Developing an organization-wide knowledge repository with intelligent knowledge transference to enhance construction project outcomes

Valuable lessons learned and best practices gleaned from construction projects often do not transfer to future generations due to the lack of a formalized process. The problem is exacerbated in the event of team turnover or retirement, often leading to unfavorable project outcomes such as time delays and exceeded budgets. The aim of this research study is twofold: (1) to provide a platform for North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) personnel to record pertinent information related to their routine work and (2) to use artificial intelligence and effective visualizations to enhance the rate of knowledge dissemination.The research methodology used in this study is a novel Design for Six Sigma approach that was used to create a new robust knowledge repository named Communicate Lessons, Exchange Advice, Record (CLEAR) for the NCDOT. NCDOT end-users provided initial feedback via interviews. The North Carolina State University (NCSU) research team (of which the author was a member) conducted 32 interviews with 46 NCDOT personnel who collectively had 813 years of work experience. The overall research methodology also involved the development of web-based strategic dashboards for effective visualizations and an AI model to enable end-users to yield the most relevant search results from the CLEAR database.The automation of information retrieval is intended to encourage NCDOT personnel to use and embrace the CLEAR program as part of their routine work to improve project workflow and ensure CLEAR’s long-term success. In the long run, the NCDOT will greatly benefit from consistent usage of the CLEAR program and the high quality content that is input to the CLEAR database, thereby leading to enhanced institutional knowledge and organizational innovation.