Why BIM doesn't mean what you think it does anymore

When people think about infrastructure, they often think about physical assets.

Roads, bridges, railways, water networks and power systems. But infrastructure is really about the services these systems provide and the outcomes they enable for society.

Civil engineers are not only responsible for delivering infrastructure, but for ensuring it continues to perform, adapt and provide value over decades of operation.

To do that effectively, we all need better information.

Better information leads to better decisions and better outcomes. In many ways, that is what BIM-led initiatives have always been about.

Redefining what BIM stands for

Although BIM stands for building information modelling, I, and many others, often describe it more simply as ‘better information management’.

Over time, BIM has evolved far beyond 3D models and software.

At its core, it’s about creating, managing and sharing trusted information so people can make better decisions throughout the whole life of an asset.

Increasingly, many are moving away from focusing only on the term BIM itself.

The conversation within the ISO 19650 series (the international standard) is now much more centred around information production and information management (IM).

BIM is not the end goal, nor is it a single technology or software platform.

BIM is still very much used, more than ever, but it’s one part of a much wider shift towards managing data more effectively across the built environment.

Enabling systems thinking

The ISO 19650 series built upon earlier UK standards such as the BS/PAS 1192 suite, which established a more collaborative and consistent approach to IM across projects, organisations and supply chains.

Today, ISO 19650 provides an internationally recognised framework for managing information across the whole asset lifecycle.

This matters because infrastructure doesn’t operate in isolation. Transport, water, energy and digital systems are increasingly interconnected.

Decisions made in one area can have significant impacts elsewhere.

Civil engineers therefore need to think beyond individual projects and consider how assets operate within wider systems, networks and service outcomes.

This is where IM becomes so important.

Infrastructure projects generate vast amounts of data

Infrastructure projects generate vast amounts of digital information, from documents and structured data to BIM, computer-assisted design (CAD) and geographic information systems (GIS) models.

The challenge is making sure that it's trusted, connected, usable and reusable throughout the asset lifecycle.

It’s about asking:

• Do we trust it?
• Who produced it and when?
• For what purpose?
• To what specifications?

Knowing these things and more is what we already call ‘metadata’ in IM and information technology (IT).

Information is an asset

Asset owners are increasingly recognising that information is an asset in its own right.

If it's not reliable, organisations struggle to operate, maintain and improve infrastructure effectively.

Decisions become reactive. Risks increase. Opportunities for resilience, productivity and efficiency are missed.

This also links closely with the ISO 55000 series for asset management.

ISO 55000 focuses on how organisations realise value from assets over time, while ISO 19650 supports the structured information needed to make that possible.

Digital twins are only as good as the information they’re built on

Digital engineering and digital twins are now becoming part of this wider conversation.

However, digital twins are only useful if the data behind them can be trusted.

Without strong IM processes, digital twins risk becoming disconnected visualisations rather than valuable operational tools.

Good information is what joins everything together.

It’s not about digitisation for the sake of digitisation

Much of my own work with governments and organisations, including the World Bank, focuses on helping infrastructure owners take a more systems-led approach to asset management and digital transformation.

The aim is not digitisation for the sake of it.

It’s about helping organisations unlock greater value from infrastructure through better information, improved governance and more informed decision-making.

The pace of change can be overwhelming

My background combines geospatial information, IT, infrastructure and asset management.

This has shaped my interest in connecting disciplines that have often operated separately.

But even with a strong background in digital, data and technology, the pace of change remains a constant challenge.

For those newer to these areas, it can feel overwhelming.

This is one reason why I now spend much of my time focused on education, training and helping organisations manage change more effectively.

I regularly explore these themes through the BimTube Podcast, speaking with industry leaders, standards experts and practitioners involved in areas such as ISO 19650, digital twins, asset management and infrastructure transformation.

What is becoming increasingly clear through these conversations is that the industry is moving towards a far more integrated and systems-focused way of thinking.

Civil engineers don’t need to become digital experts

The ICE State of the Nation 2022 report highlighted the importance of improving infrastructure productivity and strengthening information flows across asset lifecycles.

It also reinforced the need for stronger digital skills across the profession.

Civil engineers don’t all need to become data engineers or software experts.

But understanding IM, systems thinking and the principles behind standards like ISO 19650 is becoming an essential part of modern engineering practice.

For civil engineers, IM is no longer a specialist topic.

It's becoming a core professional capability for delivering the resilient, sustainable and connected infrastructure systems society depends upon.