BIM and Integrated Design (a book review)

It's time for a loooong overdue review of a book that we all need to read and reread:

BIM and Integrated Design;

Strategies for Archetectural Practice
By Randy Deutsch, AIA, LEED-AP

A while back I posted about the fact that their are no road maps to successful BIM and that we need more BIM explorers (as opposed to BIM navigators.) I stated that you should use the BIM compasses available to guide you in that journey.  Well, this book will teach you to build your own compass. You'll find the real substance you need to plan, execute, and  measure BIM implementation in your office.

Are you thinking about implementing BIM, but don't know where to begin?  Buy this book.

Has your firm implemented BIM, but you feel like you've hit a wall, or maybe BIM isn't all it's cracked up to be?  Buy this book.

Are you struggling with the fact that you have invested time, money and effort in BIM software, but have failed to see a return on investment? Buy this book.

In BIM and Integrated Design, the author (Randy Deutsch http://bimandintegrateddesign.com/) talks about the one thing that is consistently missing from most conversation about BIM... people. The social impact of adopting BIM, VDC, IPD, etc far outweighs the cost of software, hardware and training. Arguments about what a software can and can't do leave out the one thing we can actually do something about. How people handle change. Prepping your team to handle this change is what makes the difference between "wanna do" BIM and leaders in our industry.

In his own words:

"BIM and Integrated Design is an implementation book from a firm-culture standpoint, addressing Building Information Modeling as a cultural process with a focus on technology's impact and transformative effect - both potentially disruptive and liberating - on the social, psychological, and practical aspects of the workplace."

 The first part of the book is titled "BIM as Though People Mattered." And that about sums it up. Teach people about change and how to accomplish it, give them new and exciting tools to work with, map out short and long term goals to focus that change, and get out of their way.  Then you'll see some magic happen.  Throw some technology at people who don't really agree that anything is wrong in the first place, and you have a recipe for heartache. Applying technology alone to an issue rarely makes it better.

Some key points you'll learn:

• What you're really adopting when you adopt BIM. 
• The difference between adopting BIM and implementing BIM. (that difference is very important.)
• What are the real social implications of BIM?
• What strategies you should employ based on company culture.
• Who should really be working with BIM (in the industry and in your company.)
• How to work with others in a BIM environment
• Education and training tactics.

Mr Deutsch does a great job of laying this all out in language that just about anyone can understand. His experience as an architect and educator combine to make this an essential resource for those of us struggling with change in our industry. He wisely states;

"What design professionals do - what they produce - is neither facilities nor documents but change. Yet, ironically, when it comes time for them to confront it they seem to have such a hard time swallowing change themselves."

 So, in case you missed it, my opinion is that you should... BUY this BOOK! (click the picture above or go directly to Amazon and search for it)

I'd loan you mine, but I use it everyday. See.

Randy Deutsch- helping people everywhere to not fear the Big Bad BIM.

Edit: Added image of my copy. 8/24/12