T. Haponava

Identifying key performance indicators for use in control of pre‐project stage process in construction

Purpose - The need for measuring construction project performance has led to development and implementation of various key performance indicators (KPIs). This paper aims to present and discuss the results of a pilot study and interviews to identify process-based KPIs for use in control of the pre-project stage. Design/methodology/approach - Initially, the process of the pre-project stage was mapped to define its main generic sub-processes and outputs based on the literature review. The process map was then verified through a pilot study. Based on the verified sub-processes, a number of process-based KPIs were identified and later validated by experts during the interviews. Findings - As a consequence of the refinement process due to the results of the pilot study and the interviews, the process-based KPIs for the pre-project stage were identified and the main issues they have to encompass were discussed. Originality/value - The identified KPIs offer a significant step towards process control within the pre-project stage. They provide a basis for further development to improve process transparency and to explain the relationships between the various sub-processes.

Proposed system for measuring project performance using process-based key performance indicators

Despite some evidence of its usefulness, performance measurement by using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the construction industry also has its critics. Among the shortcomings attributed to existing KPIs is the fact that almost all of them are product oriented. This means that the indicators are mostly used for review purposes after a project is completed and do not provide the opportunity to control the work whilst the project is still in progress. Many researchers have agreed on the need for a new approach that considers the construction process and allows active control. This paper describes the design of a proposed generic system for measuring process performance. As a basis for measuring process performance, the proposed measurement system relies on a series of questions related to both process completeness and process quality. The structure of the measurement system is on the basis of the findings of an earlier stage of the research that had resulted in the development of a number of process-based KPIs and the key issues they encompass. The appropriateness of the proposed measurement system has been tested on two on-going projects. The testing has shown that the proposed system produces relatively accurate indications of actual performance of construction projects. In this research, it was not possible to test the validity or the effectiveness of the proposed measurement system for control in practice. This is because of the long timescales involved in real-life projects and because of the possible influence of control actions taken by project management between the various processes

Influence of process performance during the construction stage on achieving end-project goals

Within a project environment, good process performance can be seen as indicative of eventual success of achieving end‐project goals. A model is proposed for identifying the links between process performance during construction and end‐project goals. The model is developed using process mapping technique to identify a number of process‐based key performance indicators (KPIs) designed for use in controlling process performance in the construction stage. These KPIs were then linked to generic project goals to measure the perceived degree of influence of process performance on the achievement of end‐project goals. The strength of these links within the model was established through a number of in‐depth interviews with respondents. Analysis of the results using methods of ranking and statistics has shown that some processes are perceived to have stronger relationships with the end‐project goals than others. The proposed process‐based KPIs hence offer an opportunity for control of the processes during the construction stage and eventually to influence the projects’ outcomes. In addition to the management of project time and cost, the model provides a broader focus of control that includes other multiple aspects such as the management of interactions between internal and external stakeholders as well as of information and quality management.

Establishing influence of design process performance on end-project goals in construction using process-based model

Purpose – Design process is a focal point in any construction process. It is within this process that the product to be built is defined, shaped and specified. To be able to control the design process, it is necessary to control the performance of its main sub‐processes in order to make sure that end‐project goals have a better chance of being achieved. This paper aims to propose a model for identifying process performance of the design stage through the performance of its key sub‐processes and linking them to the end‐project goals.Design/methodology/approach – The research method used consisted of the following steps: identifying the key performance indicators (KPIs) to control the performance of the key design sub‐processes based on the literature review and a number of the interviews; and establishing the relationship between the design process performance represented by the identified KPIs and end‐project goals. This was done using experts during interviews.Findings – The paper has resulted in a numbe...