1.22: Information Management
- Page ID
- 41283
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
- Describe the various sources of information that are shared between project participants
- Describe the information management process
- Define the role of information management throughout the project lifecycle
- Understand the importance of contractual and non-contractual information
The management of the flow of information on a project is a critical task of the project management team. As one construction executive stated to our class, ‘Information is the Lifeblood of a Project.’
Information Sources:
Design Information to support Construction (Construction Documents):
A core category of information on projects is the design information needed to support construction. This information has traditionally been embedded within the Construction Drawings (plans, sections, elevations, details, notes, etc.) and specifications (including the detailed product information and other requirements). Collectively, the drawings and specifications may be referenced as construction documents.
It is important to note that the use of ‘documents’ to transmit this construction information remains common practice, but there is a very limited number of projects that are arising that leverage a digital model as the main (or sole) source of construction information. One of the most advanced examples of the model as the legal document for construction information is the Randselva Bridge in Norway, a 2,000 feet long bridge that was constructed entirely from digital models without a single plan (see Figure 1). Again, this certainly is not common, but we are seeing more examples including several departments of transportation in the U.S. seeking to use a model as the contractual document for highway and bridge projects.
Requests for Information (RFI):
A Request for Information (RFI) is …
Submittals:
Jobsite Daily Reports:
Correspondence Logs
There is a lot of correspondence (emails, notes, letters, etc.) on a construction project. This correspondence can address schedule items, permitting, construction details, financial issues, or many other topics. It is important that the correspondence between parties are captured and archived. This allows people to search for topics at a later date if needed. Ideally, this correspondence would be incorporated into a database that can be easily searched. On many projects, all correspondence is sent to a shared system via an email address to allow for the information to be filed in the project file.
Meeting Minutes
Meeting minutes are notes that are taken to represent the discussions and decisions made during a meeting. Meeting minutes can be very important on construction projects as an approach to document the tasks that participants will perform and any decisions that are made. Meeting minutes should be documented and distributed to all participants and any other parties that may be impacted by the discussions and decisions made in the meeting. As a minimum, meeting minutes should include the time/date of the meeting, attendees, acceptance of any former meeting minutes, agenda items, a summary of discussions, identification of any future tasks with the responsible party and schedule deadlines, and documentation of any decisions or formal motions and vote outcome (if there are any votes).
Meeting minutes should ideally be posted to a collaborative project management system which allows for the easy search of any topics or decisions. It is important to note that if a decision is made within a meeting to proceed with work that is considered a change to the contract, the designer and/or constructor should notify the owner per their contractual agreement regarding the potential change.
Information Management Requirements
Whenever we seek to gain an understanding of the requirements for various parties, it is first important to review the contract(s). For the purposes of reviewing typical information management requirements, we will look at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) standard contract agreements since these are the most widely adopted template contracts for commercial building projects. Many items are defined within the General Conditions portions of the AIA Standard Documents.
Review Questions