BIM as an opportunity for PA: the 4Days approach

The introduction of Building Information Modeling in Public Administration stems from a regulatory obligation, but today it represents a great opportunity for organizational and cultural, as well as digital, evolution. The compulsory nature of BIM, progressively enshrined in Italian regulations and fully operational from 2025, is not just a technical fulfillment, but a real driver of change.

We talk about this with Federico Bravo, head of 4Days' BIM for PA Unit, for a freewheeling exchange about his and the company's experience in accompanying public bodies of all sizes on a path to conscious and sustainable adoption of the methodology.

The BIM requirement may be perceived by many as a constraint. How can it instead turn into an opportunity for public administration?

Federico Bravo "The adoption of BIM in PA yes stems from a compliance aspect, from an obligation, but we always urge to forget this aspect. BIM, and its impact, is concrete: it helps organizations simplify and work better on a complex subject like construction. If we become passionate about the topic and grasp its substance, we quickly find elements that entice us to adopt it. Conversely, if we experience it only as an obligation, we will encounter resistance. And resistance, in fact, is a defensive barrier: it arises when we do not yet have the tools to understand where we are going or where we are facing something we do not fully master."

4Days has been working with PA on these pathways since 2018. How has your approach evolved?

Federico Bravo "Since 2018 we have been approaching the content of BIM from different perspectives: training, adoption, experimentation. Over time we have mapped out an established methodological path, but I always stress that the method - in itself - is worthless without proper interpretation. Each administration has its own culture, its own history, its own rhythms. Having a reference method is useful only if you know how to read it and relate it carefully to the context in which you operate."

We often talk about "change management." How does this concept apply to BIM in PA?

Federico Bravo "Our historical expertise goes beyond BIM: it's about change management, that is, managing organizational change. BIM doesn't just change the way procurement is managed, but often the organizational chart, processes, tools. It is a radical change, for all intents and purposes. An organization is defined by identity, vision, mission, values, organizational models, processes and digital tools; all of these insist on a culture built over time. When we introduce BIM, we act on those very elements, andthe job of change management is to help people through the moment of transition-that temporary imbalance that is needed to achieve a new balance."

How do you concretely help PAs overcome resistance to change?

Federico Bravo "With a pragmatic, step-by-step approach that alternates between training, experimentation and operational accompaniment. We believe strongly in the value of practical experimentation: you cannot internalize a new method just by listening to it; you have to live it. That is why in our training courses the experiential part is central: it is the moment when you overcome the initial embarrassment and gain awareness. Training and experimentation always go together, and curiosity-more than fulfillment-is the lever that turns resistance into interest."

Where does your path of accompaniment start?

Federico Bravo "From measuring the organization. Every reality is different: a region, a municipality, a health company, a technical office. You need to understand where you are and where you are starting from, to define a realistic path. Applying a standard manual would be unthinkable: BIM is a methodology that must be dropped on a defined organization, otherwise it only generates entropy. The first goal is always to make the methodology interesting and understandable, starting with the real problems that BIM can solve."

The ACDat platform (CDE) is often cited as a key element. Why?

Federico Bravo "For PA, the adoption of a CDE platform is critical. It is one of the tools that enables immediate concrete gains in terms of performance and process clarity. Having a single sharing environment for documents, content and approvals dramatically reduces complexity and encourages collaboration. It is often our 'Trojan horse': it allows us to bring order to internal processes and bring out the real organizational dynamics to act on."

Let's talk about training. How do you design pathways for public agencies?

Federico Bravo "Training must be participatory, co-designed, not frontal. It should not be notional, but a time for debate, alignment on methodological and organizational fundamentals, and comparison between different services. BIM is pervasive: it involves technical, administrative and managerial figures. Our experience shows that training becomes effective when it generates curiosity, debate and real confrontation about the organization. This is how barriers are broken down and awareness is built."

However, PAs often find themselves acting urgently, driven by regulatory obligation. How do you handle these cases?

Federico Bravo "It is true, most organizations contact us when the deadline is imminent. In these cases, our approach is operational coaching: we accompany the entity as it learns, working directly on pilot procurements or information management specifications. The deadline thus becomes a virtuous accelerator, and the practical example is the most effective learning tool. The goal is twofold: to fulfill now and, at the same time, to build autonomy for the future."

What, in summary, are the keys to your method?

Federico Bravo "I would say five:

- Basic competence In higher education design;

- Participatory training designed on the institution to align organizational culture and BIM methodology;

- Coaching on pilot procurements to turn theory into practice and consolidate trust;

- Adoption of CDE as a digital enabler and collaboration tool;

- Organizational co-planning, to make the change lasting and conscious by initially providing for a periodic review of the organizational act, which must evolve annually based on experience. 

All this is to build autonomy, not dependence: true success for us is when the entity becomes capable of leading its own evolution."

In closing, what is the message that can be conveyed to PAs now entering BIM?

Federico Bravo "That change should not be frightening. It is a path that can be approached one step at a time. The sum of many small steps results in a remarkable evolutionary step, without trauma. BIM, if experienced as an opportunity, is a path of organizational growth, not just digital. And our task is to accompany this journey with concreteness, experience and a pragmatic view of change. Our approach to the introduction of BIM in Public Administration combines - in other words - method and flexibility, training and experimentation, organization and technology. Only in this way can we speak from obligation to opportunity, only in this way does BIM become an effective tool for governing change and enhancing the PA's information assets."