ICT for Collaborative Working in Project Management Dr Joseph O. Ugwu Dept of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong Seminar: Recent Developments in Project Management in HKSAR – Friday 12 May 2006 1 Outline • Part 1: ICT Evolution in Construction • Part 2: Supporting Technologies & Frameworks • Part 3: Example Applications - Conclusion & Recommendation 2 1
Part 1: Evolutionary Trends – Why Collaborative Project Management • Why Collaborate? • Construction ICT Business Case 3 ICT Evolution in Construction – Why Collaborate? Contextual Issues in ICT - CIRC Report (2001) p8: – “ … the construction industry should make more extensive use of modern construction methods and techniques as well as information technology (IT) ” – “ … IT will help to improve construction efficiency through better information flow among project participants, improved design capability, and enhanced project logistics management ” An efficient, innovative and productive industry – “… Research is a key driver to improve the overall performance of the construction industry through technology upgrading…” Research & Development 4 2
ICT Evolution in Construction – Why Collaborate? • Present Construction Supply Chain Environment: - A shift from two-person contractual model; to - Multi-layer inter-organizational contractual relationships - Construction is now a Global Business with new Market Models - Focus: - Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Total Quality Management (TQM) - Design for Sustainability and Infrastructure Security 5 Evolution of ICT for Collaborative Project Management • Current applications - Design Analysis & Detailing - CAD - Planning Tools - Primavera & MS Project - Building Services & Life Cycle Costing Tools - Management Information Systems (MIS) • Evolving Organisational Structures - Vertical & Horizontal Integration [ Mergers, Acquisitions & Takeovers] - Intra- and Inter-Organizational Communication Bottlenecks - Needs Enterprise Integration across functional levels 6 3
The Business case for ICT Support • Real time and borderless communication - Multi—Parties Collaboration - Enhanced Accountability (e.g. through improved audit trail) - Increased Efficiency & Productivity 7 ICT Application Areas • Enterprise Application Integration - Business Process Engineering (BPR) - Business Process Re-Engineering (BPRe) - Disaster Management (e.g. Hurricane Katrina 2005 - GIS) - Problem: Full task automation is hampered by interoperability problems 8 4
Example ICT Application Areas • E-Business - Document Management - Enterprise Information Portals - Workflow Systems (e.g – email-based workflow and task synchronization) 9 Technologies, Architectures & Framework • WWW & Web Portals • Peer – to – Peer computing • Wireless communication • Agents & Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) Technology • Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) • Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA) • A Hybrid Application of Technology & Techniques Essential. 10 5
Example Applications • SMILE-SMC – an eMail-Based Enterprise Integration - Designing for Sustainability, and Infrastructure Security 11 Email-based Construction Business Process Automation – a SMILE-SMC Solution (EIE) 12 6
An EIE Solution • EIE focus on a shift from paper-based to electronic mode of communication in order to minimize duplication of certain tasks such as data entry and improve collaborative working 13 Enterprise Collaboration – the future of Construction Business • A strategic long term goal for many construction organizations • Demonstrated by the investments in IT communication tools such as email • Integration of functions across different departments – E.g. Component & Material Specification (Design dept) - Order Placing (Purchasing Dept) – Order Processing, Manufacture & Delivery (manufacturer) – Site Installation (site Engineers) 14 7
Why Email-Based Process Automation? • Current state – Predominantly paper based (faxes, telephone and postal communication). – Results in delays and repeat data entries with associated errors 15 Key Objectives of Developing EIE Solution • To understand the flow of information and how different functions communicate, when & why • Improve the flow of information • Remove (at least reduce) bottlenecks that impede construction business processes such as Product specification, order placing, procurement, manufacture & delivery) 16 8
Target Objectives & Improvements from an EIE Solution • Increase productivity • Lower transaction costs (within the organization and between organizations) • Improve customer - partner relationships • Reduce the duplication of efforts such as repeat data entry between different function units in an organization (also reduces human errors) 17 Target Objectives & Improvements from an EIE Solution • Ability to publish & push data and information with improved access by employees • Improve communication within your organization • Enhance Client and Supplier relationship in the supply chain 18 9
Required Infrastructure & Tools • Driving Technology for EIE Solution – ebXML – Compliant Email System (e.g. ebMail developed at HKU and is available free) – Normal internet/extranet facilities – XML - construction business process plug ins (e.g. daily report, purchase order, RFI, etc) 19 Example Designer Specification & Purchase Order/Deliver • Current state – Predominantly paper based (faxes, telephone and postal communication). – Results in delays and repeat data entries with associated errors 20 10
Web interface on the customer’s side for composing PO 22 11
Importing PO information from database into ebMail for sending to supplier 23 Importing PO information from database into ebMail for sending to supplier 24 12
Exporting PO information into supplier’s database for further processing 25 Back-end processing of PO through web-interface on the supplier’s side 26 13
Summary – EIE Solution • Flexibility – Web interface can be customized on both the customer and supplier side in order to suit various needs. • Automation – PO is filled in just by one click • Possibility of expansion – Can be expanded for other ebMail plug-ins, such as daily report, RFI, etc. 27 Sustainable Design Appraisal & Security Vulnerability Analysis • A Service-Based Solution/Framework • Design & Construction: Evaluate Sustainability • Four-Level Indicators Development • Perform environmental balanced scorecard analysis • System Level Services: • Design alternative configuration – Compute Sustainability Index – Generate Report 28 14
KnowMSAIP Prototype • Classification of Sustainability Design Indicators – Discussed in Ugwu et al 2003 – CITC-II 2 nd International Conference – HK 29 KnowMSAIP Prototype • Project input interface window 30 15
KnowMSAIP Prototype • Project input interface window Interface showing integrated data and information services delivery in design option creation 31 KnowMSAIP Prototype • Interface for viewing, constructing, and deconstructing sustainability indicators 32 16
KnowMSAIP Prototype • Sample Output – for Demonstration Only 33 KnowMSAIP Prototype • Critical Infrastructure Security & Vulnerability Analysis 34 17
KnowMSAIP Prototype • Critical Infrastructure Security & Vulnerability Analysis 35 KnowMSAIP Prototype • Critical Infrastructure Security & Vulnerability Analysis 36 18
Conclusions & Recommendation • Demonstrable benefits of ICT in construction – Real Time Communication – Multi-party collaborative working – Increased efficiency ad productivity • ICT Application Areas include; – E-Business – Enterprise Integration (inter- and intra-organization levels) – Workflow synchronization – Sustainable Design & Infrastructure Security 37 Conclusions & Recommendation • Supporting Technologies & Frameworks – WWW infrastructure (including email systems) – Enterprise Information Portals – Peer-to-Peer Computing, Agents & MAS – XML (ebXML & aecXML) for product & process Standardization – Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) • Research & Development; – Research would make significant contributions to addressing the gap between sate-of-the-art theory/technology and practice 38 19
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