How many BIM Managers are there?

I asked this question on my Annual BIM Survey and so did AUGI.  AUGI did its Salary Survey for 2010 and published the results in AUGIWorld magazine which you can see the full report here.

I want to zero in on the BIM Manager title to see how it has changed over the years.  I looked back to 2008, 2009 and 2010.

What the AUGI survey shows is that there is a larger and larger portion of managers who are starting to use the BIM Manager title.   In 2008 there were 131, then in 2009 there were 148 and finally in 2010 there were 258.  This is a showing that now 30% of the responders who define themselves as Managers are in BIM positions.  That is over 15% more than last year.

In my survey I asked for job titles and found that over 44% of those that used some form of a BIM title were defined as BIM Managers.

That compares to 43% last year and 41% in 2008.

The 33% that have some other form of title include things like:

CAD Manager
BIM Program Manager
BIM Technologist
Engineering IT Manager
Senior Design Software Analyst
BIM Implementation Specialist
BIM Specialist
Digital Design Manager
Design Systems Manager
Production Manager Revit

I asked this question on my BIM Manager Survey for 2010 and here are the results…

In 2008 37% of those who held a BIM title (like BIM Manager) said that they had a formal written Job Description.

In 2009 that number was reduced to 32.4%

The trend toward lower numbers continues in 2010 with only 29.3% of those responding saying that they had a formal written Job Description.

I think this trend might be caused by more people informally moving into BIM positions in firms that have not created job descriptions.  These people migrated into the position (or maybe were hired into other positions under other job descriptions).

My concern is that if this trend continues,the industry may miss an opportunity to define the role.  Without a generally accepted definition of this new BIM Manager position, there runs a risk of the position having such random application that it carries little weight on a resume or when advancing your career.

To see an example that I have created -  go here

Help me put the final touches on my BIM Manager class for AU2010.

I am looking to compare prior surveys to what is happening in 2010.  By looking at the changes from year to year, we can see the progress being made and where there might need to be improvement.

I created them on SurveyMonkey

BIM Position Survey 2010 – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X27M6BF

BIM Training Survey 2010 – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X2CDXWL

BIM Software and Projects Survey 2010 – http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/X2RNF9W

I need the result in 14 days – I know,I am starting late on this effort.

Please help me by giving your opinion.  Results will be shared at AU and also on my blog after the presentation.

Thanks,

Mark

When starting a BIM/Revit project you need to have a plan for what should be defined before you start the project.

Here are some of the basic areas to include in your Revit Project Planning Guide

1. Project Goals / BIM Objectives: You need to document the strategic value and specific uses for BIM on the project as defined by the project team. This is not just dreaming, but it defines what the team expects to achieve.  If this cannot be defined, how will you know you have hit the target.

2. BIM Process Design: You should clearly illustrate the execution process through the use of process maps.  By defining who does what and when it is done, you can get everyone on the same page.

3. BIM Scope Definitions: This defines the model elements and level of detail required to implement each use of BIM.  This should be clearly defined in the information exchanges requirements document.  Who needs what and when do they need it.

4. Organizational Roles and Staffing: You need to identify the organization(s) who will initiate the development of the each portion of the BIM Plan, as well as the required staff to successfully implement the plan.  Who does what and what staff is needed.  Also what tools will be used.

5. Delivery Strategy / Contracts: You should define the delivery strategy which will be used on the project. You should also review language that is incorporated into the contracts to ensure successful BIM implementation.  Define it all in contract language.

6. Communication Procedures: The team should develop their electronic and meeting communication procedures. This includes the definition of model management procedures and file exchange (e.g., file naming conventions, file structures, and file permissions) as well as typical meeting schedules and agendas.

7. Technology Infrastructure: While not critical to some, you need to define the hardware, software and network infrastructure required to execute the plan by each team member/firm.

8. Model Quality Control Procedures: You need a procedure for ensuring that the project participants meet the defined requirements and monitored this throughout the project.  This is the measurement and control process.

There are a lot of firms that have not embraced BIM and may not even be investigating its use.

Before you start thinking that they are going to be left in the dust and will be out of business in 5 years or less, let’s ask the question first.

Is BIM push back just the plight of smaller firms? Are all big firms going to BIM?  Are there any big AEC firms that have not started moving to BIM and have chosen to stay on plain CAD or 2.5 D CAD?

Many firms have production capabilities built on tools other than BIM.  They are productive, accurate, design focused and getting the job done.  They think “Why move to BIM?”

Their thinking may be:

1. We are happy where they are – We are productive.  My team is trained.  We are making money and we are fine without BIM

2. We are forced to stay where they are by economic reality  – we cannot afford BIM.  It costs too much.  We have software now that is paid for.  The cost of upgrading is making us not even think about it.

3. We are forced to stay where they are by business reality – we have to compete on speed.  Transitioning to BIM will slow us down.

4. Training cost will kill us – money is the issue as well as time.  We cannot afford to have someone take 3-4 days off production to get trained.

5. None of my competition is moving in that direction – others are using CAD and getting work.  They propose and win and can do it cheaper in CAD.

6. I cannot convince my clients to make the jump – they don’t care about BIM or anything it brings to the table.  They just want their plan drawings done.  They don’t want any fancy 3D or animations or renderings or anything else.  They want to pay as little as possible and get it done fast.

Are there other reasons for not moving to BIM?  Do they relate to firm size?  Clients or markets?

Let me know by leaving a comment…  why are you not moving to BIM?

All of us think we are embracing BIM wholeheartedly.  We think that we are moving forward and making progress by expanding our talents in BIM.  We see more and more projects delivered using BIM tools and processes.  But are we free from legacy tools yet? There are so many that still use CAD tools for some portions of the projects that it still may be the crutch that not easily discarded.

Why can’t we all just jump into the future and use all  BIM tools now?

Here are a few statements that I hear people giving for not using BIM even though their firm may have started the march toward full implementation:

The old tools still work for some portions of the design process.

My staff is not fully trained.

We have a compressed schedule and cannot afford to miss deadlines.

Others on the design team have given us CAD files and we just kept on using them.

The client gave us old files that are in CAD.

CAD is dependable and I know how to use it.

We do not have enough software licenses for everyone to use it yet.

I could go on and on, but you get the point.  Some of these reasons may be legitimate and reflect real issues, but sometimes they are excuses that people hide behind when they just don’t want to take the time or effort to move forward.  The BIM Manager has to address each of these issues and provide workable plans for getting past them.

The plan might outline stepped levels of progress to address the concerns.  Move forward should be done in stages.  Your firm may not progress if you just rip away the CAD platform and force everyone to jump.  I have heard about firms that have done that, but it is after the workforce has reached the tipping point.  They were embracing BIM with gusto and sweeping away the CAD platform was the last step of a managed migration.

So plan out the steps needed to get your staff trained, licenses purchased and processes for dealing with CAD files so that your firm can continue to making small steps that will eventually allow you to jettison the crutch.