The conceptual modelling of construction management information

Abstract

The conceptual modelling of construction management information models the information for the activities performed at the post design stage. In this paper, such activities have been identified by a steering group of industrialists and representatives of the major professional institutions in the UK who are assisting the research team in the development of conceptual models for construction management information. The resulting conceptual models form the basis for developing construction management databases which can monitor the time, cost and quality aspects of a construction project. Proper information modelling is a key factor in realising these aspects. However, unless a sound methodology is used to structure the information required by the various disciplines involved at the construction stage, the critical factors of time, cost and quality may not be achievable. This paper reports on a methodology used by the ICON project being developed at the University of Salford which is attempting to provide a framework of information into which the modelling of construction management information fits. This methodology is based on the coupling of two powerful information modelling and analysis techniques namely Information Engineering and Object Oriented Analysis and Design with the assistance of an object oriented CASE (Computer Aided Software/Systems Engineering) tool which automates the production of information models. The Information Engineering method was used for the strategic planning of information using activity decomposition/activity hierarchy whilst the Object Oriented Analysis and Design approach was performed at the analysis, design and implementation stages due to the incorporation of the notion of information perspectives. An Object Oriented CASE tool (Ptech) is being used to assist in producing the various information models required by the construction management disciplines and to generate executable computer code from these models.

Keywords: Construction management, strategic planning, Designs, computer aided designs.