1. Robert Hayes & Sambo Zulu Leeds Beckett University, Leeds
BIM and People Issues: A Scoping Study Exploring Implications for Curriculum Design
Robert Hayes & Sambo Zulu
Leeds Beckett University, Leeds

2. Overview The Research Project Project Methodology Key Findings/Results
Conclusion

3. The Research Project Context
Part of study on industry/university collaboration in curriculum design
Industry recognition for need for improvements in people skills. [Impact on project performance]
Project Performance issues raised in various reports
The mandatory use of Building Information Modelling on government projects by 2016 (Government Construction Strategy 2011) reflects desire to improve project performance

4. The Research Project [Cont’d]
Context Cont’d
BIM and people skills implications
Tool for coordination, collaboration and communication
BIM should be seen to be in best interest of organisations
However innovation/change is always met with resistance in organisations.
Reasons [Among others]: New skills & traditional skills become obsolete.
Aim: To explore ‘people’ related skills implications of BIM adoption and its potential impact on curriculum design

5. Methodology Used questionnaire and interviews
Target: quantity surveying professional practice
Very small sample: 8/30 responded
Interviews: 2 interviews
Questions
What are the emerging skills issues?
How does our curriculum address industry needs?
What gaps in knowledge exists for our graduates to address the BIM challenge?

6. Key Findings Do Our Graduat es have the right skills? Criteria
Percentage
Strongly disagree 0%
Mostly disagree
13%
Neither agree nor disagree
Mostly Agree:
63%
Strongly Agree:

7. Key Findings [Cont’d]
How satisfied are you with these skills?

8. Key Findings [Cont’d] What would be priority skills? Priority Skill
Type
High priority
Cost estimating
Technical
Contract knowledge
Quantity surveying measurement and measurement principles
Medium priority
Report writing
People
Presentation skills
Environmental and sustainability issues
Practiced negotiation skills
Research Skills
Drawing skills
BIM software skills

9. Key Findings [Cont’d]
Interviews [None technical skills]
“… obviously, a big part of the construction industry is working as a member of a team-- so ability and self-awareness, really, and being able to integrate into a team environment. And obviously a big one from a client point of view is managing people's expectations”

10. Key Findings [Cont’d]
What of BIM
‘I think if they know how to do technical measurement and if they've got the technical knowledge to be able to do it on pen and paper, most youngsters these days pick up IT just like that and they will pick up any system that you put in front of them in a short amount of time in terms of training’.  

11. Conclusion
Employers in this sample were at a relatively early stage in BIM adoption.
The findings suggests
People skills are key to performance improvement
Employers in this sample were generally not very concerned with BIM-specific “technical” training
They perceived the importance of people skills
As curriculum evolves to be “BIM compliant” people skills should be addressed= Don’t forget the people skills