The application of building information modelling to enhance organisational learning

The construction industry is a knowledge-based industry where various actors with diverse expertise create unique information within different phases of a project. The industry has been criticized by researchers and practitioners as being unable to apply newly created knowledge effectively to innovate. The fragmented nature of the construction industry reduces the opportunity of project participants to learn from each other and absorb knowledge. Building Information Modelling (BIM), referring to digital representations of constructed facilities, is a promising technological advance that has been proposed to assist in the sharing of knowledge and creation of linkages between firms. Previous studies have mainly focused on the technical attributes of BIM and there is little evidence on its capability to enhance learning in construction firms. This conceptual paper identifies six ‘functional attributes’ of BIM that act as triggers to stimulate learning: (1) comprehensibility, (2) predictability, (3) accuracy, (4) transparency, (5) mutual understanding and (6) integration.