BIM Show Live and Future leaders

Time I kept the writing up and blog while in between meetings, on the way to see friends, even while having my first Hendricks before the beginning of a long needed bank holiday weekend.

So BIM Show live is upon us and yet another exciting week of sharing knowledge, learning, networking with BIM friends and finding time to socialise all in the space of a few days.

I feel excited and happy about this years event, that not only am I speaking but I'm orchestrating an area for some key people all looking forward to a bright future. The futures area will sit in between the exchange hall and the main auditorium. The key is to ensure we engage the BIM community at large, learn from those implementing and drive positive results for our future. The space will only house couple a small seating area, maybe a few stools but we will be looping a video and also have an interactive display we hope all delegates interact with. Thanks to Faro, Topcon and Whitefrog all of who have donated small extras we will give away at the end of the show too. Please help us to gain some knowledge and grow a positive future for our industry not only here in the UK but also abroad.

I am also lucky enough to be presenting with Angel Velez, Autodesk Senior Principal designer and expert on all things IFC. I look forward to sharing some real experiences using the open source code (from an architects perspective) and I'm sure most are excited to hear Autodesk's approach to IFC development. We present on Wednesday afternoon, alongside some other exciting and interesting classes which will inform this year. I am actually a little excited about a few days outside if London. ;-)

Now for the weekend...I look forward to seeing all my UKBIM friends next week, and of course making new ones.

New Adventures and a Digital Dream

What is Digital Node?

Following 12 great years in industry, through several amazingly rich projects, people and Architectural practices I have decided to explore an opportunity to create a space where I am able to not only share my knowledge, but to embed myself in processes, places and with people that truly inspire me. I therefore felt it appropriate to build a business not only based on these 'BIM' processes, but one that touched on my greatest passion - design.

Digital Node is therefore informed by Design, Technology and Innovation. 

It seeks to support projects and influence their development in positive ways. To help shape beautiful buildings and allow for a more productive workflow is the key.

The business is therefore divided into four streams or tiers. 

1. Digital Process and design. 

2. Technical Support and Training

3. Strategic Advice and Implementation

4. LIVE Support on Projects

The following streams engage in areas I feel were lacking in general in current industry process. It was important for me to stay engaged in projects as a consultant hence why the top three points are supported by the final point of remaning intact with live projects as a technical support or a strategic innovator informing clients of proposed supply chain incentives and by products. 

The one area I felt relevant and one in which I had the desire to actively influence this industry ties in with the work I undertake within the BIM2050 team here in the UK. It is about young people, working with schools, engaging with them because I want to and because I care.  

If we as industry professionals cannot help these young people, inspire them and drive them to be passionately engaged with the construction industry as we know it, we are at risk of losing a huge pool of talent to other industries moving forward and into the future. 

So....I conclude.... Here is to the future, to Digital Node and to a happy life.

V&A and Time

I've always had this strange dream. To design virtual environments that could transform your world, take you somewhere special and ultimately change your perception of what is real and what is not.

My thesis and strong design theory background allowed me to explore the way spatial mapping, analysis and digital manipulation could create such beautiful moments in time, a virtual artistic memory of those processes.

You can imagine then, that when the opportunity to submit the images I felt so closely connected to arose, I literally jumped at the opportunity.

Not only did it reinforce that true ideas, beautifully rich imagery and bespoke processes are individual but it has allowed me to search deeper and acknowledge how important these types of projects are to me.

The link to the blog is located here:

http://www.vam.ac.uk/b/blog/news-learning-department/digital-design-challenge-2013

Thank you to the V&A for reminding me of what it is that truly inspires me and how to reignite a very strong and important part of my process as an architect to date.

Generational workplace behaviours, new processes and shifts in technology

A culture has now formed in the world that is obsessed with the delivery and speed of information and data.

This will continue to develop at rapid speed and we therefore need to address how this will continue to affect our industries and relationships. These patterns will develop and must be acknowledged and addressed. Mark Zuckerberg changed life for us. Generation X leaders and workers will dominate our workforce in the coming years and we must acknowledge how this will alter the way we currently interact and deal with business, as well as how we embrace shifts in technology? What is clear is that it is definitely in need of a fresh approach or we are at risk of making similar mistakes as our Baby Boomer counterparts. We are a generation who require a good balance of work/life culture, a workplace that glorifies collaboration, innovative entrepreneurship, and an expectation of full-time workplace enjoyment and flexibility. If we don't get it - we want out. In short, we want to make a million dollars while working from a coffee shop, in trainers, with our friends and in on our own flexible time.

 

When considering the future needs of the workplace and our workplace culture we need to seriously take these things into consideration. To grow the right people and right mentality, and to keep those employees loyal it is absolutely necessary to ensure the above areas are addressed. I recently attended an innovation session where some of the audience were from varied backgrounds and generations. The approach toward collaborative processes, workplace changes and approaches to business were all quite varied and different. I extrapolated that this was due to the fact we all, not only were born from differing generations, but were also filtered through varying industries and business models. Those that follow these processes are part of a majority - my stance was different. I spoke of personalising approaches to collaboration, enhancing and promoting innovative solutions and encouraging younger industry professionals to discuss their thoughts and passion. I managed to convince a few about the idea of this 'personalisation' approach but it was only a discussion and one that didn't go further on that evening.  

 

 

It leads onto the whole debate about changed culture and our industry when it comes to BIM. It's not really all that difficult to imagine an industry that actually embraces change. Look at fashion, the automotive industry and even small design hubs. For whatever reason the traditional processes in building and construction are slower to progress and change. I have dealt with a huge variety of professionals across the industry, from C level to graduate. We can't all work in offices like Google but we do need to ensure we have the right mix of 'separate-togetherness' or we run the risk of scaring young employees away from the profession. This is not a concern for Generation X leaders, we understand it, acknowledge it and ensure it occurs in our workplace lives.

 

In many ways we just need to get on with it! We need to be working through the process and understand that there may be shifts in workflow and technique on all levels as we are at such a pivotal stage in the development of these new processes in the UK. We should be encouraging changed approach in both technical abilities and theoretical implementation. We also need to ensure, and as I mentioned above, we focus on the concept of 'personalisation'. This theory and approach I have found successful in training and management, as well as collaboration on projects and with teams, as it ensures the person remains aware of their set of responsibilities that are bespoke to them as an individual. It is also interesting to see how this filters through larger organisations. It must be pushed heavily from the top down for it to succeed. Strong leaders hire managing team members who vary in skills and personalities and who can ensure their incentive follows the message from the top.

 

 

 

The future needs of our industry are varied - this is clear. BIM is only one part of this developmental process and the industry is still in a state of flux when it comes to understanding the realistic nature of what level 2 BIM actually means. Ultimately it should be an understanding that technological changes will continue to evolve at rapid speed and what the Gen X leaders must do is ensure they embrace these changes, draw together those willing to learn and change, and then ultimately get ready for the next challenge that awaits them.