A beta version of a new information requirements tool for client information managers has been launched by the Construction Innovation Hub.
The online tool is designed to support client information managers in defining organisation, asset and project information requirements.
The tool leverages data in the Open Information Hub, an open-source repository for the information management community to share information and learn from each other.
It has been developed and is powered by Morta, whose web-based platform combines the accessibility and customising features of spreadsheets and documents with the power of a database. Morta has committed to continuing to support the free-to-use tool, which is aligned to and supports the implementation of the UK BIM Framework and is compliant with the ISO 19650 series.
The tool has been developed and tested in collaboration with the Centre for Digital Built Britain’s (CDBB) working groups.
The initial target audience is client information managers who work with building clients, local authorities or public sector organisations. The first contributing organisation to the database is the Environment Agency. There is an ambition to expand the tool in the future to include design information managers, construction information managers and client information managers from infrastructure groups.
Henry Fenby-Taylor, head of information management at the CDBB (a partner in the Construction Innovation Hub), said: “This tool was born out of an observation that many information managers need support in delivering purpose-driven information requirements and that the same efforts are being duplicated from organisation to organisation.
“Unlike traditional approaches, this web-based tool follows open-source principles, where the users will be able to use, study and modify their information requirements in a collaborative manner, with all data continuously feeding back to a master database for the community’s benefit. We hope that, over time, this will result in higher-quality information requirements with less effort from each individual organisation or information manager.”
David Philp, impact director at the Construction Innovation Hub, added: “Robust information requirements are key to enabling information-driven organisations that deliver and operate assets to drive better social, environmental and economic outcomes. This innovative tool is a key step in our journey to make information management business as usual by enabling every client information manager to produce high quality information requirements.”
Mo Shana’a, CEO & co-founder of Morta, said: “We look forward to refining this tool based on community feedback and see this as the first step in helping all clients, regardless of their size and budgets, to deliver simple, robust, and high quality machine readable information requirements.”
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