Yes, you CAN have a dedicated BIM Manager
BIM adoption among AE firms has reached a point where it is safe to say that almost every architectural or engineering firm still in business has either already adopted a BIM process, is in the process of adopting a BIM process, or is at least considering adopting a BIM process. Unfortunately, however, many do not allow for the addition of a paid staff position for a dedicated BIM manager. The rate of evolution of BIM technologies means that failure to provide for BIM management services results in disorganization, stagnation of development and, in some cases, failure of the BIM implementation altogether.
Larger firms, with hundreds of employees engaged in the BIM process find it easy to justify a dedicated, full-time staff position for BIM management. In fact, many larger firms have a BIM management department with multiple full-time employees tasked with supporting the BIM process and moving their implementations forward.
Mid-size and smaller firms, however, frequently do not have the resources internally to devote full time to BIM management and cannot justify the addition of a full-time employee for the job. In these cases, one or more “power users” are identified to serve as part-time BIM managers, while still participating actively on project teams performing billable work. Almost inevitably, this results in a situation where little or no actual BIM management gets done, because the billable work is always taking precedence. Over time, BIM standards languish, erode or disappear altogether, or the BIM implementation stalls and never progresses beyond an initial stage of development. Eventually technology passes the firm by, and they find themselves faced with the task of playing catch-up to remain competitive. In many cases the catch-up effort can be as much of a challenge as the initial BIM implementation effort – work must first be done to evaluate what is currently in place, then determine what works and what needs to be removed, replaced or fixed.
Admittedly, it is difficult for a smaller firm to justify the expense of a full-time salaried position to fulfill the role of BIM manager, but the need for BIM management is just as real as with the larger firms that can afford to fill the position with a dedicated internal resource.
The solution is simple – outsource. Partner with a knowledgeable, trustworthy resource to perform the key BIM management tasks that your firm is struggling with internally. These include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Tool assessment
- Support, training and mentoring
- Model review and quality control
- Custom development or third-party tool integration
- Standards, content, template development, and management
Applied Software has highly qualified BIM specialists that are well versed in BIM management tasks and can provide outsourced BIM management services as either a pre-defined, pre-scoped service offering or on an “as needed” basis. Both choices offer flexibility of scheduling and billing and the assurance that your BIM management needs will be addressed by an experienced, qualified BIM specialist. They will be YOUR BIM manager.
Contact Applied Software today to discover how our knowledgeable, industry-trained BIM management specialists can support your BIM process, move your implementation forward and keep your firm competitive in this rapidly changing industry.
