In This Chapter

Keeping updated with current thinking

Sharing knowledge and experience

The Internet has provided a platform for instant access to information and a place in which everyone can come together and share best practice and knowledge. What’s more, often this information doesn’t cost a dime! However, to really harness its power, the transfer of information often involves a two-way process. A tweet, a post, an article, a presentation, or a good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation imparts to others your wisdom, knowledge, and experiences of hitting your head against a brick wall. As the saying goes, “You only get back what you put in.” So if you have something to say or advice for others, share it! Along with the sound investment you’ve made in the purchase of this book (thank you, by the way), this chapter lists ten great further resources to help get you on your way and how you can capitalize on them.

Using Social Media

As society progresses in this digital age, communication and interaction via social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are on the increase. Through the power of tweets, status updates, and links to articles, you can tap into a world of online communities that have a real sense of passion and enthusiasm and an environment of collaboration and knowledge sharing. Individuals should be able to access this information easily and influence a team without having to focus on practice strategies or needing to force their ideas through differing levels of management.

Whether it’s a link to a document, a discussion on best practice, or a tweet, the online community provides a vast, untapped, free resource of information and comradeship. This ideology has been helped by various leading industry figures showcasing their knowledge and sharing it with those around them. Twitter and other social media outlets break down communication barriers between small and large organizations, regional or global organizations, and sole practitioners, academics, and journalists.

Twitter is largely self-regulated, and people are free to express their opinions and minds. Just be mindful, however, that you’re broadcasting to the world. A general rule: if you wouldn’t want your granny to hear it, don’t tweet it. Remember that anyone can join in on your conversation. If you tweet something controversial or incorrect, then you’re going to know about it.

Don’t know where to start or whom to follow? Have a look at Construction Manager’s most influential, interesting, and informative Building Information Modeling (BIM) tweeters via #BIMtwitter50 (https://twitter.com/hashtag/BIMtwitter50). Whether a BIM manager, contractor, product manufacturer, architect, or government official, the campaign aims to list the top 50 Twitter users you should be following to be involved in the BIM conversation. Also check out Building Design magazine’s yearly top BIM tweeters list via #BDTwitter100. The #UKBIMCrew (https://twitter.com/hashtag/ukbimcrew) has become a legacy to the early adopters in the UK seeking out and sharing knowledge among each other on an open platform. Its influence has now moved to #GlobalBIMCrew (https://twitter.com/hashtag/globalbimcrew). The groups aren’t exclusive, and nor do they focus on one area of BIM implementation or process. Rather, they provide a search mechanism for the industry to seek out an exhaustive array of discussions, debates, questions, and information all relating to the UK and global BIM communities.

Watching Videos

You may be surprised by how much you can take away from a video. Whether it’s fixing a fence or figuring out how to sew a button onto your shirt, sites such as YouTube (www.youtube.com) are great places to gather new skills. YouTube and similar sites are more useful than just for watching videos of cute animals or people falling off skateboards. They’re a fantastic resource full of instructional videos and tutorials by likeminded and enthusiastic individuals and companies. A simple search online can uncover many hours of content.

In addition to YouTube, we suggest that you try these sites:

• The Revit Kid: At http://therevitkid.blogspot.co.uk, you can find tips, tricks, and product information created and maintained by the Revit Kid, also known as Jeff. The site was initially started to help his peers. With a limited amount of video-style tutorials available when Jeff was learning Revit, he decided to address the issue head on.
• National Building Specification (NBS): To see what the rest of the industry is up to, we suggest a quick perusal of this site (www.theNBS.com/BIM) that covers a broad range of programs, including case studies, technical guidance, and interviews with leading industry figures.
• The B1M: Called the B1M because it hopes to inspire a million people through its videos, mobilizing BIM adoption around the world, this great resource (www.theb1m.com/about.asp) has lots of five-minute short videos, great when you don’t have a lot of time to spare and want to get straight to the point.

Attending Trade Shows and Events

For those people who stay steadfast in traditional means of communication, events and gatherings are a superb place to not only network with your peers but also come together and share ideas. Although online communication is great, you can’t beat good old face-to-face meetings to meet others involved in the field and share knowledge.

Networking at trade shows and events is hugely important, allowing those interested in BIM to meet regularly to discuss themes and the progression of BIM in the industry. Events are organized by professional institutions, software vendors, and like-minded people who want to share best practice. You can also listen to leading industry figures right through to BIM newbies wanting to share their experience through open-mic sessions.

Reading Blog Posts

Many great bloggers are out there spreading the word of the BIM gospel, and a quick Internet search can point you in the right direction. Some blogs are summaries of various BIM events and presentations attended, and others are full of opinion pieces, tips, tricks, and the occasional anecdotes.

Listing all blogs would be impossible, so we offer a few suggestions for you to start:

• Construction Code: Independently run by Stephen Hamil, PhD (director of Design and Innovation at NBS), the site (www.constructioncode.blogspot.co.uk) is a useful resource for up-and-coming information relating to BIM, construction, and technology. He also provides great summaries and round-ups of the various conferences that he speaks at and attends. You can also follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/StephenHamilNBS.
• Practical BIM: From Aussie architect Antony McPhee, this blog perhaps isn’t as updated as frequently as others, but the site (www.practicalbim.blogspot.co.uk) is about quality rather than quantity. Antony provides no-nonsense guidance, opinion pieces, and food for thought.
• The Case for BIM by Casey Rutland: Check out (http://caseyrutland.com). Aside from having the greatest pun-named website, Casey is an architect and associate director at Arup Associates and one of the founding forefathers of the #UKBIMCrew and now the extended #GlobalBIMCrew. He also compiles the yearly #BIMTransferSeason, also known as “The List,” that’s published as an image on various social media platforms on New Year’s Eve. Generally, The List is interesting on a personal level, but it’s also the beginning of tracking the head-hunting trends of large companies over the recent years. The List isn’t exhaustive and is mainly limited to those who share BIM-related knowledge on Twitter, but it’s representative of the demand for BIM experience and expertise in the industry. You can also follow Casey on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CaseyRutland.
• Bond Bryan BIM blog: An award-winning blog from UK architectural practice Bond Bryan, the site (www.bimblog.bondbryan.com) is run, written, and maintained by architect and associate director Rob Jackson. The site is full of opinion pieces, top tips, and all things OpenBIM. The site also features downloadable useful documents that cover BIM acronyms, a BIM dictionary, and the different file formats. This site is a great example of a small and medium enterprise (SME) company proving that size isn’t a barrier to BIM. You can also follow Rob on twitter at https://twitter.com/bondbryanBIM.

Perusing Publications and Journals

Magazines and trade journals are excellent sources of information. Many are now in both print and digital forms, and they also feature regularly updated websites. Although some carry a small subscription charge, many offer a free digital version. Here are two of our top choices:

• AEC Magazine: Published bi-monthly, this magazine (http://aecmag.com) has a UK emphasis and is a good source of news on software and hardware technologies and collaborative working practices.
• AECbytes Magazine: This online publication (www.aecbytes.com) has been going since 2003. Its main focus is on research and analyzing and reviewing technology products, and it’s full of articles including conferences and show coverage, product reviews, case studies, and the usual tips and tricks sections.

Tapping into the Government

A number of national governments have mandated or are intending to mandate BIM. Many include dedicated websites that feature resources and downloadable documentation. In the UK, the BIM Task Group (www.bimtaskgroup.org) provides support, access to all BIM4 Groups, and lessons-learnt documents. It highlights the latest news and gives quick industry updates as well as links to the government projects. The US General Services Administration (www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21062) features a number of downloadable guides as well as details of BIM Champions throughout the different regions.

Signing Up for Software User Groups

Most software vendors support user groups both regionally and internationally. Although some groups are organized and arranged by the vendors themselves, others are established by enthusiastic individuals. Groups are usually free to attend and offer a good opportunity to network and share experiences, as well as a mechanism for feeding back issues directly to the software vendors.

You can find details of many of these groups by searching online or by having a LinkedIn or Twitter presence. Your local software vendor reseller usually can point you in the right direction.

Joining Associations and Forums

Associations and forums are places where people come together (either physically or virtually) to share ideas, opinions, and views on particular issues often through subcommittees or specialist group interest areas. They include the following:

• BIM Forum: This forum’s mission (https://bimforum.org/) is to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of BIM within the AEC industry. The BIM Forum shares user experiences and goals via online forums and practical industry conferences. Sub-forums look at particular issues and topics such as technology, insurance, and academic and legal issues.
• Fiatech: This membership organization (www.fiatech.org) considers itself an international community of passionate stakeholders who work together. The group’s aim is to lead global development and adoption of innovative practices and technologies to realize the highest business value throughout the lifecycle of capital assets.
• Institute for BIM in Canada: Its mission is to lead and facilitate the coordinated use of BIM in the design, construction, and management of the Canadian built environment. Check out www.ibc-bim.ca.
• BIM-MEP AUS: This global leading industry initiative (www.bimmepaus.com.au/home.html) strives to address some of the barriers to the adoption of BIM in the Australian construction industry. The group looks to address issues such as standards, practices, guidelines, and work flows.
• UK BIM4 Community Groups: A number of BIM4 groups have been set up to form specialist interest groups who’ll champion BIM within their respective specialist areas. Their aim is to develop consistency of messaging in a clear and concise manner to support both new and existing professionals in their respective BIM journeys. They cover a wide range of areas from water and rail to retail and infrastructure, and the future-gazing group, BIM2050. Why not get involved — or, better still, why not set up your own group?

Visiting Virtual BIM Libraries

Sometimes the out-of-the-box content just doesn’t cut it or simply isn’t available. BIM object libraries can save you time by providing you with pre-configured objects.

Do be careful, because quality and reputation vary from library provider to library provider. Some libraries are community based, so you don’t always know the quality of the object you’re bringing into your model, and others may only be limited to a particular software vendor’s platform.

The BIM object library market sector is a competitive one, and a simple Internet search can bring back a good research list. With BIM being mandated in the UK, a number of UK and European providers dominate within this market, most of which are focused on a COBie deliverable.

Heading to Summer School

Although not cheap, many software providers and software user associations organize a summer school or the strangely named university. These schools usually consist of conference training, networking, and sometimes the opportunity for certification, and they often take place over a few days or a week. Although some of these schools go under the guise of a university, actual academic universities and colleges do also run a number of courses.

As well as advertisements in trade magazines or software vender newsletters, check out your local university or college website because you may have a course running on your doorstep.