Live capture and reuse of project knowledge in construction organisations

Abstract

It is important that the knowledge generated on construction projects is captured and shared between project team members for continuous improvement, to prevent the ‘re-invention of the wheel’ and to avoid repetition of previous mistakes. However, this is undermined mainly by the loss of important insights and knowledge due to time lapse in capturing the knowledge, staff turnover and people's reluctance to share knowledge. To address this, it is crucial for knowledge to be captured ‘live’ in a collaborative environment while the project is being executed and presented in a format that will facilitate its reuse during and after the project. This paper uses a case study approach to investigate the end-users’ requirements for the ‘live’ capture and reuse of knowledge methodology, and shortcomings of current practice in meeting these requirements. A framework for the ‘live’ methodology that satisfies the requirements is then presented and discussed.

Keywords:

• knowledge management
• reusable project knowledge
• live capture and reuse
• CAPRIKON
• knowledge base
• post-project reviews

Acknowledgements

We thank EPSRC and industrial collaborators for their collaboration on this project.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hai Chen Tan

About the authors

Hai Chen Tan is a PhD student at the Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, U.K. His research investigates the use of different knowledge management technologies and techniques to facilitate better management of important knowledge across projects in the construction industry. He was also involved in an EPSRC-funded research project – CAPRIKON – which aimed to develop a methodology for the ‘live’ capture and reuse of project knowledge in construction. He is currently based at a group of construction companies in the U.K. where he is working together with the senior management in the implementation of knowledge management.

Pat Carrillo is Professor of Strategic Management in Construction. She has spent the last 7 years investigating knowledge management within construction organisations. She was also a holder of a Royal Academy of Engineering Global Award to investigate the knowledge management practices of north American engineering organisations between 2002 and 2004. Her long-term research interest in this area has resulted in seven research projects with a knowledge management aspect, four of which she has been the Principal Investigator. Within the knowledge management field, she has published two books, 16 journal papers and numerous conference papers. She was also on the CIRIA committee that published the book ‘Building a Business Case for Knowledge Management’. She has also been invited to give presentations on knowledge management to the ICE/EPSRC IT Construction Forum and CIRIA's Construction Productivity Network.

Professor Chimay Anumba is founding Director of the Centre for Innovative and Collaborative Engineering (CICE) and Professor of Construction Engineering & Informatics at Loughborough University. His research interests are in the fields of computer-aided engineering, concurrent engineering, IT, knowledge-based systems, collaborative communications, structural engineering and project management. He has over 350 publications in these fields. Professor Anumba's research work has received support with a total value of over Ł15M from industry, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and several international organisations. Professor Anumba also undertakes advisory/consultancy work for the U.K. Government and several firms, and is Co-Editor of the Electronic Journal of Information Technology in Construction, ITCon.

John M Kamara

Dr. John Kamara is Senior Lecturer, and Coordinator of the Applied Research in Architecture Group in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. Dr. Kamara's research activities, which have received support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), industry and the Royal Academy of Engineering, are in the areas of project development (client requirements processing), knowledge/information management, virtual collaborative design and construction, process and product modelling and IT in construction. He has over 80 technical publications in these fields.

Dino Bouchlaghem

Dino Bouchlaghem is a professor of Architectural Engineering in the Department of Civil and Building Engineering at Loughborough University, U.K. and part of a 5^* rated group in the last RAE. His research interests are in the areas of collaborative visualisation, eLearning, Construction Information Technology, Construction Briefing, Design Management and Product and Process Modelling. He is the coordinator of the CIB International Task Group in Architectural Engineering (TG49) and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Architectural Engineering and Design Management.

Chika Udeaja

Chika Udeaja joined Northumbria University in September 2005, having worked as a research associate at the University of Newcastle Upon-Tyne. Chika is enthused by the area of construction procurement and management, stemming from his PhD years when he undertook a research in multi-agent supply chain management. Before becoming an academic, he has worked in different continents as a civil engineer. His academic interests are in the field of construction management, with particular interests in intelligent decision Support Systems for construction procurement, construction information technology, innovative construction process management and knowledge/information management in project development requirements (capture and re-use).