The new ISO 23386:2020 Building information modelling and other digital processes used in construction — Methodology to describe, author and maintain properties in interconnected data dictionaries will allow the exchange of information between data dictionaries in a uniform manner. This will make the BIM processes more efficient and the information exchange more reliable.
A data dictionary provides the basis for common terminology in the use of BIM. This is important to ensure that data dictionaries are interoperable in tools and applications.
The elements of the data dictionaries need to be described by the same attributes. If this is agreed and done by all data dictionary providers, it is quite simple to map properties in one data dictionary to properties in other data dictionaries. This can lead to reuse of properties and to harmonization of properties across data dictionaries. In addition, this is an important step to allow BIM applications to use a set of data dictionaries in a common way.
ISO 23386 specifies attributes for defining properties and groups of properties in a data dictionary, as well as processes and roles for managing and developing a single data dictionary to operate in a network of coordinated / interconnected data dictionaries. Processes for changes and extensions of the data dictionary are described, and how information about changes from other interconnected data dictionaries should be handled. The standard does not specifically describe the content of the data dictionaries.
The standard is developed under the Vienna Agreement, with CEN lead. It is developed in CEN/TC 442, project leader is Frederic Grand, France. It was published March 2020.