CitizenBIM Blog by Machiel

Now and again you read something that just triggers a new idea, answers some question you’ve had for some time or brings some clarity to a specific topic. For me, it was the parts of the book, BIM and Integrated Design . The moment didn’t come from reading and following along the trends of BIM and what is described therein but rather from the initial descriptions of Integrated Design and how it relates to BIM but more so, how it relates to the essence of collaboration and communication - the different forms of communication. The further I went down this rabbit hole, the more I came to the realisation that we are implementing BIM, Integrated Design & Parametric Modelling wrong. This a thought that caught me off-guard but put some clarity on why most companies are struggling with the adoption. What are we doing wrong? That is the question, right?! from Unsplash Looking at global trends and implementation I noticed that we go deep into the implementation of BIM and the nuts and b...

If you do an internet search for a job in BIM or try to employ a BIM professional you get bombarded with options. Great, many to select from! Then you start looking at the role descriptions, person capabilities, software knowledge, future skillset, and the list just goes on. This has confused me over the years as to what skills go where and how you plan for a position if there is no clarity between what you need and what is available, and you can’t even compare 2 people. So to make it simple, I’m going to break down and define the 4 most common roles in the industry that you need to be aware of and what I believe is the fundamental structure of the so-called “BIM” departments. Now, each organisation will have different needs and more or less people will be needed in various roles, so take this rather as a framework than a ‘set in stone’. The BIM Roles In his book, BIM and Integrated Design , Randy Deutsch refers to 4 roles in the graph ‘The Unspoken hierarchy of BIM-related roles a...

  Three M's and the big bad BIM. Introduction If you had to do an internet search for BIM, you will get a lot of articles, websites, blogs, etc. that explain it or tries to define it. Most articles, websites, and blogs that discuss BIM share a definition that is based on the perspective of the creator. Additionally, the 'M' in BIM is often referred to as Modelling, Model, or Management, depending on the source, which can be confusing for readers. This has created some confusion with individuals, I am included in this group, as to why it is really and why it matters to define the ‘M’. Original M No, it’s not Moriarty. Image linked, see reference 2. The original definition of BIM goes back to 2002 when it was coined and the industry defined  it. Before BIM, the term used was Building Description Systems (BDS), as defined by Professor Charles "Chuck" Eastman. I will discuss the BDS name later in this article. Charles developed the main concepts of BIM to have t...