A computerized multi-dimensional support system (CM-DSS) for planning, scheduling and controlling construction projects

A deeper understanding is needed of the practices used by the construction industry to plan and control their projects. The work presented in this dissertation contributes an additional step toward this understanding by articulating some of the industry's concerns. This research suggests a computerized multi-dimensional support system (CM-DSS) for planning, scheduling, and controlling construction projects. The major objective of this system is to further the use of CPM by the construction industry by making it more indispensable for project management practices. In the planning phase, a planner can use CM-DSS to develop four scheduling alternatives for the project under study and to evaluate these alternatives and select a target schedule. CM-DSS, then, provides the planner with a comprehensive network analysis for the project. This analysis can be used to measure the criticality of the target schedule as well as its activities, and to forecast any potential deviation. CM-DSS can be used by planners and construction managers to plan an activity under variable productivity rates and to examine different scheduling alternatives. It can be also used to tune up the logic of the target schedule by running What-If analyses. In addition, CM-DSS allows the planner to incorporate control criteria into the project schedule during the planning process. CM-DSS can be used during both the planning and control phases.