• 1
Concurrent Engineering:
A Multi-disciplinary Approach for
Construction
Dr Rodney Stewart
Griffith University
Concurrent Engineering
• It was developed in response to the need of
manufacturing companies to reduce the time
taken to develop and introduce new
products in order to remain competitive.
– simultaneous engineering
– parallel engineering
Product Life Cycle
Concurrent Engineering
•Integration of design processes
•Parallel sequencing of tasks
•Identification of downstream issues
•Reduction in development time
Elimination of danger
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Concurrent Engineering
A systematic approach to the integrated, concurrent
design of products and their related processes,
including manufacture and support.
This approach is intended to cause the developers,
from the outset, to consider all elements of the
product life cycle from conception through
disposal, including quality, cost, schedule, and user
requirements.
Winner et al. (1988 )
Framework for CE in Construction
Fully Satisfied Customer
Competitive Business
Minimise Time-to-Market
Reduce Product Cost
Increase Product Quality
Integrated & concurrent process
Use of multidisciplinary teams
Early consideration of life cycle issues
Up-front requirement analysis
Various Tools
Agent- & Knowledge-Based Techniques
CAD/ CAM. CAE etc
Goals
Objectives
Strategies
Tools &
Techniques
Facilitate
Ensures
Leads to
•Nature of the construction industry
•Productivity and performance
•Communication platforms
•Goal divergence
•Cultural and behavioural barriers
Construction Industry
Islands of individual organisations
Client
Consultant
• 3
Construction Industry
• The fragmentation of
– the different participants à misconceptions and misunderstandings.
– the fragmentation of design and construction data à design clashes,
omissions and errors.
• The occurrence of
– late and costly design changes
– unnecessary liability claims, occurring as a result of the above.
• The lack of
– true life-cycle analysis of the project à an inability to maintain a
competitive edge in a changing marketplace.
– communication of design rationale and intent à leading to design
confusion and wasted effort.
Concurrent Engineering in Construction
An attempt to optimise the design of the
project and its construction process to
achieve reduced lead times, and improved
quality and cost by the integration of
design, fabrication, construction and erection
activities and by maximising concurrency
and collaboration in working practices.
Evbuomwan and Anumba (1998)
Concurrent Engineering in Construction
E Aim at integrating the functional disciplines at
the early stages of the construction project.
(Evbuomwan and Anumba, 1998)
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Context of CE in Construction
Conceive
Project
Client Requirement Processing
Design &
Construction of
Facility
Use &
Operate
Facility
Concurrent
Design &
Construction
Statemen
t of need
Decision
to Build
Design
Requirement
Feedback
Client (demand for facility) Construction industry (supply of facility)
Framework of CE in Construction
Level 1
Design
Stages

Scheme Design
Detailed Design
Design Documentation
Client
Requirements
Integrated Knowledge Base and Databases
Level 2
Level 3
Applying CE to Construction
•Client driven
•Project manager (Independent)
•Early establishment of project team
•Principal subcontractors
•Novation (Risk and Responsibility)
Assessment of client needs
Do I really need this?
Perhaps not
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Briefing within the overall project process

Project
stages
Briefing
Process
Facility design and other investigations
Eliciting and representing client
requirement:
§Precisely defined
§Solution-neutral format
§Format –easy to trace
§Reflective perspective and priorities
of the client body (owner, user, etc.)
Current briefing process
§Design professionals dominate
§No distinct stages
§Sketches and drawings –clarify clients’
problems
§Value management
§Limitations: time, communication, change
management, multi-parties involvement
Design Structure Matrix
•Design management strategy
•Optimisation of information flow
•New decision points
•Reprioritizing and reordering tasks
•Information technology
“As is process”v “should be process”
Multi-disciplinary
Team
Multi-disciplinary
Team
Goal Alignment
Cooperation
Collaboration
Commitment
Compromise
Consensus
Cooperation
Collaboration
Commitment
Compromise
Consensus
Project
Success
Project
Success
Project Team
Effectiveness
Project Team
Communication Communication Effectiveness
Rework Rework
Reduction/Elimination
Coordination and
Integration
Coordination and
Integration
Variations Variations
Team Cohesiveness
Role and Task Orientation
Customer Focused
Customer Satisfaction
Communication Effectiveness
Reduction/Elimination
A Multi-disciplinary Approach
• 6
Conclusion
• A Multi-disciplinary Approach = Project Success
If Everyone Is Moving Forward Together Then Success Takes Care Of Itself
Constructability
Section 2
Construtability
• Industry-specific nature
• Only management concept in the past
30 years to have been designed and
developed by the construction industry
for the construction industry.
• Buildability (UK)
• Constructability (USA)
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Construtability
• Separation of the process of design and
construction
• Comparative isolation of many designers
from the practical construction process
• Deficiency in project delivery process
Constructability
“The extent to which decisions made
through the whole building
procurement process, in response to
factors influencing the project and other
project goals, ultimately facilitate the
ease of construction and the quality
of the completed project.”
Construction Policy Steering Committee
New South Wales Government
Constructability
Design Design
Construct Construct
Occupy Occupy
Project funding
Stake holding
Political objectives
Documentation
Form of contract
Budget
Contractor selection
Site factors
Management
IR
Resources
Weather
Accessibility
Durability
Obtainability
Obsolescence
Function
Ability of
influence
outcome
Procurement process
Project
outcome
• 8
Constructability
• Objective: produce the best product i.e. building, making
the best possible use of resources.
• Design and Build contract provide early contractor input
• Effective communication between design and
construction professionals
– Management driven rather than a technologically driven
– 90% building errors arise because of failure to apply existing
knowledge
– Not lack of information but lack of knowledge management
Case
• Australia Media Centre (Technology Park, South
Australia)
• 7300 square metre facility
• Nine months
• A$ 12 million
• Cost saving allowed scope of work within the budget
• Constructability strategy ensured close co-ordination
between the project team members and early
resolution of design, detailing and construction
method consideration.