Considerable knowledge is generated during the course of a construction
project. Sadly, only a small fraction of this is captured and an even smaller
fraction is subsequently reused. This problem is often associated with the
fragmented nature of the construction industry, with each project involving
a variety of disciplines and organisations. It has also been a major contributor
to the ineffi ciencies associated with the construction industry. It is,
therefore, imperative in seeking to improve the productivity of the industry
and the profi tability of the fi rms that operate within it, that this new knowledge
is captured, shared and reused. Attempts are now being made by
many companies to capture the learning on projects through post-project
reviews and various ‘ lessons learned’ automated data fi les but these have
only been marginally successful. A major limitation of these approaches is
that the review sessions take place long after the learning event, and many
of the details and subtleties are not captured in the automated data fi les,
making it diffi cult for participants to fully recall and utilize the details of
the lessons learned or the context in which they were learned.
This book provides guidance on how the learning on projects can be captured
during the course of a project (i.e. live), with a view to reusing the new
knowledge at the later stages of the same project or in new projects. It provides
guidance on how to ensure that the lessons learned are shared between
the members of the project team, and across corporate enterprises without a
signifi cant administrative burden. The key elements of the approach developed
are encapsulated in a software tool that will prove invaluable to design
and construction organisations. Some of the excellent features of the tool,
which are not adequately provided for in most knowledge management
systems, include: the primary focus on reusable knowledge (thereby ensuring
that only the most useful knowledge is captured), effective support for
knowledge management at the project organisation level and the provision
of the ‘context for reuse’ for each knowledge entry.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone working in the construction
industry. The fundamental principles contained in the book are based
on extensive research and will also be useful to professionals in other
project-based industries.