The impact of information sequence in the construction domain

The decision making process that occurs during property development and construction related activities might have a significant impact upon value and therefore, client satisfaction. One key aspect of this process may be the sequence in which information is evaluated by the decision taker. An exploratory research methodology has been developed and is used to collect empirical data in order to support the hypothesis that information sequence will impact upon the decision making process that occurs during construction design. The paper contains an analysis of data collected and an appraisal of the findings that indicate the existence of order effects within the context of the construction design process. In addition, consideration is given to the way in which information sequence may impact upon the decision making process in several other possible areas of development and construction related application. Aspects of the development and construction process that are identified include Construction Design, Facilities Management and Risk Management. The discussion in the paper builds upon previous work by the author (Hogg 1999), which supported the case for early intervention in the design process to mitigate against the possible negative effects on value due to the unintentional influence of the order effect.