What's After BIM?

What's after BIM?  This has been a recurring topic on twitter, blogs and the term BIM seems to frustrate many every time the BIM Forum conference rolls around due to the Building Information Modeling Model mistake. There are many things that also get mispronounced, ATM machine for example, but I think the issue comes down to confusion with what BIM is and not just that you say model twice.  About a year ago I had a post about the term BIM and what it means to do BIM but now I think a little differently.

BIM even has Wikipedia wondering what is going on stating that the article might be confusing.

 The problem is that I think there are currently 4 distinct types of BIM and each one means different goals and work plans but owners have been marketed that BIM is all of them.  These are:

• Design Intent BIM
• IPD BIM
• Fabrication BIM
• Owner/Facilities BIM

Basically, one BIM cannot easily be another and that is a huge misconception that many do not understand.  The issue with this is that while one would think the data and model can be used throughout the life cycle of the project, the reality is that a lot of time is lost between project phases.  In the graph below is what I think happens throughout the life cycle of a project.  With each phase, one builds up the data and model only to have a lot of the effort lost as the project goes to the next phase.  Modeling needs to be recreated and data entered again.

What does Wikipedia say about Building Information Modeling?

Building information modeling (BIM) is the process of generating and managing building data during its life cycle.

Wikipedia

What it says is that you are managing data throughout the life cycle but I don't think that has been realized and if you read further down it starts to explain what I think is after BIM or the goal of what BIM should have been.  That is Product Lifecycle Management (PLM).

Under the guidance of a virtual design and construction project manager (VDC) BIM can be seen as a companion to Product Lifecycle Management(PLM), since it goes beyond geometry and addresses issues such as cost management, Project Management and provides a way to work concurrently on most aspects of building life cycle processes.

Wikipedia

BIM has never been the whole story but a companion to what I always thought BIM was suppose to be.  If you are anything like me, the description of PLM from Wikipedia is exactly what the industry needs.  Just think of the building and your deliverables as the Product.

In industry, product lifecycle management (PLM) is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its conception, through design and manufacture, to service and disposal.  PLM integrates people, data, processes and business systems and provides a product information backbone for companies and their extended enterprise.

Wikipedia

If the data and modeling can be more easily reused from phase to phase then PLM could be the game changer that we all thought BIM should be.  So, you think we could drop the whole BIM concept since it is too undefined and confusing?  Below is the type of graph that PLM could provide which constantly builds upon the data and modeling so that the end is more beneficial.

Comments

[Bruce Madsen]

...and the new term is pronounced "Bee-Plim".