Towards ICT-enhanced Management Support Systems For Optimising Infrastructure Procurement
Mohan M. Kumaraswamy, Ekambaram Palaneeswaran, S. Thomas Ng · Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) · 2004
Infrastructure procurement programmes of many public clients and large private developers, increasingly involve complex networks of stakeholders. Well balanced and 'fully informed' decisions are critical in optimising resources to achieve agreed objectives. A research project in Hong Kong is aimed at developing an ICT (Information and Communications Technology) -- enhanced MSS (Management Support System). This will empower the formulation of more effective and effi cient construction project procurement and delivery/ operational systems -- for innovative and improved 'total' management of construction projects -- from a large client's viewpoint. Web-based Decision Support Systems (wDSSs) are being developed to help achieve such objectives, by capturing, codifying and mobilising both expert and experiential construction industry knowledge. Furthermore, web interfaces are being designed to mobilise the collective expertise of the entire project supply chain in real-time collaborative formats. These decision aids will enable the often fragmented multi-disciplinary project teams to build on 'state of the science' knowledge, past 'lessons learnt' and present best practices, in making more informed managerial decisions that will help to optimise inputs and reduce wasted resources. Potential benefi ts of wDSSs are demonstrated in this paper, through examples from the integrated framework and prototype modules/ models that are under development and 'construction' in Hong Kong. These cover a crosssection of infrastructure programme management decision scenarios, i.e. in: (1) multi-purpose contractor registration-prequalifi cation, (2) dynamic performance appraisal of contractors and (3) evaluating 'extension of time' entitlements. Interim outcomes included herein are the basic MSS framework, pilot models of items (1) and (2) above and prototype modules of item (3) above.