Implement BIM concept with project management tools

What is BIM? Definition and basics

The question "What is BIM?" can be answered quite quickly. The first thing to note is this: BIM is not software, but rather a concept that project management tools and other software solutions make use of. The abbreviation stands for Building Information Modeling – specifically, it's about planning and managing the lifecycle of buildings. The key to this is information about the building, which is virtually and digitally inserted into modern software and shared in this among those involved. The aim of the method is to optimize the planning, structural execution and use of buildings. Especially in structural implementation, working with COMAN represents significant added value thanks to high-quality CAD data.

How project management tools can utilize the BIM concept

Project management and the associated tools are COMAN's expertise. The project management software of the same name is therefore specifically designed for use within the framework of a BIM concept: the data required for this runs via an integrated IFC interface. This open file format is designed to help transfer data and information without loss between the project management software and the parties involved in the construction. This automatically improves communication between the company using the software and external partners such as suppliers.

The integration of the BIM concept into project management (and vice versa) offers several important advantages:

• 1. The open approach of BIM creates significantly more transparency in the project and thus increases trust between the parties involved - this benefits collaboration.
• 2. The higher quality of the underlying information and data increases the quality and effectivity of the work over the entire project period.
• 3. Modern software enables data acquisition in real time – this promotes the availability of the most up-to-date information on construction progress.
• 4. The better information base, also when working with external data, enables earlier and more reliable detection of problems – this reduces the costs of adjustments in planning and execution in the long term.

Project management tools, in combination with the elements of the BIM concept, create an important symbiosis that benefits all workers, managers and external service providers involved. This results in improved communication and organization, as well as a better overview of all aspects of the project in the long term. Since COMAN also covers the functions of defect management software in its product world, no additional software is required for this area of quality control – work can simply continue in the established system.

Another aspect of the BIM implementation in COMAN are the so-called Smart Objects. Here, individual parts and assemblies are interactively linked to the relevant data from other programs (such as parts lists and deadlines) on the basis of the CAD data. Using detailed colour coding, the status for each part of the construction site can be seen at a glance.