Flowcharted model for information flow in design and build projects

Information is the most important resource in project delivery, and the management of its flow in construction is a critical project success factor. With a variety of procurement systems in the construction industry, the nature of information flow between project teams varies due to the differences in organisational and contractual structures. The problem facing the industry is not the lack of information, but the lack of standardised systems, strategies and formats for flow between the numerous teams. Information is often not accessible at the right time or in the right form to parties so that the construction of the project can achieve its time, cost, and quality objectives. This research therefore, aims at developing a flowcharted model that can be used by practitioners to effectively manage information flow in projects executed using the design and build procurement system. It is expected that the use of the model in practice would bring about consistency in approach that improves communication between the major parties directly involved in the process. The paper is based upon literature search and questionnaires to practitioners. The questionnaires were sent to a selection of 50 top construction contractors and project management consultants in the United Kingdom with the aim of studying the "state of the art" in information management in design and build projects."