Last edited 12 Oct 2021

Information management process IMP

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a very broad term that describes the process of creating and managing digital information about a built asset such as building, bridge, highway, tunnel and so on.

An asset information model (AIM) is a model that compiles the data and information necessary to support asset management, that is, it provides all the data and information related to, or required for the operation of an asset. An asset information model can provide graphical and non-graphical data and information as well as documents and metadata. It can relate to a single asset or to a portfolio of assets.

PAS 1192-3:2014 Specification for information management for the operational phase of assets using building information modelling provides a framework for the creation and management of a digital asset information model to support an organisation's operational information management process (IMP). An asset information management process is necessary to maintain the integrity of asset information so that the lifecycle of an asset can be properly organised and managed.

PAS 1192-3 defines an information management process as the '...process to manage information related to the operational phase of an asset… incorporating the requirements, processes and governance, suitable for the organization's needs and/or for the needs of its stakeholders. … including, handover from design and construction, day-to-day operations, planned and reactive maintenance, minor works, major works, decommissioning, and dismantling or demolition.'

The asset information management process:

PAS 1192-3 does not consider asset information to be part of the asset information model until it has been authorised and accepted in accordance with the information management process and transferred to the published area of the common data environment (CDE).

The common data environment is the single source of information for the asset. Information within the common data environment can have a wide variety of status levels, however there will generally be four main areas of information:

A 'data manager' (sometimes referred to as a data administrator and data technician) has responsibility for accepting information into the shared area of the common data environment and authorising it for the published area.

Changes to the asset information model may be triggered by events such as; maintenance work, repairs, refurbishments or upgrades, replacement, decommissioning, risk assessments, performance evaluations, changes in regulations, changes in the party responsible for maintaining or operating the asset, changes in ownership and so on.

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