Toward an improved understanding of public sector design-build planning

Using a knowledge modeling methodology, this research provides a systematic, improved approach to owner planning of the design-build contract management process for public sector agencies. The model provides a bottom-up, systematic framework of how the design-build process should be administered. The model is a hierarchical-sequential map of the design-build activities, associated decisions, and relationships. One particularly interesting characteristic of the model and an extension to existing process models is the identification, analysis and processing of pivotal decisions. Pivotal decisions are those decisions critical to the success of the project which require expert input. These decisions were identified during the knowledge acquisition stage of this research. Although the pivotal decisions were validated by the primary expert and other reviewers of the model, the concept of pivotal decisions and development of a verification or ranking procedure provides excellent future research. The underlying knowledge of design-build contracting gained from this research results in an improved understanding of design-build planning. This was accomplished through the collection, analysis, and synthesis of general process and project specific knowledge. General process knowledge contributing to an improved understanding of design-build includes general suggestions or cautions concerning activities or decisions. Such knowledge was not previously documented or formalized. Project specific knowledge is the heuristic problem solving knowledge specific to a particular project. This knowledge for pivotal decisions was not previously represented in a usable, understandable, disseminatable format. Additionally, this study introduces the concept of intent as it pertains to the owner planning process. Intent is the rationale or purpose behind a decision outcome. It is generally not explicitly included or understood in decision output. However, it is valuable information which should be captured and made available to project personnel as it traverses the project. This research defines and categorizes different types of intent for a managerial process such as design-build. Computer-based representation of intent provides an excellent topic for future research. (Abstract shortened by UMI. )