Delivering on the promises of Better Information Management

The evolution of IM, what Better Information Management looks like, what Information Managers should be doing and why the industry needs to create more…

A post from Rob Jackson at Bond Bryan Digital^GDE 

2022 represents 10 years since the UK government announced their intention for projects to reach ‘BIM Level 2’ maturity from 2016 onwards. Since then, the UK has moved on from ‘BIM Level 2’ to develop a current approach around the UK BIM Framework. The UK’s journey has evolved from a sole focus around building information models (BIM) to one that now encompasses thinking around all information required by clients, not just models.

In the early days much of the approach to BIM was led by vendors, consultants and contractors. Through the various iterations of the standards the onus has always been on the client to determine the information they need from both capital delivery projects and during the operational phase of assets. Now in 2022 the drive and direction is being very much driven by more informed clients.

Certainly, over the last 5 years the quality of the documentation (or resources as they are referred to under ISO19650) being produced by clients has often been of low quality. Most of this documentation though has been written by consultants with limited understanding of the client organisation and always very focussed on models. Not all of this is the consultants’ fault because often clients have not realised the investment required to get real value from what they are specifying.

Many clients who produced this documentation previously have seen little in the way of change and improvement in their organisations and most of the efforts of the supply chain have largely been wasted in terms of useful outputs provided to clients. That said supply chains understand far better now how to deliver the information to clients and technology has slowly improved to help the production side. In some ways the steps that have been trod so far were necessary to get us to where we are today.

Now in 2022 we are seeing those clients who have been on their BIM journey for some time, take stock of what they are asking for and many are beginning to review and analyse the documentation they have produced previously. Many of these clients are realising they need to go back to a blank sheet of paper and review everything they are asking for. In developing updated documentation clients are realising that whilst employing consultants is still often necessary, the clients know that they need to be far more engaged in the process. Clients are also realising that setting out information requirements needs to be produced in advance of capital projects coming online and that it needs time to finesse these requirements.

So, 2022 represents an opportunity for clients to take stock and set out information requirements that are aligned to current processes and standards and that will deliver robust information that will actually be of benefit to them.

When writing information requirements it is important for clients to consider the future. Most information requirements historically have been produced using traditional technology like Microsoft Word and Excel. These are usually provided to consultants and contractors in PDF and XLSX formats. Whilst this is fine for communicating requirements it does not make the most of technology solutions to improve the robustness of these requirements or, ultimately, support automated workflows.

Requirements for information are often extensive and complex and the need for technology to help set out information requirements is becoming more and more critical. To do this, clients need to consider the use of cloud-based databases to get the most from their requirements. The use of databases is critical to removing errors and ambiguities in information requirements and for providing a greater connection between the requirements and the actual delivery. Of course, databases are also necessary in the delivery of information, but as both clients and delivery teams adopt these technology solutions over traditional methods we all have a greater ability to improve the quality of the information being shared and produced.

Some organisations not quite ready to invest in a database approach. However, we can help clients adjust their approach so that the information requirements are ‘database ready’. This approach provides a pathway to developing a smarter approach in the near future – when these organisations are ready to take their next step on their digital journeys.

The use of databases will increase over the next few years. Databases will ultimately help more automation and potentially reduce the amount of manual interventions required during the delivery phases. Databases will help provide greater standardisation and reduce the amount of manual intervention. To make the most of these databases though there is a need for people who understand the current standards, how to use and configure these databases and who can work with clients to document their information requirements through stakeholder engagement.

So, for those developing their information requirements there is a need for a combination of knowledge of current processes and standards, people skills and technology. There are currently very limited individuals capable of having a balance of these skills and the biggest challenge now for the industry is to find enough people to perform this role otherwise clients risk being held back in their digital journeys.

Without enough people to set out information requirements properly the industry will take another 10 years to access the true benefits of better information management (BIM).

 

We are currently expanding our team of Digital Information specialists at Bond Bryan Digital and we’re looking for exciting talent to join us.