Attitude or Technology?

I wrote in an earlier post about some tools and ideas for how to really get started with BIM, but I think on key element that was missing was talking about the importance of attitude over technology. So something dawned on me a few months ago and I was further convinced this past week with a presentation from John Tocci Jr. Attitude may be more important than technology...

Now before anyone gets all worried, I am not prepared to renounce my love for technology. I still believe that technology is one of the keys to moving forward and staying ahead of the tightening grip of schedules and budgets.

So sure you can run out and buy a copy of any BIM technology, stick it on your business card that your firm is now BIM enabled, then toss someone in the corner and tell them to go go go in their little silo. You can then hope that this person or team gets everything right and on their own and tries to promote it back out to the masses eventually. But do you see a winning attitude there? Not really, it’s what’s referred to as "lonely" BIM and does not foster positive expansion. You could also throw a mighty tablet of BIM Standards down on the masses and mandate BIM in your organization, but that is not going to make anyone happy now it is? Running to the computer store to purchase all new hardware and new “toys” makes for some happy people for a few weeks (because it’s like Christmas come early) but it still may not be enough to make BIM successful.

When I have seen BIM properly integrated into an organization (construction, architecture, interiors, or basket weaving) it was because of the attitudes of those involved in the project. They tended to look at things with an open mind, open ideas, and willingness to listen and learn from everyone around them. BIM is truly a social and collaborative engagement. Those that have succeeded choose not to focus solely on the Technology but about the process that were going to be put into place and how they were going to communicate. They trusted that the technology was going to do its job and that the people could be trained or mentored as needed. Technology was not the thing that held them back. Sure it was the single item that brought everyone to the table and started the conversations but it was the attitude of everyone involved that propelled the project forward and allowed them to collaborate about how things would be done.

When you’re starting to bring BIM tools (Revit, Navis, QTO, Civil 3D, ect.) into the company and engaging on your first project. Stop and consider the people that you’re going to have, your “fastest CAD” user might not be the right choice for a BIM team. Anyone ever see the 3rd Indiana Jones Movie? Remember the scene where he is about the pick the grail and the knight tells him to "choose wisely"? Well this is kind of like that. Choose the right group to approach things with a positive attitude and your technology with be successful...