Abstract:
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a set of technologies, tools, processes and approaches that is bringing a fundamental change to construction industry across all stages of design, delivery and operation. Although BIM is encouraged, promoted, and even in some cases mandated at upper levels of the AEC industry, successful adoption and implementation requires the efforts of individuals who are prepared to take responsibility for driving and influencing practice at a project and organisational level. The importance of human factors in BIM implementation, such as competencies, training and education, relationships, attitudes and personal traits, are often identified in the literature. However, in much of the ongoing research in BIM, they are merely acknowledged to be necessary or important, but not examined in any detail. Their influence on BIM progress are sometimes touched on in case studies and surveys, but the focus tends to be much more centred on technology and practice. This study looks to the people identified as leaders and influencers in BIM environments, and explores the roles they fill, their backgrounds and understanding of the BIM process. Their perspectives on these soft issues, as well as the broader technical and process context of BIM, form the focus of this thesis. The overall inquiry into the impacts of BIM adoption on roles within the AEC industry is addressed through two central research questions. The first explores the ways in which BIM adoption has created or influenced the creation of new roles within the industry, whilst the second considers how the characteristics of the individuals tasked with BIM adoption and implementation have affected the development of BIM. These questions have been addressed through a qualitative interview survey which included 73 BIM practitioners identified by their peers as BIM specialists or leaders in BIM implementation in New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. This was supported by a comparison of two case studies of emerging BIM practice in New Zealand. The findings show that the introduction of BIM has progressed to a point where BIM roles are now common across many sectors of the AEC industry. Many of these are traditional roles that have expanded or changed to include significant BIM responsibility. Others are new roles that have emerged to fulfil specific needs for management of BIM information, process and strategy in projects and organisations. However, even with this increasing involvement of specialist practitioners in BIM and wider industry practice, the status of BIM as a professional role is still not established. Many practitioners expressed feelings of insecurity regarding their current position, suggesting that work to provide greater clarity around expectations, education and certification, and career progression is necessary so that BIM practitioners can be assured that such roles have value and recognition. The experience, skills, passions and concerns of those tasked with ‘being’ BIM within a company or project environment have a significant influence on BIM implementation. Employing and developing people with the appropriate skills and attitudes to take on BIM roles thus has a great benefit to companies and the industry as a whole.