Modeling a construction project in a matrix-based framework for managing requirement changes

Changes are inevitable in a construction project and can impact project’s time, cost, other aspects such as labor productivity, safety, and working relationships. A key challenge of change management is to identify changes and predict their impacts before implementation so that impacts can be minimized. However, different set of entity types in a construction project such as teams, components, deliverables, activities and parameters, as well as complex interdependencies that exist among these entity types, makes difficult to manage changes. To predict changes and their impacts holistically, entity types should be modeled in an integrated manner explicitly. Therefore, objective of the study is to develop a matrix-based framework to predict changes by modeling multiple entity types in a construction project. The proposed matrix-based framework integrates two matrix-based modeling concepts: Axiomatic Design (AD) and Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM). AD principles are utilized for early change identification. MDM principles are used for tracking change propagations across multiple entity types. A schedule risk model is proposed for estimating delays due to changes in entity types. The scope of study is to predict delays due to requirement changes. Framework is validated using data from an ongoing hospital construction project. The findings revealed framework can identify and predict all possible changes accurately.