Ariyachandra, M R M F; Jayasena, H S and Perera, B A K S (2022) Competencies expected from an information manager working in BIM based projects. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 18(1), pp. 49-66. ISSN 1557-8771
Abstract
An Information Manager (IM) has an exclusive and unique role to play in a project. Yet, the competencies expected of an IM have not been adequately defined. The other professionals in the construction industry define this role in their own way ignoring the industry needs. Thus, this study aimed to define the competencies expected of an IM. To achieve this, the tasks expected of an IM were first determined through a desk study using BIM guidelines. Secondly, an informal public opinion study was carried out using online data sources. The collected data were then analyzed using NVIVO software to outline the competencies required of an IM for each task. Finally, an expert interview survey was carried out to validate the outcomes of the study. The findings revealed that an IM must be a construction professional well-versed in construction technology and contract administration and that the IM must be competent in using Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows/software. The study contributes to knowledge by identifying the gap that currently exists between industry needs and the performance of professionals working as IMs, which would be invaluable when designing a curriculum for a course on information management within a BIM environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building information modeling; competencies; information manager; skills |
| Index terms: | building information modelling, contract administration, construction professional, construction technology, construction industry, manager, interview, survey, workflow |
| Subjects: | contract management, digital engineering, practitioner, management, professional development, information systems, industry analysis, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Contract Administration, Information Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PTE |
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