Bradley BIM-Revit Resource Portal

"We are reviewing the future implementation of a firm-wide BIM Manager for our organization. What type of BIM Manager compensation packages have you seen for a design firm of our size?"

A colleague, serving on a design firm's Executive Planning Committee; recently emailed me this question.

First; Define the Roles & Responsibilities

Before discussing compensation; define the BIM Mangers’ roles and responsibilities. Create a detailed description that includes the tasks a firm perceives and foresees for this position. Define a job description using these 12 current & future tasks; that are common for today's BIM\VDC Managers.

Once they define the roles that this position will serve both now and in the near future; firms can move to the next step, the BIM Manager compensation program. This will also enable firms to identify a candidate for this 'lead' management position.

Executive Checklist for BIM \ VDC Manager Job Description (Sample)

BIM, Revit, Standard & Alternate Project Delivery, Construction Documenation & Specifications, Office & Mobile Technology, and Building & MEP Prefabrication processes are reshaping the design, engineering, construction and facility management landscape.

One Core commonality amonst these processes; people and processes areDIGITALLY connected.

When defining this position, consider to simultaneously review and redefine these corporate plans; to better integrate with the BIM\VDC Manager position.

• business,
• marketing,
• design,
• professional development & workflow
• compensation

The BIM\VDC Manager will serve collaboratively in a multitude of roles; that are listed below:

01) The position requires someone with a variety of mastered skills; that can serve in both billable & non-billable roles.

02) They will have Revit-BIM Project experience; making decisions based on proven methods; that they can reference. Not theories, not the latest grand ideas; but processes that are supported by successful project case study experience.

03) BIM Managers are the Quality Control Managers; that typically link project models to corporate standards for product specifications, BIM library & graphic standards, codes & standards, construction details & keynoting, and construction documentation.

04) BIM Managers or Digital Design Directors may serve as field agents for the firm as the project goes into the construction phase.

05) BIM Managers have key roles in the firm's professional development program to provide staff with new procedures and strategies for leveraging new software features & benefits. The goal, transition them into financial & time benefits for marketing, production, construction and contractual obligations.

06) This role is mobile within the office, across the project team and to the construction site. Firm need to provide the equipment, transportation and communications technologies that complement the position.

07) The individual must be able to communicate effectively in-person, via email, on video and/or Skype.

08) They will be accountable for planning and setting corporate technology & training budgets.

09) They need a working knowledge of "positioning" the firms' technology commitments for the next 3-4 years; to effectively create a technlolgy roadmap. For larger firms, they'll serve collaboratively with the IT Manager on the future technology implemenations. 

Designers and constructors have used wood, clay, cardboard and styrofoam materirals to create scaled building models to help their clients understand their construction projects.

3-Dimensional CAD models and now Building Information Modeling (BIM) have proven effective to present the full scale construction project with design options to the facility owner. That said, owners may still feel like observers looking at 3D images of their buildings and not active participants inside their building.

This is where Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) gaming technologies become game-changing for both designers and owners. By using goggles and visors rather than projector screens; designers and owners are immersed into the project model. VR \ AR technologies place the Owner onto the "field of play" as a player and inside their construction models.

Project teams are incorporating the BIM project files from the design and construction process into their client Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) presentations.

Rather than explain with words; these videos demonstrate how firms are using Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to optimize their client experiences by,  "Taking a client ... to where no client has gone before."

Virtual Reality (VR) uses a digitally constructed environment; like a Revit (BIM) project file.

Virtual Reality for Healthcare

The Healthcare industry has been testing and using variations of VR, AR & holography to create virtual human organs and the human body for several years. They are used to train healtchcare professional while also being used for mock medical procedures.

Now Healthcare Design-Construction teams explore the use of VR\AR visors to "immerse" doctors, nurses & technicians into virtual healthcare rooms; like surgery, patient care & MRI suite designs layouts.

Turner Construction | MRS (Medical Research Solutions) uses this technology to obtain design input from medical professionals; that they will eventually use to design-construct these rooms.

Augmented Reality (AR) overlays the Virtual Model (BIM) into the actual 'real' space.

Augmented Reality Prefab Industrial MEP Skid

Augmented Reality for Project Architectural Master Planning

Greg Lynn FORM, Trimble, and Microsoft HoloLens are exploring opportunities to transform the architecture process. Mixed reality enables Lynn to immediately get a sense of scale, form, and space so he can easily visualize his ideas and make decisions more quickly.

Sketchup \ HoloLens Viewer | Stair & MEP Field Construction Review

 Augmented Reality for for Furniture, Fixture and Equipment Sales

Augmented Reality Toilet Room Pod Drywalling and Construction

StrXur interviews Martin Bros. BIM VDC Manager Cody Nowak for his creation of a proof of concept involving a bathroom pod frame being built using Microsoft HoloLens technology and no actual plans. A first in the AEC industry and an exciting innovation with great potential.

Augmented Reality Sandbox for Site Countour Modeling

Augmented Reality for Print Media

Imagine the possibilities of incorporating this Quadgraphics AR App into product specifications, tech data, installation and maintenance documentation for an Owners'  Operations & Maintenance Teams.

The 'Actable' app scans the printed page, that has a special QR code graphic embedded in the print image.

It then activates & displays a Virtual Product Model, Video, Installation or Maintenance Video on the mobile devices.

VR\AR technologies are transitioning from cool ideas; to being harnessed for valuable decision making processes. When that becomes valuable to the project, it creates billable services to improve the design-construction process.

How many "easy questions" do BIM Managers receive from their staff; that can be answered with a simple 1-2 sentence answer?

These questions provide BIM Managers with "Teachable Moments" for their staff or "Moments of Learning" for both staff and the BIM Manager.

I can assure you --staff members will be back to ask the same questions for future projects. New staff  members will have the same questions or variations of similar situations.

Repetition is how we ALL learn.

So, if "Time is Money"; you can't afford to waste the time of your staff, the project, the company and/or your own daily schedule.

Proactively building a Revit video library of short 2-4 minute support and training videos; will help save everyone's time.

Create videos to answer common process-based questions. It puts the BIM Manager in control of their time; while delivering on-demand self-learning & technical support.

For camera-shy BIM Managers, you don't need to use cameras or be on camera.

Since 2008, I've used the screen recording software, Camtasia Studio and SnagIt from TechSmith for creating my Revit technical support and training videos.

Camtasia records your mouse movements on your computer screen; while you are using a feature or performing a process in the application software (Revit, Excel, AutoCAD).

It also records your voice as you explain and train on a short procedure.

Once you complete the recording, save the recorded screen-capture to a Camtasia project file.

Next, select the "Produce and Share" command to create a video file in Windows (AVI\WMV) or MAC (MP4) video formats. Consider the following tips and procedures to use, store and protoect your video content.

Bradley BIM Learning Academy 2016 FREE, Rep-Sponsored BIM Manager Lunch-N-Learn Webinar Series --for Revit-BIM & VDC Management Teams.

1. Lunch-N-Learn Webinars are being offered in the US and Canada.

2. Lunch will be provided by your local participating Bradley Rep Organization.

3. Lunch-N-Learns are typically planned for the third Wednesday (Eastern & Mountain), and Thursday ( Central & Pacific) of each month.

4. They will be conducted from Noon to 1:00 for each of the 4 time zones.

5. Client to provide meeting room, computer with cabled broadband internet connection, video projector+screen or HDTV and audio speakers for VOIP connection.

6. *35-minute BIM Lunch-N-Learn (webinar format) followed by a short hosting Rep Agency introduction + Bradley product demonstration.

7. Lunch-N-Learn attendance will be limited to a maximum of 12 client attendees, unless approved by the hosting Bradley Rep Agency.

8. Initially, conducting a Lunch-N-Learn webinar is contingent on availability of a participating Bradley Rep Agency; Plumbing Fixtures or Washroom Accessories.

Since 2012, more than 2,000 professionals (architects, engineers, contractors & facility owners) have attended Bradley BIM Learning Events.