Managing Knowledge in A Building Information Modelling Context: A Case Study

Abstract

Technological innovations such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) offer opportunities to improve collaborative work and integration in the UK construction industry. The construction industry is one of the critical industries that operate in an information-rich environment, which relies heavily on knowledge as one of the strategic resources to ensure the tasks associated with the domain can be performed effectively and efficiently by the project team members. In order to take full advantages of both BIM and Knowledge Management (KM), there is a pressing need to integrate the two techniques for efficient construction projects delivery. However, very limited empirical research has been found in this area. Therefore, aim of this research is to investigate how UK construction organizations are managing knowledge in a BIM context. Qualitative case study approach was adopted to collect and analyze data. The results were derived from seven semi-structured interviews from a single project. This study revealed six key strategies that have been implemented for managing knowledge in a BIM context. They are: leadership support, improve access to knowledge assets, creating collaborative culture, hosting knowledge sharing events, capturing knowledge and creating information and communication technology infrastructure. The paper concludes that the UK infrastructure industry is heading in the right direction for implementing BIM however it is lacking knowledge management strategies. Therefore, managing knowledge in a BIM context is very critical. The leadership is most important critical success factor; leadership is about preparing organization with a Knowledge Management (KM) vision and values that resonate with the team, all employees, and key stakeholders. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop and deliver bespoke training programs to address, improve and measure the effectiveness of leadership skills for implementing KM strategies in a BIM context. Index Terms-Building information management, culture, managing knowledge, leadership, and implementation.