BIM AND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE INFORMATION

One of my preferred quote is by George Bernard Shaw: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place“.

I don’t know whether the Author developed such conviction attending a design coordination meeting or in a different circumstance. However, that quote well describe one of the most depressing issue that happen working in the construction industry (and probably in any industry) whatever is your role and responsibility: lack of communication.

There is another successful motto saying “there is no I in team”. Well, just remind that there is an I in BIM which stays for Information.

I had a very recent conversation with a friend and colleague of mine and my point was that among designers (architects, engineers) and in Academia the focus has mostly been on the M of BIM (Modeling) where in the industry as a whole (including Owners, Contractors, builders) the accent is more on the I (because is it here you consider costs). The Model is just a way (one of the way) to bring, to check, to coordinate the Information and control the costs.

However, we should not overestimating the importance of the Information per se. The information, although accurate, if not properly shared or buried among thousand of other information, is pretty much useless. On the other end, too much information is dangerous too, as much as information shared at the wrong time or with the wrong recipient. Most depends on habits and behaviours and, as it has been told, "Of the three key components to successfully integrating BIM, behaviours are the most difficult to change" [BIM and Construction Management:proven tools, methods, and workflows, by Brad Hardin and Dave McCool, John Wyley & Son, 2015].

Starting from a very basic level, there is a common conviction that making a drawing and dropping an email is enough to communicate. But, communication presumes that an exchange has taken place and, beside the content, the focus should be be both on the sender and the recipient, otherwise the all mechanisms falls.

The DIKW pyramid shows the relationship between Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom.

In very short words: Data is the rough matter (input), Information is processed data (output), Knowledge requires communication to get eventually Wisdom, where choices are defined.

It is a process.

Information without knowledge means nothing, and you can’t make decision without knowledge.

For Russel L. Ackoff, "knowledge transform information into instruction" and wisdom, as "evaluated understanding", "is the ability to increase effectiveness" [Organizing Knowledge: An Introduction to Managing Access to Information, Jennifer Rowley; Richard Hartley (2006) - Ashgate Publishing]. All these concepts are consistent with BIM approach.

Obviously, the information must be correct, unambiguous, complete and accurate, but overlooking the way the information is transmitted, the instruction could be wrong and this, in the construction industry, happens all the time.

Moreover, the process D>I>K>W, from a BIM perspective, has to be seen not as a linear function but as reiterative process. A single piece of the mechanism would be at different stages Data or Information, part of the Knowledge process (instruction) or result of a Wise choice (evaluated understanding). A floor plan enclosed with a planning application reflects the complexity of a process and it comes at the end of it (W), but is less than rough matter (D) for the installer of a glazing system. Per se, that drawing could be correct, complete and accurate, but simply it doesn't contain useful information for who has to provide that specific service.

Having a clear understanding that the same document plays different roles along the time, and fully understanding the difference between Data and Information, is crucial for BIM and the process of knowledge (how the information is delivered and shared in form of instruction) is a matter of communication that must be part of the BIM strategy.

We are not talking about the information linked to or embedded within the model or cloud stored files as a solutions. Let’s for a moment forget about the M in BIM, and let’s thing about the accessibility of the information of standard documents like pdfs, drawings and spreadsheets and their printed copy.

Without full accessibility of these kind of documents (which are used every day on site) there may be the information (somewhere) but it will be never the knowledge.