The role of the BIM Manager is essential for the successful completion of construction projects.
The BIM Manager is responsible for managing information throughout the project life cycle, coordinating the various parties involved, managing quality, time, costs and risks.
As you can see, the efficiency of projects improves with everything this player manages. But just because you have a BIM Manager does not guarantee that things will go smoothly. For that to happen, the person must be competent and excel in their role.
In this article, we tell you how to become the best BIM Manager!
What are the key skills for a BIM manager?
To excel as a BIM Manager, it is important to master several key skills. At BIM&CO, we recommend the following:
Mastery of BIM methodologies
It sounds obvious, but first of all it is essential to be trained in the BIM methodologies and software commonly used in the industry.
A study by McGraw Hill Construction shows that construction companies that have implemented BIM training programmes have experienced a 25% increase in productivity. And aslo, a 10% reduction in construction costs and a 7% reduction in construction time. To achieve these promising results, BIM Managers must be able to create and modify BIM models. They need to organise information in the models and coordinate data between different software.
Amongst the most commonly used software is Revit, which has a 92% market share according to a survey by the American Construction Association (ACA) published in 2021.
In the book “Paroles de BIM Managers par Autodesk” (Words from BIM Managers by Autodesk), Razvan Gorce spoke about this tool when he was working as an Architect and BIM Manager at Michel Rémon & Associés : “I only know of one software that can be used by architects, engineers, economists, construction companies and the operator at the same time: Revit“.
Project management skills
Secondly, BIM Managers must also be competent project managers. It’s vital that they know how to manage large-scale construction projects, plan project activities, track progress, set budgets, manage schedules and proactively solve problems.
A study by the Construction Industry Institute found that BIM Managers with project management experience tend to be more effective in planning. But also, coordinating and managing risks, which leads to more efficient and cost-effective BIM projects.
Certifications such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) can be particularly useful for gaining in-depth knowledge of project management.
Communication skills
Then, to manage the BIM project at its best, it is important to communicate effectively and persuasively. To be able to work as a team with the various project stakeholders, to coordinate activities and to resolve conflicts. A good BIM Manager must also foster communication between the other members of a construction project.
A study by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) found that construction teams that used BIM to improve communication between team members experienced an increase in productivity of up to 30%.
In order to improve communication to achieve these results, it is essential for the BIM Manager to carry out training on the subject. Then, he or she must put it into practice and communicate with his or her team. If possible, in several possible ways (meetings, written reports, etc.). In addition, you have to listen to the feedback from your team. This will be facilitated by active listening.
Data management skills
In order to successfully complete a construction project, you also need to be able to manage large amounts of BIM data and organise it efficiently. It is also beneficial to be able to create data management protocols to ensure consistency of data between the various project stakeholders.
Again, according to a survey conducted by the Construction Industry Institute, construction projects that have implemented effective data management have experienced a 30% reduction in costs and a 50% reduction in time, compared to projects without data management.
For this reason, it is essential that the BIM Manager has the right data management skills.
Knowledge of standards and regulations
A BIM Manager must have a thorough knowledge of construction standards and regulations. This way, he or she can ensure project compliance, minimise legal and liability risks. And ensure the proper management of project information and data. Standards and regulations have a major influence on the planning, design, construction and operation of construction projects.
For example, it is important to be aware of ISO 19650, which provides BIM managers with guidelines for creating, managing and sharing construction project information using BIM.
In addition, it defines the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders involved in the management of construction project information. This can help the BIM Manager to clarify the expectations and responsibilities of each stakeholder.
Simplifying the daily life of BIM Managers, thanks to a BIM content manager
Once these different skills have been acquired, the most important one remains in our opinion: being able to manage BIM content efficiently. At first sight, this may seem restrictive and time-consuming. So, to facilitate this essential task, it is quite possible for BIM Managers to use a BIM content manager.
BIM content management solutions, such as Onfly by BIM&CO, allow BIM Managers to manage, centralise and harmonise their multiple BIM contents in a productive way. Onfly is a cloud-based platform. It enables construction teams to manage content more efficiently through the integration of BIM tools and collaboration features.
The solution enables construction professionals, including BIM Managers, to manage BIM content in one place. It is an ideal tool to save time and capitalise on digital assets, reduce errors related to re-entering and modifying objects, and thus achieve better quality projects.
Discover our dedicated article: Onfly by BIM&CO: The efficient content management solution.
Ready to make the daily life of BIM Managers easier?
In conclusion, the role of BIM Managers is crucial for every digital construction project. Managing BIM content is an important task in their daily work, and can be greatly facilitated by a content manager. This is where the Onfly content management solution by BIM&CO comes in. This tool offers a solution for BIM Managers to manage their BIM content in a productive and efficient way.
With Onfly, it becomes easy to centralise and harmonise their multiple BIM contents. Allowing them to collaborate seamlessly with project stakeholders. This allows them to carry out their construction projects efficiently and effectively.
If you want to optimise your digital construction projects, contact us for an exclusive demo of the Onfly solution. You can then take advantage of our special offer: a free 2-month trial!
Take advantage of the Onfly trial offer
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