The alternative bim triangle

BIM MATURITY LEVELS – the official version

BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)

First, there was traditional, drawing based BIM – a mostly 2 projection and contextual knowledge reliant AEC information management system

REAL


Then came in ‘flat CAD’ – though the early versions (even AUTOCAD) were very 3D focusedThere were 3 significantly different stages of the application of this approach


BIM came in and hobbled behind CAD, in the background of the real action for a long time. Because it never gained wide acceptance it never developed the full ecosystem needed to be able to work ‘properly’ in the industry, something that the traditional and early CAD methods had done over time and in turn could survive longer.


Over this timeframe the industry’s ability to smartly manage its project information dropped(just think of the 2000+ CAD drawings that are nowadays ‘needed’ to describe almost any average building; Is that progress from say the number of drawings the Sydney Opera House was built from ? worth looking up!)


‘Thankfully’ by now the AEC had long stopped being a manufacturing type industry where Smart information management was important and turned into a ‘gambling’ like industry where deals overruled quality;


The triangle that can be drawn over the fall of the information management ability of the industry (coupled with the loss of other contextual knowledge and many relevant skills) Will show how the type of risks hitting the industry were changing too;


Careful though! The downwards pointing arrow in this case actually means a sharp rise in risks!


And with the industry having by and large lost its moral compass….


The triangle is better viewed upside down showing that with maturity of BIM still dropping in reality, the risks (for all AEC participants) are still rising!

REAL

Technology

The alternative bim triangle