Fig.1 Project Lifecycle Phases, and sub-phases 

Fig.2 Effect of BIM on Project Lifecycle Phases

Construction projects pass through three major Project Lifecycle Phases (PLP)s: Design [D], Construction [C] and Operations [O]. These phases are also subdivided into sub-phases which are in turn further subdivided into activities, sub-activities and tasks. This conceptual model (Fig. 2) depicts the effects of BIM on project lifecycle phases over the three BIM Stages.

The BIM Framework introduces the stages separating Pre-BIM (the status before BIM) from viDCO (virtually integrated Design, Construction and Operation) - the ultimate vision from implementing BIM. These revolutionary stages, and the evolutionary steps separating them, are intended to both clarify and measure BIM adoption.

Note 1: this model depicts BIM Capability Stages at Maturity Level C...Also, starting in Paper A4, the term viDCO replaces the term IPD as used earlier in Papers A2 and A3

Note 2: The ‘BIM Stages’ model was first introduced by the author through BIM ThinkSpace (Episode 8 – Feb 18, 2008) and then published in Paper A2 as ‘BIM Maturity Stages’. As of Paper A3, the BIM capability/maturity concept embedded in the original model was split into two metrics/models: BIM Capability Stages and BIM Maturity Levels.

Update (July, 2015) - below is a short video explaining the above on the Framework's YouTube channel: