Research Roadmap - Information Integration in Construction

This Roadmap is developed for a challenging Global environment where fundamental\ua0paradigms such as data generation and analysis, are shifting at a seismic rate, while change in\ua0Construction Industries across the Globe is, in the main, confined to large-scale projects and\ua0slow. Against this background, the authors set out to also give a ‘voice’ to small-to-medium scale\ua0projects through which the construction output Worldwide is delivered. Hence, project\ua0scale was one of the key considerations throughout this Roadmap.Moreover, the authors conceptualized data integration by taking the realities of doing\ua0business’ in construction into consideration. The emergent framework facilitates the discussion\ua0of knowledge and data integration at organisational, team, operational and technical levels\ua0across key project phases. This approach recognizes that business is done through projects but\ua0change can only come about if appropriate organizational structures and processes are put in\ua0place.Last, but not least, the authors strived to ensure that data integration was not considered solely\ua0from a technical perspective. Organisational, team and individual aspects of data integration\ua0were integrated in the research framework. Through our work the individual’s willingness to\ua0collaborate emerged as a critical driver for high levels of integration, while our survey did\ua0identify “Reluctance to work across professional boundaries” as a major barrier to integration.Hence, we conclude that research on integration should pay due attention to the individual