Communication in construction design teams: moving into the virtual world

Construction design involves communication and interaction between individuals and groups in complex social settings. Therefore, the social character of design activity cannot be separated from the technical results (Minneman, 1991). The challenge of collaborating within design teams has been intensified by increased globalization and the trend towards virtual teamwork, using information and communication technology. Although these virtual teams have resulted in increased client satisfaction, specific communication skills may be needed for team members to function efficiently and effectively in these environments. Using two analyses, derived from Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004), communication in design teams operating in three environments was examined. Tensions between the efficient exchange of information and effective collaboration between team members were highlighted by these analyses; using these findings, specific strategies which facilitate communication and collaboration in these differing environments may be developed

Heading into new virtual environments: what skills do design team members need?.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is increasingly being integrated in the design and management of construction projects. Not only are sophisticated electronic tools being widely used to help construction professionals design and manage buildings - ICT is assisting these people to work in virtual, collaborative electronic environments. As a result there is a trend to move from co-located to virtual team collaboration. The operational differences inherent in these environments and their impact on the generic skills of design professionals are the basis of the research reported here. We developed a generic skills coding framework for the activities of designers working in virtual teams. We then audio and video recorded designers working in teams designing different buildings and analysed the resulting data using our generic skills framework. We identified changes in the skills profiles of design team members between different operational states (low bandwidth-high bandwidth). The major conclusion of our analysis is that there are significant differences between the operational conditions: face-to-face, whiteboard and 3D virtual world, for the generic skills profiles

Evolving Trends in nD Modelling: The Construction Planning Workbench

The paper reports the outcomes of a research project (CRC-CI: www.constructioninnovation.info) conducted in Australia with academic partners (CSIRO, University of Newcastle) and industrial partners (Woods Bagot, Arup Australasia, John Holland).This paper investigates the requirements of product modelling in the construction industry. Product models incorporate multifaceted aspects of design information (required at each stage of the lifecycle of buildings) by integrating additional information (such as time, costs, etc.) into a three-dimensional (3D) computer model, thereby adding intelligence to it. The project also investigates methodologies for automatically linking construction processes with 3D CAD models to allow users to visualize and simulate construction methodologies. Our study adopts a qualitative approach where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 key design and construction professionals from two major Australian companies. Data were coded in relation to six main clusters – themes and summaries of results are presented as repertory grids. The paper identifies some of the risks and opportunities of implementing nD modelling in the construction industry. Analysis of data indicates a shift to 3D CAD, with a strong interest being identified for integration of CAD and construction programming. Although the use of product models is not presently seen as feasible for this purpose, the increasing use of 3D CAD is seen as positive. Results indicate a need for alignment models and user-friendly technologies if product models are to assist communication between clients, consultants and construction companies. (Earthscan

Innovative Protocols and Technologies as a Means of Complying with the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payments Act 1999 (NSW) Australia

The Building and Construction Industry Security of Payments Act 1999—updated 27 November 2003, New South Wales, Australia provides a statutory framework which governs compulsory progress payments for those who undertake works or provide goods or services as part of a construction contract. Respondents to the process are being disadvantaged as a result of complying with the Act. Claimants are purported to be taking months to prepare detailed and comprehensive payment claims, prior to serving them on the respondents, who, under the Act, have limited time to compile a detailed payment schedule in response. This research investigates the use of two recent innovations that could assist in the administration of the process. The first is the Society of Construction Law's Delay and Disruption Protocol's model clauses, and the second is the use of web-based technology as a project administrative tool. A literature search was carried out, together with semi-structured qualitative interviews, to determine opinions of their use and effectiveness. Results indicate a recognition and appreciation of the likely benefits of transparency, efficiency and improved cost effectiveness of the project administrative processes, possibly resulting in potential savings and improved cost recovery opportunities, with the potential to reduce and/or avoid disputes. (Routledge