Building information models - Information delivery manual - Part 1: Methodology and format (ISO 29481-1:2025)

This document prescribes:
—     how to document a use case with an associated business context and exchange requirements;
—     a methodology to identify and specify the information exchanges required at identified times during the life cycle of assets.
This document presents the information delivery manual (IDM) in natural language terms to facilitate interoperability between software applications used during all phases of the life cycle of assets (both buildings and infrastructure). It promotes digital collaboration between actors within the identified business context and provides a basis for accurate, reliable, repeatable and high-quality information exchange.
The information delivery manual (IDM) methodology specified in this document can be applied to any information management trigger event to identify the details of the information required to be exchanged.

Bauwerksinformationsmodelle - Handbuch der Informationslieferungen - Teil 1: Methodik und Format (ISO 29481‑1:2025)

Dieses Dokument legt Folgendes fest:
-   die Vorgehensweise bei der Dokumentation eines Anwendungsfalls mit einem zugehörigen betrieblichen Kontext und Informationsaustausch-Anforderungen;
-   eine Methodik zur Identifizierung und Spezifizierung des Informationsaustauschs, der zu bestimmten Zeitpunkten während des Lebenszyklus von Assets erforderlich ist.
Dieses Dokument stellt das Handbuch der Informationslieferungen (IDM) in natürlichsprachlichen Begriffen vor, um die Interoperabilität zwischen Softwareanwendungen, die in allen Lebenszyklusphasen von Assets (sowohl Gebäude als auch Infrastruktur) verwendet werden, durch eine leicht verständliche Sprache zu erleichtern. Es fördert die Zusammenarbeit verschiedener Akteure innerhalb des identifizierten betrieblichen Kontextes und schafft eine Grundlage für einen fehlerfreien, verlässlichen, wiederholbaren und qualitativ hochwertigen Informationsaustausch.
Die in diesem Dokument festgelegte IDM-Methodik kann auf jedes auslösende Ereignis im Informationsmanagement angewendet werden, um die Details der auszutauschenden Informationen zu identifizieren.

Modèles des informations de la construction - Protocole d’échange d’informations - Partie 1: Méthodologie et format (ISO 29481-1:2025)

Le présent document prescrit les éléments suivants:
—     la marche à suivre pour documenter un cas d’usage auquel sont associés un contexte métier et des exigences d’échange;
—     une méthodologie pour identifier et spécifier les échanges d’informations requis à des moments déterminés du cycle de vie des actifs.
Le présent document présente le protocole d’échange d’informations (IDM) en langage naturel afin de faciliter l’interopérabilité entre les applications logicielles durant toutes les phases du cycle de vie des actifs (aussi bien les bâtiments que les infrastructures). Il favorise la collaboration numérique entre les acteurs du contexte métier identifié et fournit une base pour un échange d’informations précis, fiable, reproductible et de haute qualité.
Cette méthodologie de protocole d’échange d’informations (IDM) spécifiée dans le présent document peut être appliquée à tout événement déclencheur de la gestion de l’information afin d’identifier les détails des informations requises pour l’échange.

Informacijski modeli stavb - Priročnik z informacijami - 1. del: Metodologija in oblika (ISO/FDIS 29481-1:2025)

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Publication Date
02-Dec-2025
Current Stage
6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
Start Date
03-Dec-2025
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03-Dec-2025

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SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
01-februar-2025
Informacijski modeli stavb - Priročnik z informacijami - 1. del: Metodologija in
oblika (ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024)
Building information models - Information delivery manual - Part 1: Methodology and
format (ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024)
Bauwerksinformationsmodelle - Handbuch der Informationslieferungen - Teil 1: Methodik
und Format (ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024)
Modèles des informations de la construction - Protocole d’échange d’informations -
Partie 1: Méthodologie et format (ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 29481-1
ICS:
35.240.67 Uporabniške rešitve IT v IT applications in building
gradbeništvu and construction industry
91.010.01 Gradbeništvo na splošno Construction industry in
general
oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 29481-1
ISO/TC 59/SC 13
Building information models —
Secretariat: SN
Information delivery manual —
Voting begins on:
Part 1: 2024-12-05
Methodology and format
Voting terminates on:
2025-02-27
Modèles des informations de la construction — Protocole
d’échange d’informations —
Partie 1: Méthodologie et format
ICS: 35.240.67
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oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 29481-1
ISO/TC 59/SC 13
Building information models —
Secretariat: SN
Information delivery manual —
Voting begins on:
Part 1:
Methodology and format
Voting terminates on:
Modèles des informations de la construction — Protocole
d’échange d’informations —
Partie 1: Méthodologie et format
ICS: 35.240.67
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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© ISO 2024
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Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
ii
oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 General Terms .1
3.2 Terms related to information organisation and management.2
3.3 Terms related to information delivery .2
3.4 Terms related to interaction within organisations .4
4 Information delivery manual . 4
4.1 General .4
4.2 General requirements of an IDM .4
4.3 Users of this document .4
4.4 Use Case .5
4.5 Business context .5
4.5.1 Process maps .6
4.5.2 Interaction maps .7
4.6 Information delivery .7
5 IDM Framework . 8
5.1 General .8
5.2 Common metadata for all IDM components .9
5.2.1 General .9
5.2.2 IDM component header information .9
5.2.3 IDM component overview information .10
5.3 Use case specification.10
5.4 Business Context . .10
5.5 Exchange requirement .11
5.5.1 General .11
5.5.2 Information units .11
5.5.3 Information constraints . 12
6 Aspects of technical implementation .12
6.1 General . 12
6.2 Interaction framework . 12
6.3 Model view definition . 12
Annex A (informative) IDM development process . 14
Annex B (informative) Examples of simplified IDM components .18
Annex C (informative) Reference life cycle stages .23
Annex D (informative) IDM use of BPMN methods .25
Annex E (informative) IDM use of Interaction Map symbols .30
Bibliography .35

iii
oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 59, Buildings and civil engineering works,
Subcommittee SC 13, Organization of information about construction works.
This third edition cancels and replaces all previous editions, updated to cover infrastructure assets as well
as buildings and align terminology not specific to this document with other related standards.
ISO 29481 consists of the following parts, under the general title Building information models — Information
delivery manual:
— Part 1: Methodology and format
— Part 2: Interaction framework
— Part 3: Data schema
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
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ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
Introduction
This part of ISO 29481 specifies how to present the information exchange requirements for a use case and its
associated business processes. This is referred to as an Information Delivery Manual (IDM) since it precisely
defines the “information delivery” requirements of the use case, recording those using plain language in a
“manual” that can be understood by all stakeholders. An IDM consists of three components: the use case
description, the business context and specified exchange requirements.
This document may be followed as a methodology that begins by identifying a use case, then defines the
business context and its associated business processes using recommended mapping techniques to finally
arrive at a detailed specification of the required information exchange requirements between parties at
specific times during those processes.
This IDM methodology may be applied to any information management trigger event to identify the details
of the information required to be exchanged. It has been developed specifically for the built environment
sector concerned with all aspects of the delivery and management of assets. These activities may be both
contractual (such as asset delivery) and non-contractual (such as regulatory compliance) between all
stakeholders within the built environment sector and across the whole asset lifecycle.
IDM development may be streamlined in various ways as described in the informative Annex A. This
document also includes a brief overview of technical implementations of IDMs to support solutions provided
by software developers, and how an IDM can be configured to meet national, local and project needs.
IDMs can be used to solve commonplace problems associated with communication between different parties
in project teams or asset management teams by ensuring the clarity of and responsibility for information.
An IDM helps all parties get the full benefits from any information model by understanding how the
information will be used. If the required information is delivered in a reliable format to support different
purposes across the life of an asset and the quality of the information is satisfactory, then the use cases and
associated processes will be greatly improved.
Previous versions of this document assumed that information delivery would be achieved using a building
information model (represented using the IFC schema) and conforming to a model view definition to
satisfy the exchange requirements. This document significantly broadens that assumption to include any
information formats that may satisfy (in whole or in part) the exchange requirements for a given business
process.
Since the time that ISO 29481-1 was first developed in 2010 and subsequently revised in 2016, additional
standards have been published in support of information management and the process of building
information modelling. This document has been revised to reflect its position within the context of these
other standards as shown in Figure 1.
ISO 19650 has been published in several parts from 2018 onwards and sets out general concepts and
principles for information management throughout the whole asset life cycle, as well as specific process
requirements to manage information during project delivery or asset management. It also specifies an
approach for achieving information security in a collaborative working environment and sets out criteria to
be used to assess the quality of information deliverables. ISO 19650 and ISO 29481 use the same terminology
wherever possible. The IDM specification in this document is the appropriate way to record the relationships
between types of organizations that fulfil the party roles named in ISO 19650 and to set out the detailed
information that one type of organization requires from another. The exchange requirement defined in an
IDM specifies in detail the information that is required but does this in terms of generic actor types (e.g.
what a client requires from an architect for a given business process). This is different from the exchange
information requirement described in ISO 19650 which is specific to a given appointment (e.g. what the
client for project XYZ requires from their architect on that project) where the information may be defined
in whatever level of detail is deemed appropriate. This means it is possible for one exchange information
requirement to correlate to multiple exchange requirements. The business context established as part of an
IDM can also help define the information management resources used in ISO 19650, such as the information
standard and the information production methods and procedures. An IDM should be considered as a toolkit
for information managers to identify what information should be received or sent, the actors involved, how
that information flows, for what purpose and the milestones for pre-defined use cases.

v
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ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
Figure 1 — Relationships between the ISO 29481 series and other relevant standards
ISO 7817 sets out the overview of the level of information need. This concept was introduced in ISO 19650
as the way for a project client or asset owner to indicate the quantity and nature of information expected in
response to any given information requirement. Level of information need provides a more comprehensive
way of defining information units that form part of the IDM’s exchange requirement.
The ISO 21597 specifies the use of linked data techniques to create a collection of structured information
models and associated datasets with explicit relationship links between elements in the separate
documents, all contained in a single archive format. It provides a way of packaging information deliverables
in a consolidated container to support information exchange.
ISO 12006-3 provides a specification for a taxonomy in any domain of interest, allowing terms used to
denote information units in an IDM to be structured and mapped to other terms.
ISO 16739-1 provides a way to create a semantically precise representation of real-world assets, resulting in
a very effective way of delivering information that satisfies the exchange requirements as specified in this
document.
In summary, this document provides a basis for reliable information exchange and sharing so that users
can be confident that the information they are receiving is accurate and sufficient for the tasks they need
to perform. The development of this document has been driven by the need for reliability in information
exchange between parties in any business context.

vi
oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
DRAFT International Standard ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
Building information models — Information delivery
manual —
Part 1:
Methodology and format
1 Scope
This part of ISO 29481 prescribes
— how to document a use case with an associated business context and exchange requirements.
— a methodology to identify and specify the information exchanges required at identified times during the
life cycle of assets.
The information delivery manual (IDM) is intended to be presented in plain language terms to facilitate
interoperability between software applications used during all stages of the life cycle of assets (both
buildings and infrastructure). It promotes digital collaboration between actors within the identified business
context and provides a basis for accurate, reliable, repeatable and high-quality information exchange.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 22263:2008, Organization of information about construction works — Framework for management of
project information
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 6707-1 and the following apply.
3.1 General Terms
3.1.1
actor
person, organization or organizational unit involved in a process
Note 1 to entry: Organizational units include, but are not limited to, departments, teams.
3.1.2
role
functions being performed by an actor at a point in time
Note 1 to entry: The role of an actor is determined by action and outcome and not necessarily by the profession or
trade followed by the actor.
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ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
3.1.3
asset
item, thing or entity that has potential or actual value to an organization
[SOURCE: ISO 55000:2014, 3.2.1, modified — Notes to entry have been removed.]
3.1.4
metadata
data about data or data elements
[SOURCE: ISO 2382:2015, modified - The notes to entry have been removed.]
3.1.5
schema
formal description of a model
[SOURCE: ISO 19101-1:2014, 4.1.34]
3.2 Terms related to information organisation and management
3.2.1
information model
set of structured and unstructured information containers
[SOURCE: ISO 19650-1:2018, 3.3.8]
3.2.2
information container
named persistent set of information retrievable from within a file, system or application storage hierarchy
[SOURCE: ISO 19650-1:2018, 3.3.12, modified – Examples and notes to entry have been removed.]
3.2.3
model view definition
MVD
computer-interpretable definition of an exchange requirement, specifically bound to one or more particular
standard information schemas
Note 1 to entry: A model view definition (MVD) is also referred to as a view definition, a subset (of a schema) and a
conformance class (CC) especially in ISO 10303.
3.3 Terms related to information delivery
3.3.1
information delivery manual
IDM
specification of a use case using business context maps and exchange requirements
Note 1 to entry: Use case, context maps, and exchange requirements can be collectively referred to as IDM components.
3.3.2
use case
UC
description of a process by defining a sequence of actions performed by one or more roles to realize a purpose
Note 1 to entry: A use case specifies the scope of the context.

oSIST prEN ISO 29481-1:2025
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3.3.3
business context
environment in which actors undertake processes
Note 1 to entry: Such an environment includes all the roles, activities, and interactions, products and services under
the actor's control.
3.3.4
business process
set of interrelated or interacting activities that use inputs to deliver an intended result
EXAMPLE Example results include: agreements, systems, services, or products.
Note 1 to entry: a process always contains one or more transactions
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.4.1, modified - The notes to entry have been replaced with a note to entry. An
example has been added.]
3.3.5
business context map
graphical representation of the information flows related to a context
EXAMPLE interaction maps and process maps.
3.3.6
process map
PM
context map of the activities related to a use case
3.3.7
interaction map
context map of the interactions related to a use case
3.3.8
information exchange
act of satisfying an information requirement or part thereof
[SOURCE: ISO 19650-1:2018, 3.3.7, modified - The term has had the word "verb" removed.]
3.3.9
information requirement
specification for what, when and for whom information is to be produced
Note 1 to entry: The specification of how information is to be produced is part of level of information need
[SOURCE: ISO 19650-1:2018, 3.3.2, modified - The words "how" have been removed.]
3.3.10
exchange requirement
ER
defined collection of information units required to fulfil a use case
3.3.11
information unit
single piece of information
EXAMPLE Window identifier, room depth.

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ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
3.4 Terms related to interaction within organisations
3.4.1
interaction framework
XML file for the elements of an interaction
Note 1 to entry: Elements of an interaction include roles, transactions, messages, and information units
[SOURCE: ISO 6707-2:2017, 3.2.1]
3.4.2
interaction
communicative action between two roles
3.4.3
transaction
sequence of interactions involving the exchange of information using messages
EXAMPLE Processing of a request by one role on behalf of another.
Note 1 to entry: A transaction is a message between the initiator and the executor.
4 Information delivery manual
4.1 General
This subclause describes the concepts and principles that inform the development of an IDM and its three
main components: a defined use case, a description of the business context and the specification of the
exchange requirements. The IDM methodology presented in this document may be followed to develop an
IDM from first principles, but that process may also be streamlined as described in the Annex A as long as
the prescribed components of the IDM are provided as described in this this document and the information
specifications are able to be made relevant to local working practices.
4.2 General requirements of an IDM
An IDM shall deliver at least the following
— a detailed description of the use case addressed by the IDM;
— a description of the need for information exchange within the business context;
— the identity of the actors involved in any information exchange;
— a definition and description of the activities or interactions where information is created, used or
exchanged between actors to deliver a service or produce an end product;
— definitions, specifications and descriptions that are useful and easily understood;
— detailed specifications of exchange requirements including links to objects within industry standard
structured information containers.
Guidance for development of content and the approach to follow is given in Annex A.
4.3 Users of this document
The main users are expected to be IDM developers who consider a specific use case, employ a discovery
process or other means to define the corresponding business context, and specify exchange requirements
using knowledge elicited from end users.

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ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
More broadly, users of this document may include the following:
— software solution providers wishing to specify the requirements for information and communication
support in software applications; and
— information users, i.e. executive users and end users, concerned with producing information in accordance
with the IDM to support their business processes.
It follows that a wider group of users will be those who take note of the detailed specifications of the
information that an actor fulfilling a particular role would need to provide at a particular point within a
business process. Such users include the following:
— project manager, responsible for organizing the business process and ensuring that the information
exchange is appropriately managed;
— information model manager, making the necessary arrangements to support an exchange requirement;
— client, who initiates the development of an IDM and includes it as a whole or in part in a contract;
— contractor/consultant, using the IDM to make the necessary arrangements to comply with the
expectations of the business process and associated information delivery;
— business manager, using an IDM as a template or standard to be applied in many projects within its
organization;
— construction organization, using an IDM for a specific project type as a template or standard to be applied
in the sector;
— asset manager, using an IDM to define exchange requirements associated with routine or reactive
maintenance of assets;
— asset operator, using an IDM to define exchange requirements associated with operational activities.
4.4 Use Case
An IDM addresses a well-defined use case that shall be specified in accordance with this document. Further
details of this requirement are provided in Clause 5.
4.5 Business context
Figure 2 shows an example of a business context (represented here as an interaction map) that requires an
IDM: a client (role R1) engages (in a contractual transaction T1) a consultant (role R2) to deliver some service.
In such a use case, there is a need to understand and document both the collaborative and contractual aspects
of their relationship and how information will be delivered within that business context. The IDM describes
that context as well as the information requirements associated with any transactions (both ways) in that
relationship. That information will be held within an information model made up of information units.
If the service required of the consultant in that example is a complex one, then they may need to initiate
further business processes to fulfil the requirement, leading to a more complex business context involving
several business processes, each having specific information delivery requirements.

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ISO/DIS 29481-1:2024(en)
Figure 2 — Example of a simple business context requiring an IDM
When developing an IDM for a given use case from first principles, it is necessary to consider the nature
and context of the information exchange through a discovery process. There are two recommended ways of
looking at that, each with an associated business context mapping methodology.
— Process maps are most useful where the focus is on the business processes (defined by activities executed
by actors with roles) that need to be followed to deliver a service or produce an end product (such as a
design). In this case, the information that is the focus of the IDM is associated with a specific activity
within that business process.
— Interaction maps are most useful where the focus is on the interactions (made up of a series of transactions)
between actors (with roles) who are to deliver a service or product, and the concern is to ensure that
agreed communication protocols are in place to ensure that the business goals are achieved. In this case,
the information that is the focus of the IDM is associated with a transaction.
These are complementary approaches and are explained in further detail below. Within a given business
context, it may be appropriate to use both methodologies: a process map can be used to clarify the details
of a transaction identified in an interaction mapping exercise, while an interaction map can be used to
rigorously understand an information exchange defined in a process map.
The following subclauses describe these types of business context maps in greater detail.
4.5.1 Process maps
The process map considers the actor roles involved in the business processes associated with the business
context with a focus on the sequence of activities to be undertaken by those actors to support the use
case. Information exchanges are identified (giving rise to exchange requirements) where an activity to be
performed by one actor requires input from another actor.
A simple example of a process map is provided in Annex B.
The purpose of a process map is to describe the flow of activities within the boundary of a particular
business process, the roles played by the actors involved, together with the information required, consumed
and produced.
The approach recommended for representing process maps is the Business Process Modelling Notation
(BPMN, see ISO 19510). Further guidance on using BPMN is given in Annex D.

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Within an IDM, a process map provides the following:
— sets the boundary for the extent of the information contained within the business process;
— identifies all the actors involved, assigning each to a swim lane in diagrammatic representation;
— establishes the activities within the process;
— shows the logical sequence of the activities;
— supports the expansion of activities with more detailed process maps where appropriate.
The extent of the information requirements associated with a business context is determined by the contents
of the exchange requirements specified in the IDM.
4.5.2 Interaction maps
An interaction map is a visual representation of the scope, key roles (actors), and the essential moments of
interaction between them in a business context. Instead of detailing the activities needed for production
or service provision, it highlights the fundamental transactions—structured interactions—in which actors
exchange commitments and coordinate their work.
Each interaction involves a structured conversation between two actor roles, where a request or delivery of
a product or service is agreed upon. This structured interaction is referred to as a transaction. Each business
process is a chain of transactions, each with a clearly defined initiator (the actor responsible for starting the
interaction) and an executor (the actor tasked with completing it).
In each transaction, information exchanges for a specific purpose (e.g., a request for change or information
delivery and the approval) are identified, governed by specific rules that dictate the sequence of actions.
For digital purposes these communicative information exchanges are translated into messages with data
forms and attachments that meet the transaction’s information requirements for coordinating production
or service delivery.
Interaction maps, associated transactions and their message sequence are typically represented as UML
sequence diagrams. A simple example, of an interaction map is provided in Annex B.
The interaction map and associated transactions form the key components of an interaction framework.
ISO 29481-2 specifies a schema for a computer-interpretable interaction framework enabling digital IDM
communication for any defined business context. This facilitates (through available software) effective
management of the business context and ensure the integrity of any information exchanges improving the
coordination of production and services.
Using the interaction framework, the business cooperation and communication requirements are defined,
allowing the contributions of relevant roles to the information exchanges to be controlled.
Within an IDM, an interaction map provides the following:
— sets the boundary for the extent of the information contained within the business context;
— identifies the actors, either initiators or executors, for each transaction;
— establishes the required interactions within the process;
— defines the business cooperation and communication requirements allowing the contributions of
relevant roles to the information exchanges to be managed;
— supports the detailed expansion of the steps within a transaction to ensure reliable completion.
4.6 Information delivery
The information delivered in response to defined information requirements is referred to as an information
model. This includes both structured information containers (including digital representations of physical

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assets in the built environment) and unstructured ones such as digital images, drawings and text documents.
These may be exchanged as attachments to a digital message or, more commonly, shared as a URL link to one
or more information containers held in a shared repository. A set of related information containers may be
bundled together into a single file referred to as an Information Container for linked Document Delivery
(ICDD) as specified in ISO 21597. In addition, information delivery may be facilitated by defining queries
against shared databases, whether held within an information model associated with the asset or any
accessible private or public database resource relevant to the identified information requirements.
Where an information model that relates to a specific asset is held in a shared repository, it is frequently
set up to include information that satisfies many use cases across the full life cycle of that asset. In that
case, a specific information exchange may only require a sub-set of the entire information model, typically
specified as a model view definition (MVD). The implementation of an MVD is further explained in 6.3.
5 IDM Framework
5.1 General
An information delivery manual shall comprise the following as shown in Figure 3:
— a clear description of the addressed use case,
— a comprehensive analysis of the business context associated with that use case,
— the information requirements of the use case defined as one or more exchange requirements.
The business context may be represented in an IDM by any combination of interaction maps and process
maps as well as supporting descriptive text and tables. When working from first principles, the analysis of
the business context can be thought of as a discovery process using those two mapping approaches since
their purpose is to clearly show how the exchange requirements for the use case have been derived. Business
context maps shall be used as specified in 5.4.
The information requirements of the use case shall be defined in one or more exchange requirements
providing a comprehensive description as specified in 5.5.

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Figure 3 — IDM basic framework
5.2 Common metadata for all IDM components
5.2.1 General
Each IDM component (use case, business context maps and exchange requirements) shall include header
information and overview information as specified in this subclause. This is illustrated in Figure 4 for the
use case component.
5.2.2 IDM component header information
Each IDM component shall include at least the following administrative information:
— identifiers including a full title, a short title, and a globally unique identifier;
— authoring information, including authors, a change log that identifies both creation and any change made
together with the author and date.

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5.2.3 IDM component overview information
Each IDM component shall start with a short plain language description of the contents, purpose and scope
that the component is intended to address.
Examples of IDM components are given in Annex B.
5.3 Use case specification
Each IDM shall meet the information requirements of a clearly defined use case.
The use case description shall include the header information specified in 5.2.2 as well as the purpose,
coverage and expected usage of the IDM. Figure 4 lists the information typically associated with a use case.
The standard project stage(s) identified by a life cycle phase in accordance with ISO 22263 as detailed in
Annex C.
Figure 4 — Typical components of a Use Case
5.4 Business Context
An IDM shall include a description of the business context that identifies the need for information exchanges
within the business processes associated with the use case. In addition to the required metadata specified
in 5.2, the business context may include one or more business context maps (supported by explanatory text
where appropriate) that serve to diagrammatically illustrate the business processes.
There are two types of business context maps that are recommended for use both to illustrate the business
processes and, when developing an IDM from first principles, to support the discovery process and to
understand the information exchanges in those business processes. These are process maps and interaction
maps as described in 4.5. They may be used in any combination.

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A business context map, where used, shall include the following administrative information:
— the identified exchange requirements that lie within the boundary of the business process;
— an overview that provides a comprehensive description (including diagrams where appropriate) of the
overall business process.
5.5 Exchange requirement
5.5.1 General
An exchange requirement shall define the information required to be exchanged to support a particular
business process at a particular project stage. It provides a description of the information in plain language
that is understandable to end users (owner, designer, engineer, constructor, etc.).
An exchange requirement represents the connection between process and data. It describes a set of
info
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