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The IT-barometer study and plans for its renewal 2006

Olle Samuelson

CIO Tyréns AB

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Background

• The questionnaire tool was made in 1997. Initiated by the Swedish program “IT BoF” (IT in Construction and Facility)

• The same questionnaire was used in Sweden, Denmark and Finland two times: 1997/1998 and 2000

• Other countries that have used part of the questionnaire:– Canada– Ireland– Australia– South Africa– Malaysia

• Approximately 10 more countries have asked for and get the questionnaire

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Purpose of the study

• The purpose of the project was to create a method and perform a survey for measuring the use of IT in the construction industry. The survey should:

– Be repeatable and comparable over time

– Be comparable between countries

– Cover all categories of companies in the construction sector(which was defined as: architects, engineers, contractors, facility managers and suppliers)

• The study should measure:– Access to HW and SW

– Use of HW and SW

– Effects of the use and future plans for investments

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• Interview study with 16 individuals from 12 companies covering:Architects, Engineers, Contractors and Facility Managers.

• The postal surveys aimed to describe what? and how?(quantitative)

• The interview study aimed to explain why?(qualitative)

• The two surveys and the interview study was put together to a Licentiate thesis which was presented in 2003. Title: “IT-användning i byggande och förvaltning”(IT use in construction and facility management)

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Areas covered in the surveys

• Access to hardware and software– PC, mobile phone, Internet, intranet, common programs as office etc

• Use of hardware and software– Use of CAD – 2D, 3D, models– Use of programs for e.g. invoicing, technical descriptions, calculations, bills of

quantities, scheduling, materials control, costing/budgeting, tendering– Use of communication tools as email, project webbs on Internet, e-trade etc

• Effects, plans– IT-strategies, IT investments, motives for investments– Changes in productivity caused by IT– Advantages and disadvantages/obstacles with a greater use of IT– Plans for the future and motives for those plans

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Method

• Definition of the construction industry, register for sample: SCB (Swedish statistics)

• Principle for selection: stratified random selection• Answer frequency: about 50% (600 answers)• Weighting: each answer represented correct proportion of the

industry

• Slightly different methods in different countries – difficult comparisons

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Some results from the studies

Own PC at the workplace

PC at home which are rented by the company

PC at home which are lend by the company

Own mobile phone

Own hand computer

Proportion of employees with access to certain equipment(including workers at the site)

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Proportion of design time regarding drawings that each technique is used

By handOther

By hand

Other

By handOther

Architects

Engineers

Architects and Engineers in total

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Proportion of work with time- and resource scheduling that is done with computers

Architects

Engineers

Contractors

Done manuallyNot applicable

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Proportion of the turnover that are related to electronic trade

Do not use electronic trade/Not applicable 64%

≤ 1%10%2-4%14%

5-9% 6%10-24% 3%25-49% 1%≥50% 2%

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Experienced advantages with increased use of IT, in order of priority

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Experienced disadvantages/obstacles with increased use of IT, in order of priority

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Areas for planed IT investments, in order of priority

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Conclusions – postal surveys

• Computer are mostly used for administrative routines• IT makes current routines more effective but does not change

them• IT is used more and more for communication• IT makes effects. Among others as increased effectiveness and

creates better financial control.• Contractors use IT at the lowest level. Facility companies at the

highest.• IT could be used more effective and for creating innovations

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Why?

The content of information in product and process (from Porter and Millar in Betts, 1999)

The content of information in the product

The content of information in the process

High

Delivery and assembly of low-

tech building sub-systems, e.g.

windows, doors, concrete,

steel, beams, excavation, in-

situ concrete casting

Hig

hLo

w

Low

Delivery and assembly of high-

tech building sub-systems, e.g.

elevator, access control

system, remote maintenance

monitoring system

Construction process in

planning, estimating, managing

and control stages

Architectural and engimeering

design. Software development.

Database creation and

distribution

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Factors that affect the use of IT

• Practical

• Economical

• Knowledge and competence

• Cultural

• Organisational

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Summary

Organisation

• Individual

• Company/project

• Sector/Industry

Approach to a connection between categories of causes

Practical benefits

Economical possibilities/obstacles

Knowledge/ competence

Culture

Implementation

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Purpose and goal with a new study

• To complete an almost eight year long study of the subject “IT-use in construction and FM”

• Tom make comparisons over time, under a period when it has been a lot of changes in the industry

• To make comparisons between countries• To get better understanding of the adopt process in different kinds

of systems

• The result is interesting for – Companies (in the industry as well as system/program developers)– The industry as a whole– Researchers

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To carry out the study

• The third IT-barometer is going to be carried out in Sweden and Finland in 2006

• If possible, also Denmark, UK, USA…

• Some changes in the questionnaire– Less focus on: Access to HW and common SW

– More focus on 3 areas : BIM, e-business, EDM

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Thank you!