Information management is no longer a technical function
Information management is no longer confined to a technical function. It now sits at the intersection of government policy, insurance and risk, environmental performance, building safety and digital transformation, says Stuart Bell, CEO of Amodal. At 2pm BST on 3 June 2026 at Digital Construction Week, he will be highlighting the need for an active and engaged community with a clear mission and message that can coordinate and connect IM-related discussions and activities across the sector.
Ahead of Digital Construction Week 2026 on 3 June, I have found myself reflecting on a simple but important question. When did information management stop being a niche discipline and become one of the most consequential conversations in the built and managed environment?
It is difficult to point to a single moment. The change has been gradual, almost unnoticed at first, but undeniable in hindsight. Somewhere between the reliance on spreadsheets to hold projects together and the emergence of AI capable of drafting a BIM Execution Plan in seconds, the landscape shifted.
What was once the domain of a relatively small and committed group, BIM coordinators, information managers and those who had genuinely read ISO 19650 in detail, has expanded into something far broader and far more influential.
Information management is no longer confined to a technical function. It now sits at the intersection of government policy, insurance and risk, environmental performance, building safety and digital transformation. Increasingly, it involves people who would never have described themselves as part of the information management community. That shift matters because the conversation has changed in nature. It is no longer purely technical. It is economic, regulatory and, ultimately, human. The way we define, manage and trust information now underpins decisions that carry real consequence across the lifecycle of assets and across society more widely.
nima: the home for anyone whose work depends on reliable information
This is the context in which nima exists. nima has been established as the home of information management for the built and managed environment, not just for specialists but for anyone whose work depends on reliable information. It provides a place where practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders can come together, where standards are connected to delivery, and where individual careers are aligned with collective progress. Its origins in the UK BIM Alliance are important, but nima has evolved into something broader in both scope and ambition. Through its leadership of the Information Management Initiative, its engagement with over forty public sector organisations, and its role as the UK and Ireland chapter of buildingSMART International (bSUKI), it has become a convening force for the industry. The value created to date is significant and continues to grow, but the real impact lies in the shared direction it provides.
A professional home, however, only works if people choose to be part of it. If information management has become a larger and more influential conversation, then it requires a stronger and more coherent voice. That voice does not come from institutions alone. It comes from individuals who are delivering projects, shaping standards, navigating implementation challenges and translating complexity into value. For that reason, individual membership sits at the centre of what nima offers. It is not simply about affiliation. It is about providing a platform for professional recognition, continuous development and clear career progression from student through to information management professional. More importantly, it offers a genuine opportunity to influence the direction of the discipline at a time when that direction is still being defined.
Standing still carries risks
In a landscape that is evolving as quickly as this one, standing still is not a neutral position. It carries its own risks. The organisations and individuals who will succeed are those who engage, contribute and help shape what comes next.
This is the conversation I will be continuing at Digital Construction Week. It is not only about where information management has come from, but about where it needs to go and who needs to be part of that journey.
Information management is no longer a niche concern. It is fundamental to how we plan, deliver and operate the built and managed environment. It requires a shared approach, a common language and a collective voice. That voice is stronger when it is brought together. You can be part of it at wearenima.im
