How to successfully structure a BIM team?

BIM team or BIM departments or BIM groups created by many Architecture, engineering and contracting companies or construction companies are the one that performs collision detection, coordination, automated BOQs, phase wise 3D modelling, etc. They act as separate from engineering or CAD departments or groups. Some companies integrates all facets into one group such as CAD draughtsmen working as BIM detailers / BIM authors / BIM modellers, and has engineers who are knowledgeable on AutoCAD platform while they design / engineer particular systems.

Now-a-days, companies are separating BIM professionals completely creating own in-house BIM departments or outsourcing BIM scope to BIM outsourcing companies as they come along, knowing that BIM modellers / BIM authors and BIM professionals are having vast experience on working on projects that utilized BIM.

Some companies uses this as advantage to best utilize what BIM actually does i.e. save company money or save more in project budget internally. While others use the BIM group / Bim department to participate in BIM focused projects as required by general contractors or employers.

Manpower Resources or Personnel

As you have always heard of the phrase that “teamwork pays off”. Team is as good as people in it. You can have a perfect BIM coordinator or a BIM Manager but if the BIM modelers / BIM authors are not having work experience or work ethics to perform BIM tasks consistently well, your BIM team will not be a decent competitor against the rest of the BIM teams.

We are not saying that there is no room for employing BIM interns or different levels of BIM Modelers. We are just conveying that if your BIM team is not having a proper management by experienced and well versed BIM leads who are having working knowledge of BIM processes, BIM workflows and extensive knowledge of software involved, your BIM team will suffer consequences.

It will end up causing opposite effect of what was intended at start which will cost you money and will be costly for you.

There might be several BIM hierarchies defined in various BIM standards and or company organization structures, we will be outlining BIM teams generic structure by starting with BIM leads.

BIM Lead

A BIM lead is needed to manage different teams that are working on different projects or to manage a sub-department within a BIM team. Project specific standards and processes are setup by BIM lead keeping the core standards intact provided by BIM Manager or Project Director with the help of BIM lead. This includes naming conventions, layers / categories from different standards or processes such as Model transferring for coordination purposes, ensuring project guidelines are in place as expected by clients, etc. BIM lead ensures that different facets of projects are being delivered in correct format keeping a running schedule for detailers and so forth. BIM leads are most knowledgeable and BIM champion in the BIM group / BIM team reporting directly to and partially to BIM Manager / Project Director.

BIM Manager

A BIM Manager position is a must in the BIM team. It is the one who oversees the entire team. In larger companies which are focused heavily on BIM and sees the true value of BIM, they will have Director of BIM services which will be overseeing various BIM groups / BIM teams within the company, multiple offices around the globe from a central location and constantly follows up on project deliverables and meetings with different BIM managers.

BIM Managers must have more experience in BIM based projects and BIM related costs and management than BIM leads and should have countless projects experience under their belts. BIM Manager should have relative experience in BIM with project management skills. Working knowledge of BIM software is sufficient for BIM Managers regardless of intense tech-savvy skills. They should be involved in the process of creating standards and process documentation to which BIM teams will adhere to. This should be achieved with combined experience of BIM leads and BIM Managers.

BIM Managers should be involved in each project that requires BIM services from conception stage to final deliverables debriefing BIM Lead(s) for project basis to gain insightful knowledge such as software requests, hardware requests, training requests, ideas, updates, and most important the project information to be able to participate in BIM driven meetings. In case more BIM projects are to be handled by BIM Managers, a BIM Director can be appointed to oversee multiple BIM Managers.

BIM Managers rely heavily on BIM Leads and should have acute BIM based knowledge for final decision making required to run proficient BIM teams by utilizing multiple experience of different BIM projects.

BIM Modelers

BIM Modelers should not be confused with CAD draughtsmen. BIM Modelers are experienced on BIM projects and shall utilize 3D BIM / 3D CAD software which CAD draughtsmen are not using such as AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD Architecture, Autodesk Revit, Navisworks and other. BIM modelers are the ones who helps in running your projects efficiently.

Hiring processes of BIM modelers should include initial interview performed by BIM manager to seek for candidate’s previous projects experience and references along with work ethics. This helps in screening candidates who are currently lacking skills sets required. The next stage should involve BIM Leads to check candidate’s software proficiency. A test procedure should be in place for each software your company uses. There can be different levels of BIM modelers if your company needs more BIM modelers based on nature of tasks such as help with design documentation, simple annotation tasks for installation drawings that will be extracted from BIM models or BIM modelers can be differentiated based on background discipline they have experience in. For example, BIM Modeler Level 1 will be required minimum BIM experience and only needs to know AutoCAD and 3D BIM modeling basics while BIM Modeler Level 4 would require extensive project experience in BIM and a certified professional in BIM software they will use.

BIM Technology

BIM Directors and/ or BIM Managers will get multiple requests from BIM team such as hardware upgrades, faster workstations, multiple monitors, gaming mouse, etc. Also some software requests such as software add-ins for enhanced capabilities other than default features, upgrades, hot fixes for AutoCAD or Revit. These are the types of requests which BIM Director or BIM Manager should be able to handle. If BIM managers do not have extensive background in BIM, they would not have the knowledge to be able to take the costs of technology request and the usefulness of the BIM team.

There is fine line between the cutting edge of engineering technology and being on the bleeding edge. The latter ends up in unnecessary resources and results in non-rewarding expenses.

The above texts are simply a guideline which we have experienced on vast array of BIM projects and Architecture, Engineering and Construction companies and we have seen these process work and truly believe in its structure.