The Evolving Role of a BIM Coordinator

Let’s be honest. The term “BIM Coordinator” doesn’t mean what it used to.

A decade ago, it meant you were probably the most computer-literate person on your team. You knew how to open a model, run a clash detection, and maybe fix some broken geometry. That made you the BIM Coordinator by default.

Today, it’s a whole different game.

The Role Used to Be About Files. Now It’s About Flow.

In the early days, a BIM Coordinator was a file wrangler. You moved models around. You made sure sheets were clean and people didn’t overwrite each other’s work. You kept things neat and you chased people to close out their issues.

But as model-first delivery becomes the standard, the role has shifted.

Now, BIM Coordinators are deeply involved in how projects are structured, communicated, and delivered. They’re not just making models work. They’re making people, systems, and data work together.

Whether it’s information flow, making sure data moves cleanly between teams and tools. Workflow, ensuring models are created, reviewed, and issued efficiently. Or communication flow, translating between disciplines, clarifying intent, and helping everyone stay aligned. The BIM Coordinator’s role is no longer about files, their work shapes the flow of everything that matters on a modern project.

It’s Not Just One Job Anymore

Here’s what “BIM Coordinator” might mean today:

• A People Person who makes sure disciplines stay aligned, model updates are clear, and site teams get what they need.
• A Technical Leader who understands model health, data structure, naming logic, and how to set up scalable workflows.
• A Digital Problem-Solver who can script tools, interrogate data, and deliver insights that help the whole team work faster.
• A CAD Guru who knows the modelling software inside out, can fix broken geometry blindfolded, and supports the drafting team with hands-on know-how.
• An Engineer Without the Formulas who may not sign off designs, but knows enough about engineering to ask the right questions, flag issues early, and help translate intent into models that work on site.

None of these roles are “better” than the others, but they are different. And the more we bundle them into one person, the harder it becomes to do any of them well.

Why It’s Becoming a Make-or-Break Role

As more projects ditch drawings in favour of live models, BIM Coordinators become essential.

They help site teams understand the digital content.
They translate between design intent and constructability.
They ensure the model is ready to be the single source of truth.

You can’t just model and move on. Someone has to own the process, the data, and the delivery.

Final Thought

The job has outgrown the title.

“BIM Coordinator” now means so much more than it did a decade ago, and the projects that succeed are the ones that recognise that shift.

It’s no longer about managing files. It’s about enabling clarity, consistency, and collaboration across the entire project lifecycle.