Dadi, G B (2013) Applying cognitive principles to the delivery of engineering information by different mediums. PhD thesis, University of Kentucky, USA.
Abstract
Construction project performance and worker productivity are often tied to the availability and effective presentation of information, tools, materials, and equipment. While advancements in technology have improved much of the processes on a construction project, the medium of information dissemination at the construction work face has consistently relied on the use of two dimensional drawings and specifications. Industry initiatives are driving increased collaboration through three dimensional BIM (Building Information Modeling) models. However, the added dimension partially loses its effect when presented on a two dimensional computer monitor. Other computer forms of presentation intended for mobility (PDAs, laptops, and tablets) can be difficult to use in the field due to glare, durability in a harsh working environment, and the required skill level for effective use. Three dimensional (3D) physical printers now provide the capability to develop scaled and color models of a project directly from a BIM model. 3D physical printers represent a potential transformative change of providing engineering information to construction crews, but how to develop 3D models that leverage the cognitive benefits of viewing engineering information in a physical 3D form is unknown. The primary contribution to the overall body of knowledge of this dissertation is to scientifically examine the effect that different engineering information mediums have on an individual's cognitive ability to effectively and accurately interpret spatial information. First, the author developed a robust scientific experiment for construction practitioners and students to complete. This experiment included outcomes measures on mental workload, cognitive demand, productivity, efficiency, demographics, and preferences. After collecting data, the author analyzed the outcomes through a series of statistical analyses to measure the differences between groups and quantify the affect and relationship among key variables. From the results, there are statistically significant improvements in productivity and efficiency of practitioners and students when using a physical model compared to two dimensional drawings and a three dimensional computer model. In addition, the average cognitive demand for a physical model was lower than the average cognitive demand for two dimensional drawings and three dimensional computer model. KEYWORDS: Information Delivery, Cognitive Task Demands, Construction Labor Strategies, Additive Manufacturing, Building Information Modeling (BIM) Applications in Construction
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Taylor, T R B and Maloney, W F |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | durability; efficiency; construction labor; construction project; equipment; specifications; building information model; building information modeling; collaboration; manufacturing; productivity; experiment; project performance |
| Index terms: | information delivery, mobility, building information modelling, efficiency, statistical analysis, productivity, 3D model, information dissemination, durability, project performance, construction work, glare, construction labour, demographics, dimension, dissertation, specification, physical model, workload, construction practitioner, experiment, face, strategy, drawing, practitioner, collaboration, construction project, additive manufacturing, cognitive ability, preference, body of knowledge |
| Subjects: | technical documentation, material degradation and durability, health monitoring assessment and metrics, data science, data collection methods, information systems, infrastructure and transport systems, performance management, management, project management theory and practice, professional development, contractual condition, operations management, psychology, knowledge management, research dissemination and communication, computational design, practitioner, cognitive psychology, building performance, demography, decision-making and reasoning, manufacturing engineering, production management |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Information Management, Construction Materials, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Contract Administration, Organizational Design, Site Management, Human Resources, Digital Applications, Urban Studies, Design Practice, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Health and Safety, Quality Management |
| 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