A further step toward interoperability — people
For years, I have been advocating a more cohesive turn-over process with respect to the construction of buildings and the completion of projects.
Specifically, far too much useful and valuable information gets ‘left behind’ after the building design and construction teams have left a project. For an owner team, this often mean torture.
This critical, habitually repeated oversight begins a long and frustrating journey in the world of information deficit. A deficit that rarely goes away, and… a frustrating black hole that can cost a great deal of time and money to overcome. And usually it is not overcome.
Human interoperability needs often far supersede the interoperability needs of computerized systems. We seem to have that backwards in buildings.
I recently retro-commissioned two high schools, each built within the last four years. My first question when I walked the job was, “Do you have a set of as-built control drawings?”
“No. And we have really have no way to get them. The projects are out of warranty so the contractors won’t respond [really?], and our own filing systems downtown are a disaster. Good luck finding anything down there!” So much for interoperability.
With decades of commissioning experience behind me, I’ve learned a thing or two about what works better when it comes to information. One of the key elements to getting any process to work better is not being self-centered. Too often, what works better these days is what works better for the contractor or the vendor. That’s what I mean about being too self-centered. Because what works well for me may not be the least bit suitable for you.
Clearly there are times when singular, laser-focused vision is exactly what’s needed. But laser vision can become a habit that prevents us from looking at things from a broader perspective. Things that may work great for me, may not be even slightly decipherable for you.
Moving toward a more inclusive interoperability model
I believe in solutions that work, and that work for everyone. That’s one of the implied premises of any genuinely sustainable model. Collaboration also works better when we expand our perspective. And so does keeping things simple and easy — even when what’s being managed is complex. So how do we expand our perspective? By expanding some of our definitions. Let’s look at interoperability as an example.
Interoperability is a trendy buzzword in buildings these days. And the first thing everyone usually thinks of is the interoperability of computerized systems (the BMS/controls, lighting, fire/life safety, etc.). But what about the interoperability of information. Shouldn’t we be putting that question first? Because ‘the interoperability of information’ has room to include people, whereas the interoperability of systems is undeniably exclusive, too highly focused on data and machines.
Solutions that work, and that work for everyone — that’s one of the implied premises of any genuinely sustainable model.
The owners, managers and engineers that operate and maintain our buildings are not chipsets. They have extensive, human-based interoperability needs that often far supersede the interoperability needs of computerized systems. Too often designers, engineers and contractors overlook what all this ‘stuff’ is for. It’s for people.
Header image credit: http://njbiblio.com/tag/new-york-city/
