Making information management business as usual with databases

Mo Shana’a

Everyone attending the BIM Coordinators summit is fighting for the same cause: having the right information at the right time for effective decision-making.

The evolution of standards and classification systems has now enabled us to have consistent and standardised processes to support the specification, delivery, storage and exploitation of high-quality information. However, while implementing standards such as ISO 19650, information managers often find themselves running against the same challenge that other teams such as design and commercial managers face: manual and error-prone disconnected spreadsheets and word documents. Whether you are defining requirements, planning, or tracking deliverables, an Excel spreadsheet remains the tool of choice.

Having worked with asset owners, main contractors, design consultants, information managers, and architects, we’ve seen the same challenge time and time again. We have worked with them to transition to a standardised and automated approach enabled by accessible cloud-based information hubs that have the familiarity of spreadsheets and documents and the utility and connectivity of databases.

In doing so, organisations have been able to increase the accessibility of their information management resources, re-use information across resources, ensure that they are continuously up to date and automate many of the administrative tasks they must do.

At the heart of the database approach to information, management is interoperability and connectivity of information across silos, teams and systems. This has allowed organisations to automate the update of information delivery planning processes in an accessible system such as Morta, using connected information from CDEs such as Viewpoint, BIM360, Oracle Acconex, or Asite via API. Organisations can then automatically pull this data into PowerBI or other visualisation systems to create visual reports. As a result, organisations can now have a real-time view of information delivery and save thousands of hours in the process. Crucially, one of the key benefits of using nocode accessible databases such as Morta is that they can help make information management business as usual by embedding good practice in the day-to-day activities of adjacent functions such as design, project controls, procurement and asset management. Fortunately, the database approach is being recognised by organisations and partners such as the Construction Innovation Hub, Centre for Digital Built Britain, ArcDox, and Digital Guerilla who have all built free-to-use tools on Morta. The free-tools cover information requirement specification, planning deliverables and automated assurance of COBie deliverables. You can get started by visiting www.morta.io

I look forward to shedding more light on how databases are being leveraged to support the quest for better information management and meeting you all at the BIM Coordinators Summit in Dublin or Virtually!