Planning building design by simulating information flow

Successful project management requires the effective control of the design teams and the exchange of information between them for successful design management. This paper describes a methodology involving discrete event simulation that can help the planning and control of building design. Discipline-based information flow models of the building design process are used to define the activities of the simulation model, concentrating on the concept and schematic design stages. Factors such as task durations and resources are then allocated along with any specific constraints that are to be evaluated. The model predicts the outcomes of the specific scenario of information related events, including design schedules and resource histograms. The paper describes the development and validation of the simulation model and discusses its potential application during the planning and design phases of building projects. It is concluded that this approach could form the basis of a useful tool for design managers responsible for multidisciplinary building design work.