Jacky K.H. Chung

A framework for identification and representation of client requirements in the briefing process

The briefing process is critical to the successful delivery of construction projects. Although a number of briefing guides have been developed, attempting to address the problems of briefing, they are often criticized as being too general and implicit. This paper describes a structured framework for identifying and representing client requirements (CRs) in the briefing process. It integrates the value management (VM) methodology with function analysis system technique (FAST) and functional performance specification (FPS) to enable the client organization and project team to systematically identify, clarify and clearly represent CRs in the briefing process. It comprises four interrelated phases: preparation, information, analysis and evaluation. This paper starts with a critical review of previous work in briefing and function analysis, followed by an introduction to the research methodology and detailed illustration of the proposed framework. The use of this framework can facilitate and lead to systematic identification and clarification of client requirements and the formation of a more precise and explicit representation of these requirements. The limitations of the approach are also discussed in the paper.

A group decision support system for value management studies in the construction industry

Abstract Group Decision Support System (GDSS) is a branch of information technology, which combines communication, computing and decision support technologies to facilitate the formulation and solution of unstructured problems by a group of people [DeSanctis G, Galluple RB. A foundation for the study of group decision support systems. Management Science 1987;33(May):598–600]. It has the potential to promote active participation, encourage interactions, and facilitate decision analysis in Value Management (VM) studies. Because of this potential and the strong demand for improving VM studies in Hong Kong and the rest of the world, this paper presents findings of a research project which demonstrates how GDSS can improve VM studies and the potential benefits of using a GDSS in VM studies. It begins with an introduction to the GDSS technology and its development, followed by a detailed description of the structure and functionalities of an Interactive Value Management Systems (IVMS)—a special GDSS designed for supporting and improving VM studies. The potential benefits of using the system in VM studies are also discussed.

A comparative study of student performance in traditional mode and online mode of learning

There has been interest for many decades in comparing the effectiveness of technology‐delivered instruction with traditional face‐to‐face teaching and measurable student outcomes have been an important indicator. Having pointed to salient aspects of the current academic environment and to some of the key literature in this area, this article analyses the performance of two groups of students studying in the traditional mode and the online mode in a masters program delivered by a Department of Computing at a university in Hong Kong. Over 2,000 students have participated in the study between 2000 and 2004. This article includes a comparison of the results between different delivery modes of study each year as well as between different classes over the 4‐year period. Although traditional mode students have achieved a slightly better performance in examinations in comparison with online mode students, the article concludes that there are no significant differences in overall performance between the students. With the impact of technologies on higher education and the demands of a complex and rapidly changing society in the 21st century, this Hong Kong study contributes to the literature that finds mode of study is not a key determinant of success.

A critical investigation of the briefing process in Hong Kong's construction industry

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate briefing in the construction industry in Hong Kong. Specifically, it sets out to discover the current practices on briefing in the industry and the limitations of these practices.Design/methodology/approach – This study consists of a literature review and a pilot study, structured focus group interviews and semi‐structured interviews.Findings – The study has revealed that current practices, although have been in operation for a long time, have a number of limitations such as lacking in a comprehensive framework; lacking in identification of client requirements; lacking in contributions from clients; lacking in involvement of stakeholders; and inadequate time spent on the briefing. It is concluded that these limitations must be properly addressed by the industry in order to improve the briefing and to avoid subsequent problems in the design and construction phases, and that more resources should be allocated.Originality/value – So far, little work has been undertake...

Benchmarking the use of information technology by the quantity surveying profession

This paper introduces the findings of a recent benchmarking study on the use of information technology (IT) among quantity surveying (QS) companies in Hong Kong. The study was conducted through a questionnaire survey among 15 QS companies registered in Hong Kong, representing around 50 per cent of the total number of companies in the profession. The study focused on how QS companies use IT in their daily operations, including information flows among business partners, the use of computer hardware and software, IT expenditure and training, management support, the perceived benefits of IT applications, perceived obstacles in IT implementation, and major criteria used in software selection. The content validity and measurement reliability of the questionnaire survey have been evaluated, and both of them have shown satisfactory results. This study provides an up‐to‐date and holistic view of the current state of IT applications among QS companies in Hong Kong, in terms of how well they have equipped with IT and their attitude towards adopting this technology. These findings provide a strong foundation for subsequent benchmarking studies to identify best practices among the quantity surveying profession in the construction industry. Based on the findings, this paper suggests major areas for improving IT usage in this sector of the construction industry.

Using E-learning to Deliver Construction Technology for Undergraduate Students.A Case Study in Hong Kong

Abstract E-learning is an essential part of innovative, life-long learning opportunities for the 21st century. Many tertiary education institutions are developing an ever-increasing number of online programmes using advanced information and communications technologies (ICT). However, the benefits are not always an improvement over traditional modes of learning. This paper introduces the findings of a recent survey, which aims to investigate the feasibility of using ICT to deliver the subject of construction technology to undergraduate students. The paper provides a holistic view of the feasibility, effectiveness, efficiency and potential benefits of applying e-learning to construction technology. The findings show that e-learning is considered to be a practical method to study undergraduate construction technology. It is useful to help the students improve learning independence, learning efficiency and, to a certain extent, learning effectiveness. E-learning is particularly useful for part-time students compared with full-time, due to differences in learning characteristics and requirements. Nevertheless, these improvements would not necessarily result in achieving a better examination result in the subject. Significantly, the findings reveal that the single mode of face-to-face learning is preferred to the e-learning mode for delivering the subject of construction technology. In addition, the benefits of ICT may not be fully exploited.

Focusing megaproject strategies on sustainable best value of stakeholders

Purpose Most megaprojects focus on overcoming current infrastructure capacity problems or opening up new business opportunities, while a few may be inspired by iconic-symbolic or socio-political drivers. Also, many megaprojects may be seen to focus on benefitting proximate stakeholders in the short-medium term. A case is made here, for aligning the immediate expectations from a megaproject with a parallel focus on the best overall value for all, including long-term stakeholders, thereby also targeting more meaningful and sustainable contributions to the built environment. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws together and synergises relevant findings from two completed PhD projects and another research project in Hong Kong. Additionally, a focused literature survey and a case study, also contribute to the development of the proposed concepts and strategies. This is therefore a hybrid between a “review” paper and a “conceptual” paper where a suite of significant improvements to current practice are conceptualised and proposed, based on logical integration of relevant findings from the above three research projects, literature review and case study. Findings Inadequate stakeholder engagement has led to many process disruptions and adverse outcomes in recent megaprojects. A structured approach focusing throughout on common overall value from the outset is proposed to achieve better and more sustainable megaproject outcomes. Specific recommendations include: aligning megaproject stakeholder objectives with regional or even national needs and targeting co-creation of common value through early stakeholder involvement in planning and design of built infrastructure megaprojects. Originality/value The increasing number, scale and complexity of megaprojects has amplified their impact on the built environment and its sustainability, hence the imperative to incorporate sustainability considerations, so as to formulate and manage megaprojects better. The proposed approaches in this paper can help revamp megaproject strategies towards such sustainable outcomes.

Tight budget constraints and the absence of strategic planning: An exploratory analysis of FM service outsourcing

Purpose This paper aims to identify the factors that affect facilities management (FM) service outsourcing. Design/methodology/approach Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted for this study. A total of 25 professional FM managers were invited to participate in the FGDs. The qualitative data collected from the FGDs were analysed with the coding method. Findings FM managers commonly regard that tight budget constraints and the absence of strategic planning are two important factors that affect FM service outsourcing. Tight budget constraints reflect that clients control their service providers by constraining budgets, which creates a series of inefficiencies in the outsourcing process and thus lead to adverse outsourcing relationships. A series of strategies are recommended to deal with the challenges posed by budget constraints and the lack strategic planning. Research limitations/implications Twenty-five Hong Kong-based FM managers were interviewed for this study. The empirical data collected mainly reflects FM service outsourcing in Hong Kong. It is important to test the findings with a bigger group of FM managers from other regions. Originality/value The managerial significance of FM service outsourcing has not yet been valued in practice. This study draws academic attention to FM service outsourcing practice and provides practical opinions from FM managers. Also, this study adopts the FGD method in data collection, which extracts to a maximum degree of authentic opinions from practitioners.

IVMS-An interactive system for improving value management studies in construction

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an introduction to the interactive value management system (IVMS), which is designed to improve the implementation of value management (VM) studies. The IVMS is a web-based application in which software is essentially installed and operated on a server. It supports multiplatforms, including Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Mac OS, and allows users to access the system at any machine, anytime, and anywhere. The web interface is also user-friendly and assists users with varying levels of knowledge regarding computing and decision support. In addition, the system is designed as a set of toolboxes, including a virtual team unit, an information unit, a communication unit, and an analysis unit. This enables facilitators to decide what group decision support systems (GDSS) functions to use, and when, and how to use them, so as to accommodate the various requirements in VM studies. The IVMS is designed as a set of toolboxes comprised of four boxes—a virtual team unit, an information unit, a communication unit, and an analysis unit. The toolboxes are designed to support a group of specific tasks so different toolboxes are applied to different phases of VM studies.