Fisher, N (1990) The use of structured data analysis as a construction management research tool: 1. The technique. Construction Management and Economics, 8(4), pp. 341-362. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
It is argued in this paper that the flow of data between members of a construction project team is both critical and time-consuming. If progress is to continue in important areas of construction management and engineering that involve data flow or transfer – such as information technology, computer-aided design and manufacture, robotics and expert systems – the recording and identification of the best of current practice will become increasingly important to the design of more efficient data flows. This paper outlines a modified form of 'structured data analysis' (SDA), a technique originally developed by the electronic data processing industry. Modifications necessary for SDA to be used as a tool in management systems research are outlined. The contextual relationship of the technique to the wider systems movement is considered. The benefits and limitations of the technique are discussed, and the conclusion is reached that SDA has the promise of being an ideal tool to assist in the task of mapping, recording and comparing data flows in different organizations.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction; information technology; management; research methods; systems analysis |
| Index terms: | information technology, structured data analysis, mapping, data processing, expert system, computer aided design, movement, management research, management system, systems analysis, robotics, construction project team |
| Subjects: | data management, management, spatial and geospatial analysis, automation and robotics, data science, project delivery, analytical methods, computational design, research design and methodology, health behaviours and lifestyles, computing systems |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Project Management, Digital Applications, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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