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Barriers That Influence the Implementation of UK Construction Project Extranets

Adam Mitchell1 and Peter Demian2


Assistant Project Surveyor. HBG Construction UK Limited, Centrium, Griffiths Way, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 2RD, UK, 2 Lecturer in Construction Management, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK, Abstract: Reports published by Sir John Egan and Sir Michael Latham indicate that the construction industry must adopt new technologies to improve areas of construction management. The use of construction project extranets is one of these new technologies. This paper sets to identify the barriers that influence the implementation of construction project extranets in the UK construction industry. A critical review of current literature was conducted, and an in-depth questionnaire and supportive interview were then used to explore the implementation of extranets, identifying their main benefits and barriers. The main benefits identified are improved communication, document storage, and drawing management process. The main barriers identified are; Technical; insufficient technology infrastructure and low levels of usability. People; resistance to change, insufficient training, low utilisation of functions and a lack of understanding of the benefits. Managerial; low levels of management commitment, lack of client support, lack of a sufficient protocol document, lack of integration meetings, and low usage levels. This paper highlights that there are still many barriers to CPE implementation, however, following the proposed recommendations coupled with improved management of the implementation process, and a high commitment from the entire project team these barriers, that influence the successful implementation of CPEs, can be overcome. Key words: Construction Project Extranets, Extranet Implementation, Extranet Barriers, Knowledge Management, Information Management Systems, Extranet Protocols, Adoption
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Introduction
fective communication, collaboration and knowledge management. These systems offer the construction industry many advantages as project parties are often globally fragmented and the requirement for effective communication, collaboration and knowledge management is paramount. Reports by Egan (1998) and Latham (1994) further identify the need for the construction industry to improve communication and collaboration though the use of Information Technology. Managing information is a key factor in construction. It could be said that the modern day contractor is providing the service of managing people and more importantly, managing information, it is therefore important that information is managed successfully. Anumba

The construction industry is unique; it has fragmented organisations, varied and short projects, with different teams of people for each and every project. In an industry like this, effective communication and collaboration between team members is essential to its success. Lamont (2001) identified how the construction industry clearly lags behind other industries with the use of technology and innovation. The use of web-based technologies such as extranets are widely adopted in other industries including automotive and manufacturing. They attempt to address the constraints of fragmented teams, and facilitate contributions from all project team members without the need to meet in one location. In essence, they attempt to provide ef-

et al (2005) identified how easy-to-use information and communication technology systems that work across organisations are mandatory for not only ensuring data and information integrity, but smooth passage and flow of knowledge. Over recent years there has been an increased use of Construction Project Extranets (CPEs) within the UK construction industry to control and improve knowledge flow, knowledge management, communication and collaboration. A 2004 survey conducted in the UK by The IT Construction Forum affirms that the use of extranets is growing rapidly, with nearly half of all respondents indicating they had used a project extranet to collaborate online. However, there are many barriers restricting their successful implementation; these barriers are not fully understood by the industry. Many construction companies are now using extranets but their effectiveness is not being optimised because there is a lack of understanding of the influencing barriers. This paper reports on research that set out to identify the barriers that influence CPE implementation. 2 Method

questionnaire. This represents a 70% usage rate; which is reasonably high and highlights the uptake of the technology and its increased use in the industry. A supportive interview was conducted with an experienced IT consultant with six years experience in implementing IT systems for a leading top ten major UK contractor. The interview was audio recorded using a Dictaphone and transcribed for further analysis. This experienced persons responses complemented the questionnaire results, highlighted unresolved barriers and proposed possible solutions. 3 Extranet Benefits

Data for this study was collected via an extensive review of literature researching the best practice and problems involved with implementing extranets, combined with primary research conducted in the form of a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire findings were supported by a semi-structured interview. The research provided in-depth investigative analysis into how projects currently approach the implementation of CPEs. To further aid the acquisition of subject knowledge, a case study was conducted of the implementation of a CPE. To ensure a representative sample was obtained, the questionnaire was distributed via a construction companys e-mail system to about one hundred site based contacts, which included a variety of project managers, design managers, site managers and project surveyors of all ages and working on various projects with various extranets across the UK. The electronic questionnaire returned forty responses, with twelve of the respondents having not used a CPE and therefore did not complete the entire

The results showed that extranets are used mainly for the issuing and review of drawings, the RFI process, document management and for file storage. This is positive, but is only a small percentage of extranets functions, and demonstrates the lack of full utilisation. The research showed that the use of CPEs made communication, RFI process, drawing review and issuing, document management and file storage more efficient and effective, meeting the requirements of end users and highlighting the benefits of their use. This supports the main benefits also identified by the Network for Construction Collaboration Technology Providers in 2006: Documents can be accessed 24/7. Less money spent on couriers/post. Less chance of losing important documents. Better audit trail. Lower document distribution/production costs. Finding archived information faster and easier. Better version control. Better geographically dispersed collaboration. Easier to find and retrieve the right document. Respondents comments supported the benefits of extranet use, one respondent claiming; extranets are extremely useful in terms of providing information banks, both pre-construction and during the process itself, they are the future of project management. Two of the most critical benefits that the construction industry must ensure are captured with the use of CPEs are improved communication (Griffith et al

Number of Respondents

2000) and improved collaboration (Saxon 2003, Egan 998). These provide the fundamental foundations for the successful completion of construction projects. The research investigated users opinions of extranets. One aspect was their t perceived effect on the project. If the positive effects of extranets are not felt by their end users then they will struggle to be successfully implemented, as users will be unwilling to adopt them. It was found that 42% of participants believed the implementation of the CPE had a positive effect, 11% found the effects to be very positive and 36% felt the effect was neutral. The standard deviation of these results was low at about 0.92. Therefore end users do believe CPEs have a positive effect on the project. Supporting findings were also reported by Becerik (2004). The barriers that hinder the successful implementation of CPEs can be divided into three interlinking areas: technical, people and managerial barriers. 4 Technical Barriers

downloading large file sizes is slow, It doesnt matter how great the solution you have is, because you are at the beacon call of the technology infrastructure. Research by Sauer (1993) and Becerik (2004) showed that an extranets ease of use is a factor that affects its success. The research asked participants to rate the user friendless of the extranet they were using on a scale of 1-6, with 6 being extremely user-friendly. The results of the research returned a mean rating of 2.96, with a mode of 3 being towards the lower end of the scale. The variance and standard deviation were both low at 1, as shown in Figure 1.
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

The construction industry is fast paced; most parties are constrained by time and find it difficult to commit a lot to the use of extranets, therefore, extranets need to be fast to operate. The results have highlighted that extranets are not delivering the speed of service required, 32% found extranets to be very slow, with 36% finding them slow and only 32% finding them fast, with not one respondent finding them very fast. This is a barrier that is restricting the successful use of extranets. There were over ten (10) comments by respondents supporting the slow speed of extranets as a barrier and comments linked this issue to peoples resistance to the use of extranets. Sauer (1993) argued that technology is no longer a limiting factor; the results of the research however highlight how technology infrastructure still is. This issue was also supported by the interview; The interviewee was asked to comment on the issue of extranet speed; he explained how; extranets are seriously affected by the speed of the system. He expanded on this issue by explaining how site conditions do not help; sitting onsite, not in a posh office with fast internet connection means that uploading and

Rating (6 being extremely)

Figure 1:- Rating of User Friendliness The results show that extranets are not user friendly enough. Software designers need to work to improve the design of extranets taking first hand feedback from the end-users to ensure the software is developed in line with their requirements. Complementary results were reported by Becerik (2004) and Sauer (1993). 5 People Barriers

Wilkinson (2005) suggested that as an industry rule of thumb the successful implementation of CPEs depends 80% on tackling the people issues and 20% on resolving the technology aspects. This places the main barriers of implementation on the users of extranets. Griffith et al (2000) supports this theory and highlights that an important part of the implementation of CPEs is the consideration of human-computer issues; Griffith et al (2000) also noted that the education and

training of staff who operate and use information systems in the workplace is particularly important in trying to reduce the people barriers. There is a wide variety of people working within the UK construction industry who have been using their own methods successfully for many years; it is therefore understandable that any new process will encounter resistance to change, especially if people do not understand how to use the new tools, the benefits of using the tools or believe that the tools create more work. This resistance to change was identified by OBrien (2000) who commented that users had a Resistance to change where people generally are resistant to new tools or processes involving change. Wilkinson (2005) also observed this Resistance to the adoption of the technology. Griffith et al (2000) identified that adequate training is essential to the success of extranets. The research results show that 71% of users only received two hours or less of training, and 66% of respondents identified that the training received was insufficient to enable successful operation of the extranet. The age group of respondents was compared with whether they cited training received as sufficient. The results showed that the higher the age group the less sufficient they felt the training to be, which highlights the additional training required by the older age groups, as shown in Figure 2.
120 100 80 60 40 20 0 16-21 22-26 27-31 32-39 Age Group 40-49 50-59 60-65
Yes No

cult for users to understand and operate extranets successfully. The current training and training materials provided is inadequate and is a barrier that influences the successful implementation of construction project extranets. Yeomans et al (2005) argue that extranets should strive towards a collaborative working environment. 46% of users considered extranets to be a comprehensive electronic data management tool, but only 25% considered them to be a means to achieve project collaboration. This paper previously noted that one of the key benefits of CPEs is it that of improving collaboration; however, the benefit of collaboration seems afar. It is recognised that it is highly important to understand the issues involved with human-computer interaction. The requirements of the users are often overlooked (Sauer 1993) and this can be a catalyst for failure. 6 Managerial Barriers

Figure 2:- Age Group Vs Sufficient Training This issue was further supported by a lack of training materials. Only eight participants were presented with user guides, and only three were provided with tutorial guides. Further, two were provided with reference guides and worked examples to follow. This amount of resources is inadequate and makes it diffi-

The role of management is critical to the success of any project, and extranets are no different. Becerik (2004) and Ruikar et al (2005) highlight the necessity of management support for successful implementation of CPEs. Asked to rate the commitment of the project manager to the CPE, the average rating was low at 3 out of 6 (standard deviation 1.78). . It is important that any new system is led from the top. If the project manager is not committed to extranet use then neither will the subordinates. Therefore, the project manager needs to be committed to the use of the extranet and encourage its use amongst the project team. Client support for CPEs use is low, The interviewee observed that You have to be able to explain to clients, that spending 30k or 40k on an extranet will benefit the project. This is difficult because a lot of the benefits are intangible, for example the speed of information flow and secure audit trail, gaining client support is critical to the extranets success. The role and support of the client is critical to CPE success. In the majority of cases they are funding the CPE and are the client of the contractor. If they are not committed and supportive to the use of ex-

Percentage

tranets then neither will the contractor. It eas found that eetings were not held and a protocol document was not correctly established,. Yeomans et al (2000) identified the protocol document as a key element that helps ensure the successful implementation of CPEs. This protocol document should be complied, discussed, and adhered to by the whole project team. The research questioned whether managers held internal meetings to discuss the use of the extranet aand discuss issues or concerns. It was found that 36% of respondents did not hold meetings, which is a cause for concern. Meetings to discuss the implementation of extranets should be a prerequisite of the implementation process to eliminate issues before they arise. A team meeting is not only required for internal subgroups, but also for external parties. 43% of respondents did not hold meetings with external parties. All parties involved in the construction process must use the CPE as this ultimately affects its success. The results of the questionnaire show that of the twenty eight responses, less than half, (13) reported that head office staff used the extranet, and even less at eleven identified that the project client used them. Many participants stated that only some of the site based team and some sub-contractors utilised the extranet. A respondent noted that its difficult to get subcontractors to use the facility. The results highlighted a low usage rate across the entire project team both externally and internally, including the client. Extranets are struggling to achieve collaboration and complete use. 7 Recommendations The following recommendations for removal of the barriers identified are put forward to attempt to improve the implementation process of CPEs.
19% 0% 19% Better Understanding More Training Ease of use More Support Other

Respondents were asked to identify factors that would encourage the use of extranets. The results are shown in Figure 3. Ease of use was the top factor for respondents, followed by more training; these barriers were previously identified and it is recommended they are removed by increasing the usability of extranets and by providing sufficient training. Better understanding (19%) and more support (19%) were factors respondents identified which would also increase use. Technical The technology infrastructure provides a major barrier, however with the growing capabilities of the internet and larger bandwidth sizes becoming available, this barrier should lift within the close future. The recommendation can only be made that the largest bandwidth line possible is purchased. Usability of extranets needs to improve by making them simpler to use, reacting to feedback from the end users. In addition, CPEs need to be integrated with e-mail systems. A simplified project filing system with a flat hierarchy needs to be developed to allow easy navigation, filing and recall of documents making extranets faster and easier to use. This could be in the form of a simple filing structure for all projects, which would standardise document filing saving time and resources. People Training is critical to the success of the people element; sufficient and continuous training is required that will allow parties to operate extranets quickly and efficiently and help to eradicate any negativity and overcome the resistance to change. Particularly amongst the older age groups. People need to be encouraged and trained to utilise all the functions offered by extranets to ensure all benefits are being fulfilled. Managerial A project specific protocol document must be established with consultation of the project team, ensur-

26% 36%

Figure 3:- Factors That Would Encourage Use

ing parties understand the processes and their responsibilities. Integration meetings need to be held by management with internal and external parties; the protocol document should be discussed and issues or concerns raised and resolved. The CPE must be Implemented as early as possible, preferably at the design stage, All levels of management (including the client) must be committed and must support CPE use. The use of extranets should be a contractual requirement for the project and this should be adhered to by all parties. The whole supply chain including the client and all team members need to be encouraged to use extranets through clear identification of the benefits and a focus on collaboration. 8 Conclusions

References [1] Anumba, C. J; Egbu, C; Carrillo, P, Knowledge Management in Construction, U.K, BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD, 2005. [2] Becerik, B, Suggestions for Improving Adoption of Online Collaboration and Project Management Technology, 20th Annual Conference of Association of Researchers in Construction Management Proceedings, 1-3 September, 2004. [3] Egan, J, Rethinking Construction, The Construction Task Force. London: Department of Environment , Transport and the Regions, 1998. [4] Griffith, A: Stephenson, P: Watson, P, Management Systems for Construction, 2000. [5] Lamont, Z, Why Construction Must Learn From Other Industries, Construction Monitor: Input, May, 2001. [6] Latham, M, Constructing The Team, London: Department of Environment , Transport and the Regions, 1994. [7] O'Brien, W. J, Implementation Issues in Project Web-Sites: A Practitioner's Viewpoint. Journal of Management in Engineering, May, Volume 16, Issue 3, Pages 34-39, 2000. [8] Ruikar, K; Anumba, C. J; Carrillo, P, End-User Perspectives on Use of Project Extranets in Construction Organisations. U.K, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Volume 12, Issue 3, 2005. [9] Sauer, C, Why Information Systems Fail: A Case Study Approach, 1st Edition. Oxford: ALFRED WALLER LTD, 1993. [10] Saxon, R, Forward, Teamwork 2002: Solutions for Collaborative Working in Construction and FM, A series from Virtual First Ltd. Surrey, UK, 2003. [11] Wilkinson, P, Construction Collaboration Technologies The Extranet Evolution, 1st Edition. Oxon: TAYLOR & FRANCIS, 2005. [12] Yeomans, S,G; Bouchlaghem, N, M; EI-Hamalai, A, Provisions for Proficient Construction Project Extranet Protocols to Facilitate Collaborative Extranet Working. U.K. CICE, 2004.

This paper has identified the barriers that influence the implementation of construction project extranets and proposed recommendations to overcome them. The benefits of improved communication, drawing and document management and file storage are a clear indication that CPEs have their place within the UK construction industry. For their adoption to be improved efforts need to be made to remove the barriers of speed, usability, insufficient training, deficient protocols, lack of client and management support, resistance to change and low level of project usage that currently influence their successful implementation. These barriers can be removed by following the recommendations put forward including; improved training, ensuring sufficient bandwidth size, creating project specific protocol, gaining client support, contractually obliging all parties to their use, holding integration meetings and by good management of the implementation process. In order to move the construction industry forward and build on Sir John Egan and Sir Michael Lathams reports, the industry needs to consider the real benefits extranets bring and become more committed to new technologies like CPEs and to more collaborative approaches to projects.

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