A comprehensive analysis of the benefits of integrated digital delivery in construction projects

Purpose Integrated digital delivery (IDD) is the use of digital technologies, data, and platforms to integrate work processes and connect all stakeholders working on the same project throughout the construction and building lifecycle. The benefits of digital technologies are often cited to justify the adoption of IDD in construction projects, but such benefits remain under-researched and unverified. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the performance improvements attributable to the IDD approach in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach This study combined questionnaire surveys, statistical analysis, social network analysis, and fuzzy synthetic evaluation to investigate the benefits of IDD in Hong Kong construction projects. The methodology was applied to rank the benefits of IDD, assess the benefit categories of the IDD, and model the relationships between the benefits. Findings The results showed twenty-two (22) significant benefits of the IDD approach, grouped into design, cost, collaboration, sustainability, procurement, and productivity benefits. Design and collaboration benefits were ranked at the top and “high quality and faster preparation of designs” and “improved information exchange and management” were the most important benefits in these clusters, respectively. The weighted network model showed that the benefits of IDD are significantly correlated, and “cost savings associated with digital project delivery”, “improved work and project quality”, and “high quality and faster preparation of designs and calculation” were identified as the most influential benefits. Originality/value The study outcomes offer the first empirical insights into performance gains achievable with the IDD approach in construction projects. Hence, this study, for the first time, identified and assessed the benefits and benefit categories as well as formulating the relationships between the benefits to suggest the most effective benefit pipeline.