Shaaban, S M (2004) A user-centric approach for the development and evaluation of a visual interface to online information in the construction industry. PhD thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Abstract
Previous research in construction information use has emphasised the crucial role of accessing and retrieving information to daily decision making. With the overwhelming increase and complexity of construction information, let alone the exponential growth of online resources, problems with current online information access systems (OIAS) have clearly appeared. They include information overload, unreliable search results, and lack of integration with users' information skills or needs. As this subject area has matured, the need to augment current construction OIAS with new techniques that improve access and facilitate assimilation of information has emerged. This study focuses on adopting information visualisation (IV) techniques for that purpose. It aimed to develop a Web-based visual interface (VisExplorer), to online construction information. The study adopted a user-centric approach for the development and evaluation of VisExplorer. This involved analysing the usage patterns of a live Web-based construction OIAS for a two-year period, which contributed to the development and the empirical evaluation of VisExplorer. The evaluation established that VisExplorer was successful in achieving its objectives. It provided an alternative method to finding construction information. It was effective in enabling better understanding of search results. It also introduced an undemanding intuitive visual information workspace, which industry professionals perceived as of improved utility. It is concluded that adopting information visualisation techniques to the online information access system has improved the information seeking experience of construction industry professionals. The visual exploration of search results was successful in assisting users to achieve complex seeking tasks. The development methodology of VisExplorer not only contributes to the implementation of information visualisation in construction, but it provides a reliable approach to the research and development of information visualisation tools for Web-based information access systems.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | complexity; decision making; evaluation; integration; skills; visualisation |
| Index terms: | implementation, construction industry, workspace, visualization, information visualization, complexity, integration, methodology, decision-making, exploration, research and development |
| Subjects: | systems engineering, industry analysis, research management, decision analysis, organizational analysis, research methods, management, design practice, contractual arrangements, environmental resource management, visualization |
| Topics: | Risk Management, Procurement, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Organizational Design, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Stakeholder Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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