Accurate project progress measurement is critical for effective project management. Besides guarantying smooth work progress, it affords project managers the chance to identify early warning signs for peremptory remedial actions to keep the project on schedule and to budget. However, pertinent barriers can suppress the realization of the benefits of an accurate assessment of construction progress. This study aims to identify, examine and prioritize the critical barriers militating against accurate project progress measurement in the Ghanaian construction industry. Sixteen barriers identified from the literature were administered in a questionnaire survey to professionals with tier one construction firms and consultants. Sixty experienced construction professionals practising with tier-one construction firms and consultancy services took part in the survey. The relative importance index technique was used to rank the factors and correlation in responses of the two parties tested by the Mann-Whitney U statistics. The most critical barriers perceived by the professionals were 1) Reliance on Supervisor’s Judgement, 2) Generic and Non-Systematic Approach, 3) Variable Quality of Data and 4) Intricate Measurement Reports. Other highly ranked barriers include 5) Lack of Timely Information, 6) Laborious Data Gathering and 7) Quality Integration Constraint. The findings underpin the need to minimize dependence on subjective opinions and mere experiences of supervisors for assessment of project progress in this age of information technology. Incorporation of a level of automation into traditional progress methods will not only reduce human errors introduced into manually collected data but facilitate visualization of progress reports. Contiguous to a clear specification of the method of progress measurement in the contract document, a system that conveniently integrates cost, time and scope of work into progress measurement must be pursued. Addressing these identified critical barriers will consolidate current construction progress management practices.
References
[1]
PMI (2005) Practice Standard for Earned Value Management. Management Institute, Newtown Square, Newtown Square, PA.
[2]
Mubarak, S. (2010) Construction Project Scheduling and Control. 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470912171
[3]
Amos S.J. (2004) Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering. 5th Edition, AACE International. AACE Education Fund, WV. https://www.academia.edu/33659523/Skills_and_knowledge_of_cost_engineering
[4]
Garold, D.O. (2000) Project Management for Engineering and Construction. 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, International Edition, Singapore.
[5]
Behnam, A., Wickramasinghe, D.C., Ghaffar, M.A.A., Vu, T.T., Tang, Y.H. and Bin Isa, H. (2016) Automated Progress Monitoring System for Linear Infrastructure Projects Using Satellite Remote Sensing. Automation in Construction, 68, 114-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2016.05.002
[6]
Cheung, S.O., Suen, H.C.H. and Cheung, K.K.W. (2004) PPMS: A Web-Based Construction Project Performance Monitoring System. Automation in Construction, 13, 361-376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2003.12.001
[7]
Navon, R. (2007) Research in Automated Measurement of Project Performance Indicators. Automation in Construction, 16, 176-188. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926580506000136 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2006.03.003
[8]
Golparvar-Fard, M. (2010) D4AR-4 Dimensional Augmented Reality-Models for Automation and Interactive Visualization of Construction Progress Monitoring. PhD Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL.
[9]
Navon, R. and Sacks, R. (2007) Assessing Research in Automated Project Performance Control (APPC). Journal of Automation in Construction, 16, 474-484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2006.08.001
[10]
Neely, A. (1999) The Performance Assessment Revolution: Why Now and What Next? International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 19, 205-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579910247437
[11]
Davidson, I.N. and Skibniewski, M.J. (1995) Simulation of Automated Data Collection in Buildings. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 9, 9-20. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3801(1995)9:1(9)
[12]
Ergen, E., Akinci, B. and Sacks, R. (2007). Life-Cycle Data Management of Engineered-to-Order Components Using Radio Frequency Identification. Advanced Engineering Informatics, 21, 356-366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2006.09.004
[13]
Ibrahim, Y.M., Lukins, T.C., Zhang, X., Trucco, E. and Kaka, A.P. (2009) Towards Automated Progress Assessment of Workpackage Components in Construction Projects using Computer Vision. Advanced Engineering Informatics, 23, 93-103. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1474034608000591 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2008.07.002
[14]
Meredith, J.R. and Mantel Jr., S.J. (2003) Project Management: A Managerial Approach. Fifth Edition, John Wiley and Sons Inc., Hoboken, NJ.
[15]
Eldin, N.N. (1989) Measurement of Work Progress: Quantitative Technique. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 115, 462-474. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(1989)115:3(462)
[16]
Rebolj, D., Cus Babic, N., Magdic, A., Podbreznik, P. and Psunder, M. (2008) Automated Construction Activity Monitoring System. Advanced Engineering Informatics, 22, 493-503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2008.06.002
[17]
Kaka, A.P. (1999) The Development of a Benchmark Model that Uses Historical Data for Monitoring the Progress of Current Construction Projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 6, 256-266. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb021116
[18]
Kerzner, H. (2009) Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. 10th Edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, NJ.
[19]
Chin, S., Yoon, S., Kim, Y.-S., Jung, Y., Park, S.-C. and Chung, M. (2006) A Project Progress Measurement and Management System. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 132, No. 4. https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB13684.pdf
[20]
Jung, Y. and Kang, S. (2007) Knowledge-Based Standard Progress Measurement for Integrated Cost and Schedule Performance Control. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 133, 10-21. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2007)133:1(10)
[21]
PPA (2003) Ghana Public Procurement Act, Act 663. Public Procurement Board, Accra Ghana. https://www.ppaghana.org/documents/PublicProcurementAct2003Act663.pdf
[22]
AACE International (2019) Cost Engineering Terminology. TCM Framework: General Reference. AACE International Recommended Practice No 10S-90. http://www.aacei.org/docs/default-source/rps/10s-90.pdf?sfvrsn=42
[23]
Golparvar-Fard, M., Pena-Mora, F. and Savarese, S. (2009) Application of D4AR A 4-Dimensional Augmented Reality Model for Automating Construction Progress Monitoring Data Collection, Processing and Communication. Journal of Information Technology in Construction, 14, 129-153. http://www.itcon.org/2009/13
[24]
Abdul-Malak, M.A.U., El-Saadi, M.M. and Abou-Zeid, M.G. (2002) Process Model for Administrating Construction Claims. Journal of Management and Engineering, 18, 84-94. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0742-597X(2002)18:2(84)
[25]
Kululanga, G.K., Kuotcha, W., McCaffer, R. and Edum-Fotwe, F. (2001) Construction Contractors’ Claim Process Framework. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 127, 309-314. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2001)127:4(309)
[26]
Lu, W., Zhang, L. and Pan, J. (2015) Identification and Analyses of Hidden Transaction Costs in Project Dispute Resolutions. International Journal of Project Management, 33, 711-718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.08.009
[27]
Stamatiou, D.R.I., Kirytopoulos, K.A., Ponis S.T., Sotiris Gayialis, S. and Tatsiopoulos, I. (2019) A Process Reference Model for Claims Management in Construction Supply Chains: The Contractors’ Perspective. International Journal of Construction Management, 19, 382-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2018.1452100
[28]
Vidogah, W. and Ndekugri, I. (1998) Improving the Management of Claims on Construction Contracts: Consultant’s Perspective. Construction Management & Economics, 16, 363-372. https://doi.org/10.1080/014461998372385
[29]
Cioffi, D.F. (2006) Designing Project Management: A Scientific Notation and an Improved Formalism for Earned Value Calculations. International Journal of Project Management, 24, 136-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2005.07.003
[30]
Yogeswaran, K., Kumaraswamy, M.M. and Miller, D.R.A. (1998) Claims for Extensions of Time in Civil Engineering Projects. Construction Management & Economics, 16, 283-293. https://doi.org/10.1080/014461998372312
[31]
Koo, B. and Fischer, M. (2000) Feasibility Study of 4D CAD in Commercial Construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 126, 251-260. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2000)126:4(251)
[32]
Gill, J. and Johnson, P. (2002) Research Methods for Managers. Third Edition, Sage Publications Ltd., New York.
[33]
Ahadzie, D.K. (2007) A Model for Predicting the Performance of Project Managers in Mass House Building Projects in Ghana. University of Wolverhampton, UK.
[34]
Gunduz, M., Nielsen, Y. and Ozdemir, M. (2013) Quantification of Delay Factors Using the Relative Importance Index Method for Construction Projects in Turkey. Journal of Management in Engineering, 29, 133-139.
[35]
Arthur, A., Elliot, J.C. and Elaine, N.A. (2013) Statistics for Psychology. Sixth Edition, Pearson Education Limited, Upper Saddle River, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000129
