Hello,
we now have a blog that is integrated with our website and will be using that in future. This blog will remain for the time being but won't be added to.
To find out what COMIT is up to please visit our new blog
Thanks!
Tuesday, 16 August 2016
Sunday, 17 July 2016
COMIT & IADD4UK - Earthworks challenge
by Iain Miskimmin
We have a challenge, a big challenge and we need a few good engineers to help tackle it!
We have a challenge, a big challenge and we need a few good engineers to help tackle it!
COMIT members are also by default members of the “Infrastructure Asset Data Dictionary for the UK” group. This group is here to help the UK BIM alliance and the major clients work out how to deliver the biggest and most difficult building block for BIM - the AIR or Asset Data Dictionary.
In short, what information do we need to know about our assets to make good decisions?
Here is a brief (15 minutes, sorry for the dodgy voice over) explanation video of the challenge:
I will be starting on an example asset breakdown structure and critical questions gathering exercise for an Earthwork.
So what do I need from you?
I am looking for your Earthworks experts. From those who design them to those who build them and maintain them. Whether it’s a motorway embankment, an environment agency dam, a railway cutting or some sort of sound bund.
If you can assist, please get in touch!
(P.S. If you are not a COMIT member but believe you can help with this challenge then we would still like to hear from you)
Conference Update #comit2016
By Jason Scott
Online booking for our conference in September (28th & 29th) is now open. The draft agenda is on the conference page and we have a number of great speakers already confirmed. We are also breaking with tradition and can announce that we will have joint Chairs on both days of the conference. We are lucky enough to have four very talented and well-known faces from the construction community bringing their unique insights and rigour to our proceedings.
Day one of the conference will be chaired by Anne Kemp, Director at Atkins for BIM Strategy & Development and Neill Pawsey, Head of Information Management at EDF Energy NNB.
Day two will be jointly chaired by Jennifer Whyte, Professor at Imperial College London and Phil Jackson, Royal Academy Visiting Teaching Fellow at University of Surrey and a regular chair at our conferences.
Among the confirmed speakers we have keynotes from David Wood, Chair at London Futurists and from Alexander König of VW - who brings a very interesting angle from another industry which has more relevance to construction than may at first meet the eye. For more speakers please see the draft agenda. Day 1 is essentially confirmed, but there may still be some minor changes to Day 2.
You may notice that we have not quite managed to separate the two days between CAPEX and OPEX as originally intended. However, Day 1 is still more owner/operator focused and on Day 2 we will be hearing more from construction organisation. Even better is that on both days we will be hearing from Fran Rabuck - a regular presenter at COMIT conferences and a firm favourite among those who love their gadgets.
As promised we have built in more opportunities for networking this time around. There will be a pre-conference dinner at the Union Jack Club on the 27th from 19.30 until 23.00. This is an exclusive venue with private bar BUT numbers are strictly limited. When you book online you can express your interest in attending the dinner and we will contact you separately. Priority will be given to COMIT members and conference sponsors and exhibitors - so book early!
There will also be a networking soirée immediately after the conference close on Day 1 until 19.30. This will be held on CH2M's premises and alcoholic drinks and light refreshments will be served. This event is FREE for all delegates attending the conference.
If you are interesting in sponsoring or exhibiting at the conference then at the time of writing some spaces are still available - but we are limited to 7 exhibition spaces this year and some are already taken, so don't delay. Details of the Sponsorship and Exhibitor packages can be downloaded from the conference page.
More updates will be posted as the details emerge. I look forward to seeing you all at a great conference!
Online booking for our conference in September (28th & 29th) is now open. The draft agenda is on the conference page and we have a number of great speakers already confirmed. We are also breaking with tradition and can announce that we will have joint Chairs on both days of the conference. We are lucky enough to have four very talented and well-known faces from the construction community bringing their unique insights and rigour to our proceedings.
Day one of the conference will be chaired by Anne Kemp, Director at Atkins for BIM Strategy & Development and Neill Pawsey, Head of Information Management at EDF Energy NNB.
Day two will be jointly chaired by Jennifer Whyte, Professor at Imperial College London and Phil Jackson, Royal Academy Visiting Teaching Fellow at University of Surrey and a regular chair at our conferences.
Among the confirmed speakers we have keynotes from David Wood, Chair at London Futurists and from Alexander König of VW - who brings a very interesting angle from another industry which has more relevance to construction than may at first meet the eye. For more speakers please see the draft agenda. Day 1 is essentially confirmed, but there may still be some minor changes to Day 2.
You may notice that we have not quite managed to separate the two days between CAPEX and OPEX as originally intended. However, Day 1 is still more owner/operator focused and on Day 2 we will be hearing more from construction organisation. Even better is that on both days we will be hearing from Fran Rabuck - a regular presenter at COMIT conferences and a firm favourite among those who love their gadgets.
As promised we have built in more opportunities for networking this time around. There will be a pre-conference dinner at the Union Jack Club on the 27th from 19.30 until 23.00. This is an exclusive venue with private bar BUT numbers are strictly limited. When you book online you can express your interest in attending the dinner and we will contact you separately. Priority will be given to COMIT members and conference sponsors and exhibitors - so book early!
There will also be a networking soirée immediately after the conference close on Day 1 until 19.30. This will be held on CH2M's premises and alcoholic drinks and light refreshments will be served. This event is FREE for all delegates attending the conference.
If you are interesting in sponsoring or exhibiting at the conference then at the time of writing some spaces are still available - but we are limited to 7 exhibition spaces this year and some are already taken, so don't delay. Details of the Sponsorship and Exhibitor packages can be downloaded from the conference page.
More updates will be posted as the details emerge. I look forward to seeing you all at a great conference!
Friday, 1 July 2016
The State of Construction e-Business in the UK
By Jason Scott
This report from Construct I.T. gives a fascinating insight into the current state of construction e-business in the UK.
Reproduced here, with the kind permission of Construct I.T. and the authors (Dr Robert Eadie, University of Ulster and Professor Srinath Perera, Northumbria University) it is based on a survey of 513 construction organisations.
Of those, only 55 responded in detail but the results are very interesting and the report draws a number of conclusions. Among the points that jump out at me are:
This report from Construct I.T. gives a fascinating insight into the current state of construction e-business in the UK.
Reproduced here, with the kind permission of Construct I.T. and the authors (Dr Robert Eadie, University of Ulster and Professor Srinath Perera, Northumbria University) it is based on a survey of 513 construction organisations.
Of those, only 55 responded in detail but the results are very interesting and the report draws a number of conclusions. Among the points that jump out at me are:
- The Positive effect of BIM on e-Business
- A lack of IT investment & IT knowledge on choosing the right products
- Problems with staff e-skills training
- Concerns about cyber-security
Altogether a very interesting read and thoroughly recommended.
Thursday, 30 June 2016
What makes a construction company truly innovative?
By Iain Miskimmin
Having dealt with deploying innovations into construction over the last 11 years it’s become increasingly clear as to which companies are truly innovative and which ones just pay lip service to innovations when prompted.
Admittedly, we don’t exist in an industry that encourages and rewards innovation, when contracts are awarded for lowest cost, profit margins are tight and those who are risk averse are in the driving seat. Nobody likes to be the first mouse, because the perception is that they will get smashed in the trap, whilst everyone else watches on and steals the cheese afterwards!
There are plenty of organisations out there that have amazing research and development teams, looking at incredible technologies, but these innovations are rarely talked about and only offered to the clients on a case by case basis, rather than an across the board, business as usual offering.
The problem with innovation, is that when it becomes ‘business as usual’ is it still by definition innovative? I won’t go down this theological discussion in this article however, I want to tell you about what makes a construction company truly innovative.
Throughout history we have seen that a strong leader, with a clear vision has been able to make people do what, in the clear light of day is against all their conscious thoughts. This hasn’t always been a good thing, but if we look at the leadership of those in construction, we see very few who have a clear vision of making their entire business do something that some will do perhaps unwillingly. A leadership that openly supports those who take innovations risks and actively funds initiatives that will potentially make a big difference even though there may not be an existing case study or any cold hard financial ROI facts.
This kind of leadership is rare but is to be openly applauded when used to make a real positive change within an organisation. However, a good leader is no use unless they have minions that are enthusiastic and can be directed!
The industry of 10 years ago is very different from the one we have now. Most of the people who work in it have access to technology that most only dreamed of in 2006. Now everyone has a smart phone, access to more information than they know what to do with and countless ways of processing it without the need to even place a call to someone “who knows how to work one of them damn electronic calculators”
We trust technology because it is familiar, but because it’s an everyday thing, it’s not innovative, new or ground-breaking. In too many projects, when the young graduate who has high hopes and low levels of cynicism suggests a new way of doing something the default setting from the project manager is no. This stand point whilst reducing potential risk, will, after a while stop your workforce from ever suggesting a better way of doing things ever again!
So as well as leading from the top, we must also encourage from the bottom, allow new ideas and innovative thoughts to be followed through on site level and them transmitted out to all other sites as required.
We always come back to the question of “What makes technology innovation fail?” and 90% of the time it is people. The only way we can change people is through strong enlightened leadership and active encouragement in the workforce. This of course needs to be backed up with funding to offset the risk, but the tiny amount of money this takes creates an ecosystem that makes that contractor the best at being truly innovative.
If you want to be a part of an already innovative community that will help you to make this leap, then join us here or at our annual conference.
Having dealt with deploying innovations into construction over the last 11 years it’s become increasingly clear as to which companies are truly innovative and which ones just pay lip service to innovations when prompted.
Admittedly, we don’t exist in an industry that encourages and rewards innovation, when contracts are awarded for lowest cost, profit margins are tight and those who are risk averse are in the driving seat. Nobody likes to be the first mouse, because the perception is that they will get smashed in the trap, whilst everyone else watches on and steals the cheese afterwards!
There are plenty of organisations out there that have amazing research and development teams, looking at incredible technologies, but these innovations are rarely talked about and only offered to the clients on a case by case basis, rather than an across the board, business as usual offering.
The problem with innovation, is that when it becomes ‘business as usual’ is it still by definition innovative? I won’t go down this theological discussion in this article however, I want to tell you about what makes a construction company truly innovative.
Throughout history we have seen that a strong leader, with a clear vision has been able to make people do what, in the clear light of day is against all their conscious thoughts. This hasn’t always been a good thing, but if we look at the leadership of those in construction, we see very few who have a clear vision of making their entire business do something that some will do perhaps unwillingly. A leadership that openly supports those who take innovations risks and actively funds initiatives that will potentially make a big difference even though there may not be an existing case study or any cold hard financial ROI facts.
This kind of leadership is rare but is to be openly applauded when used to make a real positive change within an organisation. However, a good leader is no use unless they have minions that are enthusiastic and can be directed!
The industry of 10 years ago is very different from the one we have now. Most of the people who work in it have access to technology that most only dreamed of in 2006. Now everyone has a smart phone, access to more information than they know what to do with and countless ways of processing it without the need to even place a call to someone “who knows how to work one of them damn electronic calculators”
We trust technology because it is familiar, but because it’s an everyday thing, it’s not innovative, new or ground-breaking. In too many projects, when the young graduate who has high hopes and low levels of cynicism suggests a new way of doing something the default setting from the project manager is no. This stand point whilst reducing potential risk, will, after a while stop your workforce from ever suggesting a better way of doing things ever again!
So as well as leading from the top, we must also encourage from the bottom, allow new ideas and innovative thoughts to be followed through on site level and them transmitted out to all other sites as required.
We always come back to the question of “What makes technology innovation fail?” and 90% of the time it is people. The only way we can change people is through strong enlightened leadership and active encouragement in the workforce. This of course needs to be backed up with funding to offset the risk, but the tiny amount of money this takes creates an ecosystem that makes that contractor the best at being truly innovative.
If you want to be a part of an already innovative community that will help you to make this leap, then join us here or at our annual conference.
Thursday, 16 June 2016
360 degree hi-definition Community Day
On June 9th COMIT held a Community Day at JCB World Headquarters in Staffordshire. COMIT regular Dr Max Mallia-Parfitt (Virtual Reality lead at Fulcro Engineering Services) brought along a 360 degree hi-definition video camera. If you have ever wondered what happens at a Community Day then his 360 degree view of the highlights will give you a good idea. Thanks Max!
Thursday, 9 June 2016
A fundamental problem with most BIM deployments
By Iain Miskimmin
Congratulations! You have forced your supply chain to collaborate, working together on a common data environment that controls all your data using BS/ PAS 1192 principles. You have set up a working COBie exchange mechanism and secured all your information according to the advice in part 5.
The client was enlightened, following the guidelines in the Soft Landings documents and BS8536, ensuring they had libraries, templates and a common classification system. All looked too good to be true.
Then the penny drops. You can control, share, secure, transfer and classify data in a common enforceable method throughout the lifecycle, but wait a minute… Just what information are we talking about?
here has been some sterling work done over the last 5 years, by some very hard working and clever people to ensure we have standards in place to do all of the above, but the “low hanging fruit” has mostly been plucked, and we have to look at the cold uncomfortable truth: the information we are specifying, isn't any different from that which we have had in our maintenance databases all along!
It tells us interesting things about who created it, who owns it, how tall it is and how wide it is. If we are lucky, it will even tell us what its design criteria or function is. But let’s test it to see if it will actually add value to our asset during its lifecycle:
Congratulations! You have forced your supply chain to collaborate, working together on a common data environment that controls all your data using BS/ PAS 1192 principles. You have set up a working COBie exchange mechanism and secured all your information according to the advice in part 5.
The client was enlightened, following the guidelines in the Soft Landings documents and BS8536, ensuring they had libraries, templates and a common classification system. All looked too good to be true.
Then the penny drops. You can control, share, secure, transfer and classify data in a common enforceable method throughout the lifecycle, but wait a minute… Just what information are we talking about?
here has been some sterling work done over the last 5 years, by some very hard working and clever people to ensure we have standards in place to do all of the above, but the “low hanging fruit” has mostly been plucked, and we have to look at the cold uncomfortable truth: the information we are specifying, isn't any different from that which we have had in our maintenance databases all along!
It tells us interesting things about who created it, who owns it, how tall it is and how wide it is. If we are lucky, it will even tell us what its design criteria or function is. But let’s test it to see if it will actually add value to our asset during its lifecycle:
- Find an engineer who works with this type of “thing” at any stage of its lifecycle.
- Ask him what would be the top 5 critical questions he would ask, if he was told to go and maintain this “thing”
- Try to find the answers to those questions in the metadata.
- If you can solve all the questions, then we have a winner!
It is perplexing to think that some of the answers we are getting now are associated with questions that were asked many years ago!
After all, that is why we are doing this BIM thing, so we can get better value through greater efficiency during the entire lifecycle of the asset.
Without it, we have potentially just got a great management system with nothing of value to manage!
(The whole idea of the article is to see what peoples reactions might be and there are some great differences of opinion! All valid and interesting!)
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