What makes a good BIM manager?
Reliance on BIM during the construction process is becoming heavier in the industry. In companies which are focusing heavily on BIM, there is a significant importance on BIM teams. An efficient BIM team consists of a BIM Lead who ensures that the different facets of project’s guidelines are being delivered appropriately and in the right format. Then there are BIM modelers who have significant knowledge in their domains and have experience and expertise in working on BIM software. However, any team is as good as the leadership it gets and hence the BIM manager plays an important role in ensuring the team is motivated, productive and efficient.
The BIM manager’s key role is to ensure that the department and the project is running smoothly. He must also take care of the quality checks, delivery schedule, work allocation, project phasing etc. The BIM manager ensures that all the BIM Services provided by his company are of high-quality and in the stipulated time frame. Below we look at some of the qualities that make a good BIM manager:
- Experience: The BIM manager must have sufficient experience in working with BIM and also in a management position. Having domain specific knowledge is extremely important but it is only the actual experience that can help them with certain problems. Experience can guide them on how to deal with problems and also provide solutions to employees about doing a task most effectively and quickly.
- Knowledge: The BIM manager must also have requisite knowledge about various areas of construction like architecture, structure and MEP. They should also have working experience of all BIM software like Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla etc. On top of this they should be on top of market trends, constantly upgrading their knowledge on newer software versions and technologies, as well as any novel methodologies to execute project.
- Interpersonal Skills: As a BIM manager, the person has to deal with both the team as well as the stakeholders or clients. Each requires a specific set of interpersonal skill that determines how well the team follows the instruction and how satisfied the clients are. BIM manager for his team must keep them motivated, should be able to make different departments work together and resolve any issues that arise. At any point while dealing with the subordinates the BIM manger must be diplomatic, yet firm, ensuring that their team respects him as well as is not scared of bringing any issues forward.
- The ability to look at the complete picture: The BIM process involves members from the different backgrounds who work together. A successful BIM manager right from the start needs to set an action plan which involves all of them working together and solving issues in association with each other. This might involve putting forward S.M.A.R.T goals for the team i.e. specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time-based goals right from the project commencement. He must also be able to anticipate certain issues and manage the schedule and timeline of the project accordingly.
- Time Management: The key area of any preconstruction or a construction process is the timeline. Any delay in one area might cause a domino effect that could end up having a huge impact on the cost. The leader must channel his experience and knowledge to create a project timeline so that it doesn’t end up reducing the profitability or lead to clients not getting the desired quality of deliverables in a given timeframe.
Conclusion:
Thus, the BIM manager must be aware of a variety of areas. His in-depth knowledge of projects and ongoing positive relationship with the team affects the morale and the quality of the team and work. A BIM manger must hone their skills so that the they are able to effectively lead the team and ensure the optimum working of his team.
About Us:
Tesla Cad UK is an Architectural and Engineering company that offers Architectural, Structural and MEP BIM Services. Our aim is to provide robust and cost effective building design solutions to a diverse client base across UK and Europe. Our 13+ years of experience and high quality deliverables makes us the ideal choice for your BIM requirements.