Digital Construction

Three weeks left to determine information management’s future

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Digital construction professionals have three weeks left to give their feedback on the draft revisions to Parts 1 and 2 of the 19650 standard. The deadline is 3 May.

More than 300 comments have been submitted so far to the consultation on Part 1. More than 100 comments have been submitted on Part 2. Nima and BSI are seeking constructive comments, which must include alternative proposals. In a recent webinar, nima chair Dr Anne Kemp OBE said: “If there are things that you’re troubled by, that you don’t like, say so, but then tell us very clearly what you would like to see instead.”

She added with emphasis: “Please, if you like what you’re seeing, indicate that you like it, because otherwise all that we’re responding to are the negatives – and that would be unfortunate, because the negative comments may actually be a minority view.”

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In the webinar, 19650-1 author David Churcher MBE noted: “The fundamental principle of ISO 19650 is the same as it always has been – that information and data are valuable commodities that need to be managed properly in a collaborative environment. That is where we start from.

“The focus of the standard is very clearly now about the whole life of assets. We have removed the distinction between the delivery phase and the operational phase, and all we’re talking about now is the outcome to develop and maintain asset information models from the management process.”

Parts 2 and 3 combined

19650-2 author Paul Shillcock delivered highlights of the changes to that part. The main change has been known for some time, but he offered more detail: “The international steering committee voted to combine the information management process for the delivery phase of assets defined within 19650-2 with the operational phase of assets defined within 19650-3 into a single process covering the whole of the asset lifecycle. The main reason was that they wanted those involved during the operational phase of assets to be front and centre at the start of an asset-related project, not just at the end of it, and to help asset owners and maintainers to find their place within the process.”

“The proposed changes have already sparked debate on LinkedIn, but it’s important that everyone shares their views with the formal consultation and not just on social media.

Former nima vice-chair Casey Rutland noted in a recent call to action on LinkedIn: “Standards are not written by ‘them’. They are written by those who show up, by those among us who are passionate about enabling our industry or products to progress, by those who commit a little time ‘now’ rather than lots of time later, battling with things they disagree with.

“The standards are drafted by practitioners who (like many of you reading this) want to see and help industry change, not by ‘them’ or ‘they’ or by a hierarchical closed group. If you choose not to engage, that’s okay, but the outcome will reflect the voices that did.”