Design Information Modeling. An Emerging Concept.

I have always loved non-fiction.  I have never really been that interested in fiction.  However, I have come to the realization that if life is an illusion, perhaps non-fiction is in fact fiction.  These writings can certainly be classified as being fiction since they are new concepts presented to the AECO Industry and world.

According to sources on the internet, BIM is a twenty plus year concept derived from G.A. van Nederveen and F.P. Tolman in 1992 academic papers and Charles M. “Chuck” Eastman basically brought it to the open market, developed computer aided design and drafting, continued in academics and capitalized on these inventions. Chuck is deserved of many more accolades but I would like to dive in on a different trajectory.   

The BIM concept redefined the AEC Industry by developing the Building Description System (BDS) which consists of the third through the eight dimensions in the AECO Industry evolution. Google Search:

AI start3D (The Model): combining the 2D drawings into a three-dimensional digital model (x, y, and z-axis), allowing teams to visualize the building's geometry and run "clash detections" to see if pipes or beams overlap.

The Higher BIM Dimensions (4D to 8D)Once the 3D model is built, extra "dimensions" of data are attached to it:4D (Time/Scheduling): Adds project sequencing and construction scheduling so teams can visualize the building process over time.5D (Cost/Estimating): Links price data and material quantities to the model for real-time budget tracking.6D (Sustainability/Energy): Analyzes energy consumption, carbon footprint, and life-cycle sustainability.7D (Facility Management): Stores operation manuals, maintenance schedules, and warranty data for the building's future owners.8D (Health & Safety): Integrates safety regulations and hazard prevention data directly into the design and construction phases.

AI ending

The industry does have an opportunity or a problem, depending on your preference, that has yet to implemented or brought to market.  The first and second dimensions in the AECO Industry is the Feasibility Phase and the Design Phase. To complete the academic and practice loop, we are introducing Open DIM™ which stands for Design Information Modeling. These are the first two dimensions or stages that Chuck introduced to the industry in the early 90’s.

AI start

The Foundation: 1D and 2D1D (Concept & Strategy): This is the pre-design stage. It includes the project brief / charter, initial sketches, regulatory research, site analysis, and the foundational ideas before any formal drafting begins.2D (Two-Dimensional Drawing): This is the traditional CAD or paper drafting stage. It consists of flat, x and y-axis drawings like floor plans, sections, elevations, and construction details.

AI end

Open DIM or DIM is essentially Design Management branded and packaged in a way that would trigger OPMs, Architects and Engineers, Owners, and Facility Managers to rethink of Design Management in the most efficient, streamlined manner with the intent of using efficient best architectural and engineering design programming practices.  Not only will the information be open, but practitioners need to be open-minded. Open to learn, open to speak another AECO Industry language, open to be guided through different approaches, academics, platforms, software, standards, and practices just as the industry was completely charged and evolved with BIM. 

Open DIM is the foundation of a project lifecycle and an industry pivot on how design management is framed. Again, the first dimension includes the project charter, thumbnail sketches, regulatory research, site analysis, and programming ideas either before hiring the Feasibility design team or can also be part of the feasibility design team contract deliverables. This is before the procurement of the designer and their consultants and before the schematic design deliverables.

The second dimension is how architects and engineers have been practicing for eons. It started with blue prints generated from pencil on trash, pencil on Mylar and then pen on Mylar.  Just around the time BIM was coined, Computer Aided Design and Drafting hit the market and transformed drafting in a matter of years.  Again, invented by Chuck Eastman.  Keep in mind CAD is drafting software, rather than capturing, assembling and packaging information that the disciplines have to offer.

The service provided by owner’s project managers. Most of the processes are stored in the minds of the great project managers however, this model will greatly improve the pre-construction phase and will create more efficient best practices, standards for OPMs, assist in crucial research and step that tend to be neglected or forgotten, will highlight the importance of design decision and program process transparency as well as tracking the end user needs and wants to eliminate scope creep and costly change orders.

Until DIM™ becomes a house hold term in the industry. The goal of DIM is to level up the Best Practices and to evolve the industry at whatever pace it so chooses. It is a new way to package the service, reduce human error, automate and save the owners unplanned capital asset, improvement and expenditure costs. There are current practice that the project managers, designers, disciplines and registered practitioners do extremely well however, growing a data base allows for greater opportunity for infinite products, services and successful transparent projects.  

Open DIM will be running in the background as Open BIM did and businesses can carry on as this concept as it continues to grow.  The joy that will come about is the collaboration, focus, discussion, ideas that are built upon foundation fundamentals, how we envision the future and what it will do for jobs and the economy. We can anticipate 65% of the current jobs will change and be fully replaced by 2035. Therefore, there we can begin to experience this transition immediately.   There is nothing more exciting that that.

Thank you for your time.  Please reach out with your exciting ideas.