For you BIM and CAD jocks out there: Naming IS Important

“What is in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other word would smell as sweet.”
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Its not so easy to say overlook this anymore. In an information rich business environment, names are powerful. Naming is important because it enables easy retrieval, as well as recognition by us humans. In an information system like a building information model, it becomes critical.

Engineers and architects may be used to thinking about their projects a certain way, maybe in geometric or visual imagery. However, when it comes to documenting the design of a building or machine, we always label things to make them easy to retrieve.

Giving things names is a natural for humans. The human mind seems to register memories fairly well when a name is applied to them. Researchers into human culture and behavior have noticed and are deeply curious about the nature of naming and linguistics I think there IS something to this idea that names are powerful carriers of meaning and subtextual meaning.

In design work, whether it is (was) a detail library or a project file, it is labelling , or indexing that enables us to keep track of many items. This has not changed .

But the healthy respect for naming is in order.

Without a tag that positions information within a collection, you may not ever find it again. Especially in larger and larger collections, like a building database.

Names carry meaning. Meaning helps understanding and remembering: The human element in the memory and retrieval of important facts. Proper naming can make the design work flow move faster, speeds communication and increases understanding among the design team members. Proper naming can also be extended to the construction and commissioning phases.

Ideally, the use of a good BIM name system would enable its re-use throughout the project life-cycle, into construction, occupancy, and operations. Understanding the importance of the naming scheme across the life-cycle of the BIM should pay dividends in to the downstream professions and trades. Re-using a naming scheme in the BIM downstream will simplify and reduce the processing of shop submittals, not to mention materials ordering, staging, field checking, and so on, that apply to each piece of the building. Having a quality BIM, with sound naming scheme, would very well be a dream come true for the many contractors that must collaborate on any given building project.

BIM is NOT to be confused in anyway with BIOMERIEUX,
BIM the French company, nor with the blue chip company,
IBM