Poon, J (2004) Development of an expert system modelling the construction process. Journal of Construction Research, 5(1), pp. 125-138. ISSN 1609-9451
Abstract
The construction industry in the UK needs to improve its performance and provide clients with an improved level of satisfaction. The inefficient design and construction process is usually criticised as one of the main causes of poor performance. A new construction process system, CONstruction Best Practice System (CONBPS), has been developed based on the use of an expert system. CONBPS is based on the traditional procurement strategy as it is probably the most popular procurement method in the UK and yet it is subject to most criticism. This model clearly identifies the roles and responsibilities of the major parties within the building team and identifies the activities and the key issues within the project cycle. The completed model reflects the full project cycle from inception to completion. The prototype of this system has been demonstrated to the construction participants for their comments. The practitioners included architects, quantity surveyors, planning supervisors, private and public clients. The method of collecting data was through the use of semi-structured interviews. Following feedback from practitioners, the CONBPS has been updated. This version is more robust; besides, it is more practical and user-friendly as it incorporates the comments from practitioners, who are also the potential users. The primary aim of this paper is to discuss the development of the updated CONBPS. The improvement of the updated CONBPS includes the information for constructing the system, the computerised functions, system structure, knowledge representation structure and the system operation.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction process; expert system; model; UK |
| Index terms: | design and construction, architect, best practice, construction industry, public client, modelling, supervisor, satisfaction, procurement method, quantity surveying, traditional procurement, building team, expert system, practitioner, construction process, interview, prototype, strategy |
| Subjects: | practitioner, analytical methods, contractual arrangements, building construction, leadership, business, profession, data collection methods, modelling and simulation, project delivery, management, sociology, data management, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Procurement, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Site Management, Human Resources, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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