An Investigation of Construction Project Communications Under IPD Constraints

The authors demonstrate the development of an applied framework for analyzing, influencing, and improving communications to enhance productivity through collaborative information exchange on a fast-track integrated project delivery construction megaproject.Using an interdisciplinary approach, project communications is reconsidered as an independent, valueproducing system to be used to improve the relational dynamics of an enterprise.Acknowledging the critical impact of communications on project planning and execution, the framework leans heavily on prospect theory within the field of behavioral economics, which explains how people make decisions when faced with risk.The results show the efficacy of developing a model that focuses on conditions of satisfaction, rather than the traditional hierarchical systems of project information flow for decision making.As with any substantial, independent commercial organization, a dedicated communications team is instrumental to achieving previously unrealized productivity gains otherwise hampered by the pervasive nature of miscommunication in large, complex-design engineering and construction projects.