in the construction world, we have to expect a generation of new professional roles with specific tasks and skills.
These new figures are complex and possess distinctly multidisciplinary requirements. The whole Europe is consequently developing training paths and plans for these professional figures.
The 3 universally recognized figures in fact are:
- BIM specialist
- BIM coordinator
- BIM manager
Let’s define the required skills for each one of the 3 figures.
The BIM specialist
BIM specialist
The BIM specialist is able to use a software for the BIM project implementation according to its disciplinary competence (architectural, structural, system installation, etc.).
In addition, the BIM specialist is able to understand and use the company’s technical and operational documentation for the production of the design elaborates and models.
As “information modeller” this type of role expects the following working activities:
- working under the supervision and coordination of the BIM Coordinator or the BIM Manager
- processing graphic models and parametric objects
- extracting data from models, dosuments and objects
- modifying models and objects following the outcome of the multidisciplinary coordination procedures
- modifying models and objects as a result of project revisions.
The BIM coordinator
BIM cordinator
The role of the BIM coordinator consists in managing and coordinating the work activities within the project specific disciplines (eg: architecture, constructions, installation systems, etc.).
This figure is expected to understand, to use and to update the technical and operational documentation of the work order for the the designs and models production (standards and procedures).
The following work activities are expected:
- coordinating the activities of BIM specialists
- coordinating the information contents of the working models
- working in close collaboration with BIM managers and working as a connection to operational roles
- participating in the elaboration of the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) or the Information Management Plan in collaboration with the BIM manager
- defining and controlling the information contents and the detailed levels of the models, the drawings and the objects of the graphic models
- taking care of the training and acts as a direct support for the operational roles
- taking care of sharing and information aggregation contents problem
- arranging and participating to specific coordination meetings with BIM managers (company’s internals or externals)
- verifying the operational application and compliance with established standards
- taking care of the data extraction from models and elaborates
performing the coordination and / or aggregation of information contents, identifying any interference and / or inconsistencies and accordingly proposing their solutions to those responsible for the involved disciplines - taking care of the modification of information contents as a consequence of their coordination or aggregation, in agreement with the involved discipline responsible
- reporting any relevant events facilitating the information process.
BIM manager
BIM manager
The figure of the BIM manager is able to manage and coordinate multidisciplinary BIM projects.
The BIM manager is responsible for the management and coordination of information for suppliers involved in the work construction design and management.
This figure’s responsibilities range from BIM processes and strategy implementation, to preparation of technical and operational documentation for building up designs and models (standards and procedures).
Additionally, this role is involved in the use of authoring BIM software for more disciplines (architectural, structural, system installation, environmental).
The BIM manager performs the following activities:
- Information Management
- managing information flows
- choosing the specific digital technologies to be used and determining the consequent training needs, possibly in collaboration with the Head of Information Systems
- determining the information needs
- defining the reference information standards
- processing the information documents for the client, the information management offers and the information management plan
- defining information contents and the model, the documents and graphic model objects level of detail
- participating in the definition of the Data Sharing Environment and its specific rules
- participating to in coordination meetings
- helping to define how to manage interferences and inconsistencies
- managing the coordination outcomes and results and defining the possible solutions to be adopted.
The following activities are performed in support of the Information coordination:
- coordinating information contents
- working in close collaboration with the BIM coordinators and coordinating various operational roles
- managing the training plan
- taking care of sharing problem and information contents
- verifying the operational application and compliance with the standards established with the BIM Coordinator
- supervising the agreed standards and procedures for extracting data from models and worksheets
- supervising the coordination and / or aggregation of information content while identifying any interference or inconsistencies and proposing solutions to the managers of the involved disciplines
- taking care of the modification of information contents as a consequence of their coordination or structuring, in agreement with the disciplines responsibles.
