Framework for Building Information Modeling (BIM) Adoption Based on Critical Success Factors (CSF) from Iran Public Organizations

The Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector is adopting Building Information Modeling (BIM) in public and private organizations worldwide. The public sector plays an essential role in inducing and encouraging the implementation of BIM in the industry. However, there is a lack of comprehensive and integrated research on the critical factors for enterprise-scale BIM adoption in government agencies. The primary purpose of this study is to provide a framework to analyze the critical success factors (CSFs) of BIM implementation in Iranian government organizations. This method includes a comprehensive literature review, an exploratory study in three Iranian government institutions, and a survey conducted with 68 Iranian experts involved in admissions to public organizations. The methods used to analyze the factors are Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and the DEMATEL method used to analyze the relationships and interactions between the factors quantitatively. The results include the proposal of sixteen CSFs and a model's development. Finally, the creation of a framework for adopting BIM by government agencies according to BIM contexts prioritized CSFs and levels of analysis. The main contribution of the current research is a proposed framework for BIM adoption, which includes a comprehensive and integrated approach based on a set of CSFs from Iranian government organizations and a greater understanding of contractual, regulatory, technical, procedural, and political characteristics for the public sector.