Introducing the Information Management Initiative (IMI)
The Information Management Initiative (IMI) aspires to become an industry-led and government-supported programme to progressively transform information management practices across the built and natural environment sector.
Led by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and supported by nima, the IMI:
- sets out a sector-wide directive1 to industry, including some over-arching principles and a route-map through to 2030
- invites organisations to sign up to some over-arching principles (‘step one’)
- requires organisations to create an organisation-wide mandate – encompassing (‘step two’) information principles and over-arching rules, and setting out desired outcomes – and
- will provide a framework2 and resources to support organisations in applying role-specific rules, standards and guidance.
For more detail about the IMI procedure, see the IMI summary document.
The CLC is building upon some 15 years of experience in making building information modelling ‘business as usual’ across large swathes of the UK construction sector – the UK is also influential in developing international standards and embedding industry best practice. Through the IMI, the CLC wants to build sector-transforming capabilities in applying emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT) and ‘digital twins’.
To capitalise upon ongoing interest in creating and maintaining safety-critical building information, the CLC with nima, has sought to refresh existing guidance (including the UK BIM Framework) and encourage organisations to improve management of information and data across the whole life cycle of built and managed assets. The IMI vision is:
To enable the digital integration of data and information across the whole lifecycle of the built and managed environment, enhancing collaboration, efficiency, safety and sustainability to meet the evolving needs of society, business, and the environment.
IMI background
Effective management of trusted, quality information across the whole life of built and managed assets is a key foundation for growth, supporting a safe, healthy and sustainable environment where people, businesses and civil society can thrive.
Since late 2023, the CLC has been reviewing the Information Management ‘Mandate’. This formed part of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority’s Transforming Infrastructure Performance Roadmap to 2030 (September 2021), and a revised Mandate was also a key recommendation within the CLC’s Creating a Productive environment for UK Construction (September 2023).
A CLC Task Group has been working to integrate the success of the original BIM Mandate with the current IM Mandate (see March 2024 news). The aim is to ensure the new approach – the Information Management Initiative – is relevant and achievable across the whole of the built and managed environment both now and in the future. The aim is not to hinder, but to help, making things clearer and less ambiguous.
Through 2024, the Task Group, led by nima chair Dr Anne Kemp, has been consulting with members across the built and managed environment. It has been collating insights and feedback surrounding the approach, its scope, presentation and implementation plan.
The Task Group launched the IMI at the nima Autumn virtual conference on 7 November 2024 (see November news).
IMI founding sponsors and IMI supporters
Many organisations already have a similar vision, recognising the environmental, social and business benefits and competitive advantages to be gained from adoption of information and data management best practices.
To support the IMI and to help extend awareness, interest and adoption of the IMI, the CLC is seeking founding sponsors and supporters from across the sector (clients, funders, contractors, consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, regulators, etc).
- IMI founding sponsors will be the initial champions of the IMI, helping to further develop and steer the initiative, fund its initial dissemination, and build its supporting framework. They will be recognised by the IMI as industry leaders backing digital transformation, will be able to badge themselves as IMI founding sponsors, and will be promoted at events and in IMI supporting materials. (Become a founding sponsor)
- IMI supporters will be organisations prepared to commit to the IMI and to encourage adoption of its principles. They will be listed as IMI supporters and may badge themselves as such. (Become a founding supporter)
In both cases, founding sponsors and supporters will also lead by example, mandating the IMI to their own people, achieving compliance with its principles, and promoting it to other organisations with whom they collaborate. All will be recognised as organisations pushing the sector forward, leading in the delivery of the anticipated IMI benefits:
The sector can derive significant improvements in cost, value, health and safety, sustainability and performance through better management of information through the whole life cycle of the built and managed environment.
IMI founding sponsors and IMI supporters:
(as at 8 November 2024)
- The term ‘directive’ is used in the sense of ‘intended to guide, govern, or influence’. It sets a direction
towards a goal. It is not an instruction or order. ↩︎ - The IMI Framework is currently based on the existing UK BIM Framework. ↩︎
