Process modelling: An evaluation approach in support of effective management of construction project information

Construction has recognised the need to find effective ways to manage project information, resulting in the introduction of new procurement methods, statutes, project specialisms, and integrated computer environments to manage project information. Despite the availability of integrated computer environments, their implementation has been limited in this industry compared to other industrial sectors. The key argument put forward in this thesis is that their implementation must be underpinned with process models that reflect changes in practices in the management of construction projects today. The aim of the study is to develop relevant process models for effective management of project information, and through this to enable more effective implementation of integrated environments. To achieve this aim, the study identifies the origins of project information and practices adopted to manage information towards project completion. Process modelling of current practice is done with several available techniques: IDEF0 technique, review gates (for establishing intervals in a project where verification of processes occurs), and a colour pattern scheme (for project specialists coordinating processes) for commonly used procurement methods in the United Kingdom, with specific regard to design and build and traditional methods. Examination of existing process models reveals they do not sufficiently capture all influences arising from the varying levels of involvement of project specialists, the controls found in construction industry which influence initiation and completion of processes, the interrelatedness of processes, and levels to which each project process iterates. This requires a fresh evaluation framework. The evaluation framework developed has five criteria: participant-participant interactions; controls; functional dependency; output dependency; and interactions. Each of the five criteria developed has a scale with a maximum value of ten to which each process can attain. Process models in earlier stages of the study are analysed with the new evaluation framework, and their weighted value in the evaluation framework indicates the degree and type of integrated environment support to these processes and to the management of projects. The benefit of using the evaluation framework and its development of new process models is that support can be prioritised effectively according to process weighting in a construction project. The study concludes giving recommendations for future research.