Gao, T; Ergan, S; Akinci, B and Garrett, J H (2014) Proactive productivity management at job sites: Understanding characteristics of assumptions made for construction processes during planning based on case studies and interviews. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 140(3): 4013054, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
During planning and execution of construction projects, project planners and managers make various assumptions with respect to execution of construction activities, availability of resources, suitability of construction methods, and status of preceding activities. However, not all of these assumptions are explicitly documented and verified before the construction activities start. Decisions made based on invalid assumptions can negatively impact the outcomes of construction projects, such as rework, activity delays, and extra material cost. To address the problems caused by invalid assumptions, this paper proposed to develop a formal approach to capture and represent assumptions and proactively verify assumptions to reduce the uncertainties associated with construction projects. To develop such a formal approach, an initial step is to identify characteristics of assumptions. The research team conducted two detailed case studies (i.e., a bridge rehabilitation project and a research lab renovation project) and seven interviews with construction professionals who have experience between 12 and 50 years. This paper provides a detailed discussion on the assumptions identified from case studies and interviews. The developed categorization of assumptions and the general characteristics of assumptions can serve as the foundation for a formal representation of assumptions, which helps construction professionals to proactively verify assumptions so as to avoid negative impacts of invalid assumptions on construction planning and execution.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | assumption; planning; proactive productivity management; project planning and design; uncertainty |
| Index terms: | construction planning, interview, construction project, renovation, construction process, productivity, rework, case study, project planning, planner, construction method, construction professional, suitability, construction activity, manager, rehabilitation project |
| Subjects: | building construction, production management, professional development, renovation and retrofit, operations management, profession, construction planning, health conditions and diseases, practitioner, data collection methods, management, design criteria, control systems, construction operations |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Information Management, Project Management, Business Strategy, Site Management, Roles and Professions, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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