The development of a concurrently engineered procurement process

Many of the problems encountered during the construction phase of a project are as a result of poor project development during the front-end phase of the project planning process. This paper examines the interaction of construction professionals with clients during the design and pre-tender stages and identifies poor client briefs, pre-project planning and uncoordinated design strategy as contributory factors to poor project performance. A macro model is presented, aimed at optimizing the working processes within a construction project, developed with techniques adapted from the design sector of the manufacturing industry. Combined with an understanding of the complex personal interaction of construction professionals/clients, and the realization that the better a plan and design is defined, the greater the reduction of risk, an enhanced approach to construction procurement is forwarded. The proposed new method of working involves using I.T., including networked information dissemination via current INTERNET technology, not only to enable concurrent design and procurement, but also to indirectly generate and develop an inter-professional/institution understanding between parties to the construction process. The proposed new method of working makes use of the ISO9000/1/2 requirement for in-house “Document-Control-Centres” which can provide ready made data-base repositories for specific project information which can be made accessible to other project partners.