Developing context sensitive BIM based applications

Current Building Information Model (BIM) based applications do not integrate well with the varying and frequently changing work processes of Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) professionals. One cause for this problem is that traditionally software developers apply software design methods that aim to design software that cater to a broad range of different users without accounting for the possibility of changing work processes. This chapter theoretically introduces a different method to design software - context sensitive software development – and theoretically argues that it is poised to enable application developers to adjust BIM based applications to the varying and frequently changing work processes of AEC professionals. As a first starting point for the practical applicability of the theoretical method, first user categories that BIM based application developers can use as a starting point for the analysis of different user contexts are provided. These categories were derived from the author’s experience supporting more than ten projects with the implementation of BIM based applications and from what they learned on a number of industry BIM workshops. The chapter closes by mapping out future research directions to evaluate the practical value of the method and with a theoretical analysis of how researchers can apply state-of-the-art software development methods, software development technologies, and software dissemination models to support their research