Integrated computer-aided project management through standard object-oriented models

This research proves that a standard models approach to system integration is possible and that the resulting system offers extreme flexibility and significant integration.

Abstract

Computer-Aided Project Management (CAPM) offers ever-increasing potential to improve project management practice, and yet the acceptance of computers within the construction industry remains slow. This dissertation explores new computer technologies that can significantly increase the power of CAPM for construction while simultaneously addressing the accessibility of the software for the typical user. The technological focus is on the complementary areas of project modeling---the rich, general-purpose representation of the project in the computer---and system integration---sharing the computer model among applications (from local to industry-wide). The premises of the dissertation are that CAPM programs create models of construction projects inside the computer, that standard forms of these models should be established, and that systems then can be integrated by requiring all applications to adopt these standard models. There are three specific elements to these standard models. For ea...