By Ilaria Fazzini, BIM Coordinator at studioNWA and Reginal Lead for London, Woman in BIM
Starting a career in a BIM role is rarely straightforward. After completing a Master’s in BIM and Sustainability, I encountered several challenges in finding a position that could provide both confidence and clarity in my professional path.
With a background in architecture, I initially believed that my direction was already defined. However, over time, I found myself drawn toward something more, particularly the digital side of the industry. I have always been motivated by problem-solving and by the desire to improve workflows and simplify everyday tasks. This perspective naturally led me to BIM, encouraging me to explore what it truly represents and how I could build a career within it.
Despite my academic preparation, entering the professional world was not immediate. The main obstacle was a lack of practical experience. My first role as a technician involved creating 3D models from point cloud data and integrating structured information into them. I later moved into a position as a BIM Coordinator. While these experiences were valuable, they also highlighted a number of uncertainties about my role and future development.
One question consistently emerged during this journey:
What defines a BIM Manager, a BIM Coordinator, or a BIM Technician?
Through my involvement with Women in BIM and its mentoring programme, I was able to explore this question further. I initially joined as a mentee seeking answers, and I now find myself in the position of a mentor facing the same question from others.
Over time, it has become clear that there is no single, definitive answer.
BIM roles are often described through lists of responsibilities or required skills. While these descriptions can be useful, they do not fully reflect the reality of professional practice. Individuals rarely fit perfectly within predefined categories, and effectiveness in a role often depends more on adaptability and the ability to grow than on meeting every listed requirement.
Why BIM Roles Vary
Understanding BIM roles requires considering the context in which they exist. Several factors influence how these roles are defined and performed.
Responsibilities can vary significantly depending on the type of organisation and its focus. The same job title may involve different tasks, priorities, and expectations depending on the environment.
In architecture, BIM roles are often closely linked to design development, model authoring, and coordination during the early stages of a project. There is typically a strong focus on information embedded within design models and how this evolves throughout the project lifecycle.
In construction, the focus shifts towards delivery, coordination across multiple disciplines, and the practical use of information on site. BIM roles in this context often involve managing information flow between teams, ensuring constructability, and supporting project timelines and sequencing.
In consultancy, BIM roles can take on a more strategic dimension. This may include advising organisations on standards, workflows, and digital implementation, as well as supporting multiple projects or clients simultaneously. The emphasis is often on consistency, governance, and aligning processes with broader organisational goals.
While these distinctions are useful, they should not be seen as limitations. The core principles remain consistent, and moving between these contexts is both possible and valuable. Each environment offers a different perspective, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of BIM as a whole.
The size of a company also plays an important role:
- In smaller organisations, roles are often broader and require flexibility
- In medium-sized organisations, responsibilities begin to be more structured
- In larger organisations, roles tend to be more specialised
A key distinction lies in how organisations approach digital processes.
Some are in the process of implementing digitalisation, while others are enhancing systems that are already in place. These two stages require different mindsets and approaches.
Implementing digitalisation often involves significant change. It requires individuals and teams to rethink how they work, how they communicate, and how they manage information. Enhancing digitalisation, on the other hand, focuses on improving existing practices and increasing efficiency.
Another important development is the shift in how BIM is understood. Rather than being seen as a standalone concept, it is increasingly positioned within a broader framework of information management.
Standards such as ISO 19650 already emphasise this approach by defining who is responsible for information, when it is required, and how it is delivered. The current revisions reinforce this even further, placing greater importance on the production and management of information rather than on BIM as a concept or digital process.
This reflects a wider industry direction. The focus is moving beyond BIM and even beyond digitalisation, toward structured information as the central asset.
In this context, BIM is no longer the objective, but one of the means to support effective information management.
This shift highlights an important idea: roles are not fixed titles but functions within a system driven by information requirements and delivery.
At the core of BIM and digital processes lies collaboration. However, collaboration should not be understood simply as a general principle. It is a structured and continuous exchange of information.
Work is no longer divided into isolated tasks that begin and end independently. Instead, it forms part of an interconnected process where each contribution affects the next.
Effective collaboration depends on:
- Clear and consistent communication
- Shared responsibility
- A collective approach to achieving outcomes
This perspective changes how individuals understand their roles, placing greater emphasis on interaction and coordination rather than isolated performance.
These advantages contribute to better decision-making and smoother processes overall. For this reason, digital transformation should not be viewed as a future ambition, but as an ongoing reality that continues to shape how work is carried out.
Defining BIM roles is not a matter of selecting a single, fixed description. They represent flexible positions that adapt to different contexts, organisations, and levels of digital development.
Recognising this flexibility is essential for anyone entering or progressing within the field. Rather than focusing only on predefined expectations, it is more valuable to understand the broader system in which these roles operate.
Ultimately, BIM roles are dynamic. They evolve alongside technology, processes, and people. Embracing this perspective allows professionals not only to navigate their careers more effectively, but also to contribute meaningfully to an increasingly digital and collaborative working environment.
