Anyone considering a career as a BIM Coordinator will likely be curious about the expectations and makeup of a typical workday. Finding out about the details of what a BIM Coordinator does can go a long way in preparing individuals for that line of work and determining whether it’s the right career path for them. BIM Coordinators design and manage 3D modeling involved with construction or manufacturing projects that include following local guidelines and standards, as well as collaborating with colleagues like Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers, along with clients. A BIM Coordinator’s duties also include making sure that information is available to all parties working on a project, especially regarding deadlines and budgets. Essentially, a BIM Coordinator’s main daily task is keeping so many different people on the same page to get projects done on time and within budget.
What is a BIM Coordinator?
BIM Coordinators are tasked with managing projects related to the construction industry. Their jobs typically involve developing strategies, coordinating 3D modeling, collaborating with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers, and maintaining communication among colleagues as well as clients. BIM Coordinators ensure that everyone involved on a project stays in lockstep with responsibilities for creating, managing, and coordinating 3D modeling from the planning stages through completing construction.
BIM Coordinators have to make sure that proposed concepts are viable for construction projects by thoroughly analyzing designs to ensure that they are not only aesthetically pleasing but structurally sound and compliant with local codes and zoning regulations through applying BIM processing. BIM Coordinators’ responsibilities include assuring the geometry of a design revealed through 3D modeling by examining shapes, lines, and points within the design to determine structural integrity.
Once a plan goes forward, BIM Coordinators are responsible for supervising 2D and 3D modeling involved with construction projects related to architectural design and engineering. This requires working with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers to oversee modeling with an emphasis on structural design and MEP engineering.
%20(1).png)
Learn BIM
- Nationally accredited
- Create your own portfolio
- Free student software
- Learn at your convenience
- Authorized Autodesk training center
BIM Coordinator Specializations
The role of a BIM Coordinator is sometimes confused with BIM Manager. While the positions are similar, BIM Coordinators typically have responsibilities on specific projects for construction and manufacturing companies, while BIM Managers have more comprehensive responsibilities across an entire organization. A BIM Coordinator’s day-to-day obligations include directly managing Designers and collaborating with colleagues who specialize in other areas related to the project. BIM Coordinators have direct involvement with designing 3D models for developing building structures, as well as evaluating clash issues and coordinating necessary changes. The job also requires communicating with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers, and keeping stakeholders updated throughout the project.
As a daily responsibility, BIM Coordinators have to manage Designers on 3D modeling and changes needed for resolving inconsistencies, design errors, and clashes within structural, architectural, and engineering designs. BIM Coordinators also manage data derived from 3D modeling for structural analysis. Analysis with BIM software involves both shaping designs and analyzing structural integrity and feasibility. The work also requires coordinating collaboration among Architects, Engineers, Project Managers, and clients to keep everyone involved with the project informed and on the same page.
Starting Your Day
As a BIM Coordinator, arriving at the workplace is the first step to start the day. However, before setting foot inside the office, a BIM Coordinator must have a good plan for approaching the day ahead. It’s important to think about the specific areas of a project to start or continue work. A BIM Coordinator has to be aware of what’s been done and what still needs to be done regarding the status of a project. The work includes overseeing the development of 3D models, both designing the look of a building and establishing its structural viability. BIM Coordinators must also consult with professionals like Architects and Engineers on construction projects, as well as keep clients up-to-date on progress.
The morning usually begins with reviewing 3D modeling and clash detection analysis. After getting to their desk, BIM Coordinators should first check email or social media platforms like Slack to find or exchange work-related information. After gathering any new information, they’ll have a good idea about how to approach the day ahead.
9 AM:
This portion of the morning usually involves coordinating with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers either in-person or through a teleconferencing platform. These meetings typically cover what needs adjusting regarding changes in design or problems found with flaws or conflicts.
At some point during the morning, a BIM Coordinator should meet with clients and shareholders to update them on the status of the project. Again, this communication may take place either in-person or through some type of digital media. These meetings may also include other professionals involved, depending on the area of the project being discussed, since the people funding the project may have to approve suggested changes or requests for new directions.
11 AM:
Much of the midday as a BIM Coordinator is taken up with actually working on resolving issues discovered with clash detection or making other changes in design or procedure on a project. This time may also be when BIM Coordinators manage Designers on creating 3D models or instructing them on changes that may need to be made to a construction design. The middle of the day might also be the time when BIM Coordinators get back in touch with Architects, Engineers, or Project Managers about the status of agreed-upon changes, along with the likely costs involved and how those adjustments will affect the schedule.
Just before lunch is usually a good time to review the assignment and ensure everything is progressing as expected. This includes confirming that the right adjustments have been made or that anything else needing attention is addressed. If BIM Coordinators find minor problems anywhere, they should make notes so those issues can be resolved following lunch.
Most organizations use a variety of online databases and platforms for tracking the time spent working on a project. It’s definitely a good time to make sure that the time tracked for a project is accurate and noted with individual records and invoicing.
2 PM:
After returning from lunch, it’s a good idea to check email or Slack again to see if there are any new assignments or updates on recent projects. Once that has been done, BIM Coordinators should return to their current tasks with the goal of completing portions of the project. As with the period before lunch, they should continually check to make sure that design changes align with the project’s goals.
BIM Coordinators may also perform quality assurance on models and current construction. This might also be the time to regroup with Designers on updates or train new employees. As the day closes, BIM Coordinators usually seek feedback from Engineers and Architects and get back in touch with clients and shareholders.
5 PM:
At the end of the day, BIM Coordinators submit reports on the status or progress of a project, including changes suggested and implemented. This may include distributing a summary on the project’s status to all parties involved, including colleagues and clients, with updates on estimated completion dates and adjustments to costs. In wrapping up the workday, BIM Coordinators need to have a clear and realistic understanding of the status of whatever projects they are working on. This includes spending the last hours of work tying up loose ends and setting up to continue where they left off the next day.
After Work
While it’s not ideal to take work home mentally or emotionally, briefly assessing what may need attention the next day may help relieve anxiety related to work projects. Pondering what may need to be done and how everything appears to be progressing can help smooth out priorities for the next morning. It’s always a good idea to review work-related material after getting home to ensure that a project is in a good place. As with first sitting down at work that morning, BIM Coordinators should also check their Slack accounts and email after arriving home to see if anything needs to be prioritized the next day.
It’s always a good idea to assess the day by forming a general understanding of the state of a project and getting a sense of where the work may be heading, schedule-wise. Other than that, it’s good to just relax and enjoy life after a day at work—until the next morning begins again.
Learn the Skills to Become a BIM Coordinator at Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop offers options for learning BIM technology, software, and procedures through VDCI, an authorized Autodesk training center that provides education and certification related to a variety of technologies, including Building Information Modeling. Anyone considering becoming a BIM Coordinator might want to enroll in a certificate program or gain certification in the methodology or similar technologies. VDCI offers options for broader professional training, including the BIM Certificate Program, which aims to provide students with all the skills and experience they need to start working on BIM projects in a professional capacity. This course covers over 400 hours of training content, all of which is modeled on real-world construction projects. There is also a combined CAD/BIM Certificate Program for students looking for even more professional construction training.
Certificate programs provide hands-on experience with BIM or similar technologies for working with Engineers and Architects as BIM Coordinators. Certification, on the other hand, verifies a person’s expertise with particular skills like programming languages, software, and tools such as BIM. Education providers like VDCI also offer various AutoCAD-related certification programs, including the AutoCAD Certification Program, which provides comprehensive training that prepares candidates for Autodesk certification exams. Training involves learning the fundamentals of technical drawing along with skills for drafting and creating 2D and 3D drawings using AutoCAD.
Achieving certification requires passing an exam administered by an industry-recognized organization. Ambitious BIM Coordinators can pursue BIM certification through Autodesk, which offers several paths based on a person’s career ambitions. The Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP), for example, confirms a candidate's skills with AutoCAD, including the ability to solve complicated problems with workflows and designs using BIM software. BIM Coordinators can also gain certification to improve career options with expertise in tools like Autodesk Revit for working in 3D modeling to design and analyze building structures. This can include taking the Revit Certification Course to gain expertise in creating and managing architectural models using Revit software.