The IT-barometer study and plans for its renewal 2006

1. The IT-barometer study and plans for its renewal 2006 Olle Samuelson CIO Tyréns AB

2. Background • The questionnaire tool was made in 1997. Initiated by the Swedish program “IT BoF” (IT in Construction and Facility) • The same questionnaire was used in Sweden, Denmark and Finland two times: 1997/1998 and 2000 • Other countries that have used part of the questionnaire: • Canada • Ireland • Australia • South Africa • Malaysia • Approximately 10 more countries have asked for and get the questionnaire

3. Purpose of the study • The purpose of the project was to create a method and perform a survey for measuring the use of IT in the construction industry. The survey should: • Be repeatable and comparable over time • Be comparable between countries • Cover all categories of companies in the construction sector(which was defined as: architects, engineers, contractors, facility managers and suppliers) • The study should measure: • Access to HW and SW • Use of HW and SW • Effects of the use and future plans for investments

4. Interview study with 16 individuals from 12 companies covering:Architects, Engineers, Contractors and Facility Managers. • The postal surveys aimed to describe what? and how?(quantitative) • The interview study aimed to explain why?(qualitative) • The two surveys and the interview study was put together to a Licentiate thesis which was presented in 2003.Title: “IT-användning i byggande och förvaltning”(IT use in construction and facility management)

5. Areas covered in the surveys • Access to hardware and software • PC, mobile phone, Internet, intranet, common programs as office etc • Use of hardware and software • Use of CAD – 2D, 3D, models • Use of programs for e.g. invoicing, technical descriptions, calculations, bills of quantities, scheduling, materials control, costing/budgeting, tendering • Use of communication tools as email, project webbs on Internet, e-trade etc • Effects, plans • IT-strategies, IT investments, motives for investments • Changes in productivity caused by IT • Advantages and disadvantages/obstacles with a greater use of IT • Plans for the future and motives for those plans

6. Method • Definition of the construction industry, register for sample: SCB (Swedish statistics) • Principle for selection: stratified random selection • Answer frequency: about 50% (600 answers) • Weighting: each answer represented correct proportion of the industry • Slightly different methods in different countries – difficult comparisons

7. Some results from the studies Own PC at the workplace PC at home which are rented by the company PC at home which are lend by the company Own mobile phone Own hand computer Proportion of employees with access to certain equipment(including workers at the site)

8. By hand Other By hand Other Architects By hand Other Architects and Engineers in total Engineers Proportion of design time regarding drawings that each technique is used

9. Architects Engineers Contractors Done manually Not applicable Proportion of work with time- and resource scheduling that is done with computers

10. Do not use electronic trade/Not applicable 64% ≤ 1% 10% 2-4% 14% 5-9% 6% 10-24% 3% 25-49% 1% ≥50% 2% Proportion of the turnover that are related to electronic trade

11. Experienced advantages with increased use of IT, in order of priority

12. Experienced disadvantages/obstacles with increased use of IT, in order of priority

13. Areas for planed IT investments, in order of priority

14. Conclusions – postal surveys • Computer are mostly used for administrative routines • IT makes current routines more effective but does not change them • IT is used more and more for communication • IT makes effects. Among others as increased effectiveness and creates better financial control. • Contractors use IT at the lowest level. Facility companies at the highest. • IT could be used more effective and for creating innovations

15. Why? The content of information in the product Low High Low Delivery and assembly of low-tech building sub-systems, e.g. windows, doors, concrete, steel, beams, excavation, in-situ concrete casting Delivery and assembly of high-tech building sub-systems, e.g. elevator, access control system, remote maintenance monitoring system The content of information in the process High Construction process in planning, estimating, managing and control stages Architectural and engimeering design. Software development. Database creation and distribution The content of information in product and process (from Porter and Millar in Betts, 1999)

16. Factors that affect the use of IT • Practical • Economical • Knowledge and competence • Cultural • Organisational

17. Summary Practical benefits • Organisation • Individual • Company/project • Sector/Industry Economical possibilities/obstacles Knowledge/ competence Culture Approach to a connection between categories of causes Implementation

18. Purpose and goal with a new study • To complete an almost eight year long study of the subject “IT-use in construction and FM” • Tom make comparisons over time, under a period when it has been a lot of changes in the industry • To make comparisons between countries • To get better understanding of the adopt process in different kinds of systems • The result is interesting for • Companies (in the industry as well as system/program developers) • The industry as a whole • Researchers

19. To carry out the study • The third IT-barometer is going to be carried out in Sweden and Finland in 2006 • If possible, also Denmark, UK, USA… • Some changes in the questionnaire • Less focus on: Access to HW and common SW • More focus on 3 areas : BIM, e-business, EDM

20. Thank you!