Recently I was asked why I try so hard to keep a singular model in Revit using the architects', MEP and structural information when I could just as easily create my own.
Great question.
My answer was, "Because there is only one google."
Needless to say this slightly confused the person asking the question who couldn't seem to draw the parallel I was trying to make.
I further elaborated on this concept and point.
BIM is not CAD.
BIM will not and should not be forced to function in the same way we have been using CAD for the past couple of decades. The old CAD way had us managing hundreds or thousands of CAD drawings that were somewhat organized in a format we pray can be managed later in the project when due to schedule constraints the project manager throws thirteen new and strange people to draft on the project. Where more often than not they are inputting loads of information that is incorrect, contradicts other drawings or the specs and then wonder why document quality stinks.
CAD is a series of information silos. No I don't care about xreferenced drawings.
BIM is not an information silo.
So to get back to my point. There is only one google.
Google is a great example of one source of user entry, input and extraction that streamlines and manages the information for the user in a useful way. Currently valued at over 158 billion dollars, even in a time of recession, (people need information now more than ever..) there is something to be said for the value this tool creates. That said there is no separate site for any of the following:
- Google for Engineers
- Google for Architects
- Google for Construction Managers
- Google for Subcontractors
- Google for Field Personnel
- Google for Estimators
- Google for Owners
- Google for Code Compliance
- Google for Sustainability
- Google for Facility Managers
lastly...
No specific Google for BIM Managers, Virtual Construction Managers....either
The real value and appeal of Google is a single source of information.
A fundamental screw up in the way our industry is heading is not working together to begin building an actual honest to god usable tool. It's easy for us general contractors to get in a rush, think we're more important than the rest of the team and fail to understand the value of educating the team above to create BIM's correctly as opposed to wasting a lot of time and resources of the course of the next 111 projects with the same team or same members.
Conversely, GC's need to gain an understanding of what is important to the team members to see from us (GC's). Turns out no one on the team knows it all and the better we can facilitate answers for the team the better results.
....just like Google.
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