Wu, W; Mayo, G; McCuen, T L; Issa, R R A and Smith, D K (2018) Building information modeling body of knowledge. I: Background, framework, and initial development. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(8): 04018065, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
This paper presents the first phase of the building information modeling (BIM) body of knowledge (BOK) research conducted by the Academic Interoperability Coalition (AiC). The AiC BIM BOK initiative identifies and examines the formation of a global BIM culture emerging from its ubiquitous adoption and implementation worldwide in the last two decades. It advocates both urgent needs and unprecedented opportunities to establish a BIM BOK to (1) develop a holistic and robust framework to capture BIM concepts, standards, best practices, and state-of-the-art innovations; (2) identify foundational knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to meet workplace BIM job task performance requirements; (3) benchmark desired learning outcomes and career-specific competency in cultivating future BIM talent; and (4) enable credible and authentic BIM education accreditation and training credentialing. This research proposes the working definition of BIM BOK as the systematically curated concepts and nomenclature, knowledge, best practices, standards, and expected outcomes pertaining to BIM and its implementation. It summarizes the literature and background review, identifies the theoretic underpinnings of the BIM BOK, and delineates a knowledge representation framework adopted by AiC to encapsulate the BIM BOK using a job task analysis (JTA) workshop. A preliminary inventory of the BIM BOK contents is also developed, which is further explored and evaluated using a rigorous three-round, consensus-building Delphi study in the next phase of the BIM BOK research. The intellectual contributions of this research include that (1) it promotes the broad awareness of an expanding global BIM culture and proposes a systematic approach, i.e., the BOK, to scientifically investigate its formation and impacts on advancing the field of BIM study; (2) it clarifies the theoretic underpinnings and justifies the practical implications of establishing the BIM BOK; (3) it creates a holistic and dynamic knowledge representation framework for comprehensive and multidimensional BIM BOK documentation across industry sectors; and (4) it lays the foundation for more comprehensive development, evaluation, and utilization of the proposed BIM BOK when evaluating building and use cases.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | industry sector, documentation, career, state of the art, body of knowledge, building information modelling, inventory, Delphi method, workshop, best practice, task analysis, implementation, interoperability, learning outcome |
| Subjects: | inventory management, professional development, industry analysis, student development, systems and processes, information systems, scope management, construction type, data collection methods, research dissemination and communication, business, knowledge management, contractual arrangements |
| Topics: | Education, Supply Chain Management, Digital Applications, Construction Technology, Procurement, Information Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here