Russell, J S; Jaselskis, E J and Lawrence, S P (1997) Continuous assessment of project performance. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 123(1), pp. 64-71. ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Project managers for owners, designers, and contractors need real-time information to assist them in managing projects. This paper describes a process whereby owner, engineer, and construction contractor organizations can use continuous or time-dependent variables (e.g., owner expenditures, construction effort hours expended) to predict project outcomes from start of detailed design through construction completion. Continuous variable data were collected on 54 construction projects. S-curves were developed for two project outcome categories: (1) "successful" (meeting or exceeding budget and schedule expectations); and (2) "less-than-successful" (not meeting budget and/or schedule expectations of the owner). Statistical analysis was performed to identify those variables showing a statistically significant difference between the two project outcome categories. Variables exhibiting a significant difference between the S-curves for "successful" and "less-than-successful" projects can be used as predictors of project outcome. Results show that different variables were predictors of success at different points of time during the project life cycle. Practical applications of these results along with limitations and future research are described.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | project manager, statistical analysis, project outcome, designer, life cycle, engineer, owner, project performance, s-curve, real-time information, construction project, dependent variable, construction contractor |
| Subjects: | data science, practitioner, value management, project completion, profession, statistical analysis, sociology, data management, project management theory and practice, production management, economics |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Project Management, Research Practice, Cost Management, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here