Information requirements describe what information is needed, why it is needed, who needs it, and when it should be delivered. In BIM, they help prevent a common failure: asking for a model without explaining the decision, task, asset, or operation that the information must support.
Common terms include organizational information requirements, asset information requirements, project information requirements, and exchange information requirements. Abbreviations vary by country and contract, but the practical logic is consistent. Strategic organizational needs flow into asset needs, project needs, and specific exchanges.
OIR, or organizational information requirements, describe the information an organization needs to meet its objectives. Examples include portfolio planning, cost reporting, risk management, carbon reporting, maintenance strategy, safety records, regulatory duties, or long-term asset performance.
AIR, or asset information requirements, describe information needed to operate, maintain, monitor, renew, or dispose of assets. AIR often matters most to owners and operators because it shapes what handover data must be usable after design and construction are finished.
PIR, or project information requirements, describe information needed to make project decisions. A project may need information for design approval, planning permission, procurement, construction sequencing, commissioning, change control, commercial reporting, or handover readiness.
EIR, or exchange information requirements, describe what must be exchanged at a specific point. An EIR should be practical and checkable. It should describe the purpose, timing, format, responsible party, required information, acceptance criteria, and any supporting documents or data.
The danger is writing requirements that sound impressive but cannot be checked. A better requirement says what object, property, classification, document, status, date, or evidence is expected, and how the receiving party will know whether it is acceptable.
Information requirements should connect to the BEP, information delivery plan, responsibility matrix, CDE workflow, and model checking process. If they remain in a separate document that nobody uses, they rarely improve project information quality.
Useful references: ISO 19650-1:2018 ↗, ISO 19650-2:2018 ↗, buildingSMART IDS ↗.
Related: BIM Execution Plan, openBIM, IFC, BCF, IDS, and bSDD, Data Ownership in Collaborative Projects.