This document provides an alternative view of the development of Building Information Management/Modelling (BIM) over time. It describes that early BIM development followed traditional, drawing-based methods and struggled to gain acceptance. As BIM failed to establish a full ecosystem, the construction industry's ability to manage project information declined. By the time BIM began to mature, the industry had shifted focus from quality to deals and risk levels had risen sharply. The document suggests that true BIM maturity is still dropping, meaning project risks continue to increase for all involved in architecture, engineering, and construction.

1. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – the official version

2. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
First, there was traditional, drawing based BIM –
a mostly 2 projection and contextual knowledge reliant AEC information management system
REAL

3. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
Then came in ‘flat CAD’ – though the early versions (even AUTOCAD) were very 3D focused
There were 3 significantly different stages of the application of this approach

4. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
BIM came in and hobbled behind CAD, in the background of the real action for a long time.
Because it never gained wide acceptance it never developed the full ecosystem needed to be
able to work ‘properly’ in the industry, something that the traditional and early CAD methods
had done over time and in turn could survive longer.

5. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
Over this timeframe the industry’s ability to smartly manage its project information dropped
(just think of the 2000+ CAD drawings that are nowadays ‘needed’ to describe almost any
average building;
Is that progress from say the number of drawings the Sydney Opera House was built from ?
worth looking up!)

6. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
‘Thankfully’ by now the AEC had long stopped being a manufacturing type industry where
Smart information management was important and turned into a ‘gambling’ like industry
where deals overruled quality;

7. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
The triangle that can be drawn over the fall of the information management ability of the
industry (coupled with the loss of other contextual knowledge and many relevant skills)
Will show how the type of risks hitting the industry were changing too;

8. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
Careful though!
The downwards pointing arrow in this case actually means a sharp rise in risks!

9. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
And with the industry having by and large lost its moral compass….

10. BIM MATURITY LEVELS – an alternative view of the development of BIM over time
(BIM = Building Information Management/Modelling)
The triangle is better viewed upside down showing that
with maturity of BIM still dropping in reality, the risks (for all AEC participants) are still rising!
REAL