Owolabi, A (2004) Development of an integrated product information management system. EngD thesis, Loughborough University, UK.
Abstract
This thesis reports on a research project undertaken over a four year period investigating and developing a software framework and application for integrating and managing building product information for construction engineering. The research involved extensive literature research, observation of the industry practices and interviews with construction industry practitioners and systems implementers to determine how best to represent and present product information to support the construction process. Applicable product models for information representation were reviewed and evaluated to determine present suitability. The IFC product model was found to be the most applicable. Investigations of technologies supporting the product model led to the development of a software tool, the IFC Assembly Viewer, which aided further investigations into the suitability of the product model (in its current state) for the exchange and sharing of product information. A software framework, or reusable software design and application, called PROduct Information Management System (PROMIS), was developed based on a non-standard product model but with flexibility to work with the IFC product model when sufficiently mature. The software comprises three subsystems namely: ProductWeb, ModelManager.NET and Product/Project Service (or P2Service). The key features of this system were shared project databases, parametric product specification, integration of product information sources, and application interaction and integration through interface components. PROMIS was applied to and tested with a modular construction business for the management of product information and for integration of product and project information through the design and construction (production) process.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | engineering design; interview; observation; product information; prototype development |
| Index terms: | construction engineering, engineering design, investigation, design and construction, construction industry, interaction, product information, database, modular construction, integration, construction process, practitioner, suitability, interview, management system, specification, product model, prototype |
| Subjects: | contractual condition, design process, management, engineering methods, design criteria, industry analysis, behavioral psychology, data management, organizational analysis, building construction, practitioner, innovation studies, data collection methods, contractual arrangements, modelling and simulation |
| Topics: | Procurement, Engineering Principles, Contract Administration, Organizational Design, Site Management, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Roles and Professions, Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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