During the past few weeks, I've learned so much about BIM/Revit and its many uses. The technology clearly has an immense amount of potential and could completely revolutionize our field. However, we must stop to ask ourselves - will these changes really be for the better? Despite its many benefits, BIM also has some cons.
As with many new technologies, my biggest concern is BIM's effect on employment rates. We've discussed many times how traditional draftsmen went practically extent upon the release of AutoCAD and similar drafting software. In my estimation, BIM could very well have the same effect. Research conducted for last week's blog spot confirmed this is already underway, as less experienced technicians are losing their jobs and fewer designers are actually needed. Additionally, BIM is currently a highly specialized field that requires extensive training; I predict that it will be a lot more common and easier to use in the near future. I agree with Kaili Yue, who believes that easier access could also be a bad thing. Easy access + a flood of specialized technicians + easy to learn software could lessen the value of actually being a pro at Revit. At that point, you're nobody special; everyone will be able to do what you can do.
Another issue with BIM (current AND future) is its compatibility with other software. Revit serves a very specific purpose. It would be even more useful if a designer could easily export a model into system-specific analysis and simulation programs. It would also be helpful if designers could import information/tables/data from those programs back into Revit, to be stored in the model for review by others. We've spoken before about how Revit brings together all teams working on a project - whether that's MEP, structural, architectural, construction management, the project owner or even fabricators; wouldn't it be easy if all of the groups had easy access to a simplified version of this information?
Another issue discussed a bit in class and even further by my peer J Schwakoff, is the idea of ownership. If everyone on the project has access to ALL of the building project information and system details, there's little exclusivity. It's no longer about my data; it's our data. As a result, the question becomes, "Who owns what? Whose model is it? Who still has access and who has ownership even after the project is closed?"
Without a doubt, BIM is a wonderful invention. However, there are a lot of issues that still need to be addressed and questions that need to be answered.
Additional Comments
J Schwakoff also raised another excellent point. BIM is intended to enhance the design process but what if it does that exact opposite? What if it actually dumbs down the process and takes away from a designer's creative effort? We've all been warned about the dangers of technology doing the thinking for us. Just look at the computer/internet and its role in education. It's greatly improved the learning process in some ways but in other ways, it's also destroyed the learning process. We as humans don't have to know as much because the machine remembers everything for us; as long as we know how to operate the machine, all is well.
I really appreciate Catherine Stephens' use of formal resources. Her more in-depth discussion of BIM's technical issues was extremely informative.
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