Information Management:

In the construction stage, the amount of information is enormous; it should be delivered to the participants who need it on time. Information on site needs to be accessible, accurate, up to date, approved, documented, communicative, understandable and secure. Information could be exchanged through formal or informal methods. To manage site information, the MC organisation has many systems in use on site in order to exchange and communicate information. The system categories used on site for information could be defined in various ways. Participants describe it according to different categories. Information related to team member’s roles are divided into: management information (reports, approval, health and safety, execution plan, programming, design, environmental); design information (design, specification, approval); and operational information (day to day information, logistics, site inspection, H&S, Requested information; progress). This also encompasses contractual information (contract, clarification, tender document, quality check, completion report, payment issues, progress measurement, deliveries) and requested information (information that is needed on site that could relate to any of the previous categories. Moreover, information related to the communication exchange channel can be formal or informal, whilst information

related to the state of information could be up-dated, requested and approved. In addition, information related to communication media could be verbal, non-verbal, or electronic, and information related to the format types could be considered to be communication media. Moreover, information management refers to paper-based material (which includes letters, contracts, drawings, meetings minutes, delivery tickets, progress reports and H&S inspections), boards or signs (meeting boards, H&S signs and meeting schedules), voice (radio, calls, e- conferences), or electronically-based information (such as drawings, PDFs, emails, reports, project programs, snagging, instant messages, and internal websites). As all the participants indicated the same information with different descriptions, the researchers divided the information (as indicated in the following sub-sections) using literature as the background.

6.2.3.1

Distributed Information:

This includes all types of information shared among the teams, namely: contracts, design, instructions, specifications, meeting minutes, daily processes, delivery tickets, reports, and other information needed to complete the job. This information has already been approved before dissemination to other participants. Site A’s information distribution system is identified as the sharing of files on a document control system (4Projects), or by email. On-site means the use of printed documents/drawings as mobiles are not allowed; instead, paper-based drawings are used in meetings to measure progress, which are then added to the file.

6.2.3.2

Requested Information (Request for Information (RFI)):

When the information needed is incomplete, missing, unclear, wrong or changed, more information is requested. There are two methods to request information depending on who is making the request. When the MC requests information they use their Site Information Management System (SIMS) to generate a form to send to the parties involved. Conversely, when the information is required from the MC, other parties could send an email to explain what information they want or use the open-door policy to ask directly face-to-face. The delivery of the requested information could take up to two weeks. To control the time of the requested information, the MC uses the Information Request Schedule (IRS), which is an Excel document saved on the shared point server and includes details about the information requested.

6.2.3.2.1Information Required Schedule (IRS):

The IRS will typically be prepared prior to the work starting on site, and using the start dates indicated on the master programme for guidance. The schedule will continue to be updated

during the course of the contract when new information requirements are added as necessary. The purpose of the schedule is to prioritise the importance of the information required to progress the works in accordance with the master programme and to ensure it is received in a timely manner. As the information is received, the schedule will be updated. As and when new information requirements are added, the schedule will be re-issued; it will also be appended to the contractor’s report and submitted during site progress meetings. However, it should be possible to determine the ‘status’ (namely, whether a response has been received and where the details can be found) of all queries if response details are recorded in the ‘Note’ section. Although this may take a few minutes to complete, it would save time in the future. Main points of the IRS are that;

1. Every project must have an IRS that should be based on the master programme (schedule) for the project.

2. The IRS is an essential management tool and should be as detailed as possible.

3. A project cannot be effectively managed without an IRS and wherever possible the content should be agreed with the design consultants.

4. The IRS is key to the effective procurement of subcontractors and materials and is essential to deliver the project on time.

5. The IRS should be completed right at the outset of the project – preferably before commencing on site and reviewed weekly thereafter.

6. The IRS should be updated and appended to every Contractors Report, tabled at the site meetings and reviewed accordingly.

7. The information dates are required – this must include the date required to ensure the works can commence and proceed as planned. This date must take into account:

- The commencement date of the on site work - The procurement period

- The approval period

- The notice to start the on site period - The period for manufacture

Figure 6-2 Key Categories for the IRS

P02, P03, P05 P09 and P10 mentioned that using this approach enabled improvements in tracking the information, making it quicker and easier to access. P02 confirmed that, “… it is

a useful document for any future conflict that could happen.”

6.2.3.3

Approved Information:

Once the submittal and RFI processes are complete, and the submittals have been prepared, they are sent through the approvals process. Whenever the information has been changed, specific design information needs to be checked for approval before distribution. The approval for design information is one of the site design manager’s responsibilities. The supplier uploads the design on 4Project, when the design team reviews and comments on the information; after this the design manager needs to approve the information. The DM prints and comments on the information; they then scan and re-upload it as an attached file to the original drawing, selecting one of the options accorded to the workflow system (Figure 6-3). In Figure 6-3, A has been approved without comments, B has been approved with comments and C has been rejected. Even though there is an option to directly comment on it, the design manager stated that, “I prefer to print it out, and comment on it then scan it as it is easier to view than see on the screen of the computer.” When the information is approved, it will be distributed to other parties as the final information for use on site. In most cases, the MC prefers to select option B, which is accepted with comments. This is felt to be a ‘safe’ option in relation to the risk of future claims or conflicts; thus, they share any responsibilities with other participants.

Figure 6-3 Workflow Used on Site A

These three stages are linked, as in Figure 6-4, which shows the information journey during the construction stage. This starts with the request for information and goes through to approval and the task completion done. The overall time to receive the information should be up to two weeks from the request, and up to two weeks for approval; this means the process can take up to one month. The experience of the team member defines which information is dealt with, the speed of the process, whether the information is considered less important, whether it can wait, and when they need to complete it according to its priority.

Figure 6-4 Information Cycle on Site

The system of information management the MC uses on site is part of their system to manage the information flow within their organisation. Figure 6-5 shows the management of the information flow used by the MC. The information flows include the management process system that the organisation uses, starting with the pre-contracting phase until the test, commission, and handover stage. The MC team has access to it and greater detail helps them to understand the information flows followed by their company. They describe it as a clear and helpful process.

Figure 6-5 Project Management Process (Source: Site A website)