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Duffield, C F (2001) An evaluation framework for privately funded infrastructure projects in Australia, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Fayek, A (1996) A competitive estimating and tendering strategy model for use in the civil engineering construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Gurmu, A (2017) An investigation into construction management practices influencing labour productivity in multi-storey building projects, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Horman, M J (2000) Process dynamics: Buffer management in building project operations, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Jennings, I C (1997) Systemic integration in construction project organisations, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Karunaratne, R (2022) Optimisation of prefabricated modular-integrated residential construction using hybrid customisation methods, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Kenley, R (1986) Construction project cash flow modelling, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Department of Architecture and Building (Now Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning), University of Melbourne.
London, K (2004) Construction supply chain procurement modelling, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Mills, A J (2002) Client and contractor attitudes to prequalification and selection processes for construction work, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Ryan, P W J (2017) Unlocking the key to mega project delivery, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Sivam, A (1999) An approach to improved housing delivery in large cities of less developed countries, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Smith, J (2002) Strategic client briefing: A model for building project inception, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Trigunarsyah, B (2001) Implementing constructability improvement into the Indonesian construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
Ullal, A (2018) Clear, Hold and Build: Conditions and practices characterising construction in conflict and post-conflict settings, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne.
Xu, M (2010) The value of critical project decisions: measurement and modelling, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , University of Melbourne.
- Type: Thesis
- Keywords: time overrun; decision support; efficiency; value for money; decision making; government; lifecycle; Australia; project performance
- ISBN/ISSN:
- URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/35494
- Abstract:
Efficient delivery of major capital projects has proven difficult for many Governments. There are numerous examples of cost and time overruns that result from the inherently risky environment in which such projects are managed. The performance of capital projects is largely determined by the decisions, especially the critical ones ('critical decisions' are the decisions made at high management level with significant influences on the entire project performance; a decision on whether to accept the business case of a project is an example of the 'critical decision') made on projects. A 'critical decision' is largely influenced by the decision maker's understanding ('decision situation') of the actual situation of the project. One of the most efficient methods to improve the quality of a 'critical decision' is to minimise the possible variation between the ‘decision situation' and the actual situation of a project by employing a properly developed tool. Project review techniques, especially a timely review during the project lifecycle called Mid-Project Review (MPR), are considered as one of the most efficient methods to improve the quality of 'critical decisions' (Thamhain 1999). However, such reviews are always qualitative, which lack quantitative support of the 'critical decisions' and thus the benefits from improved decision making are hard to measure. The overall aim of this thesis is to measure and model the value gained from changing 'critical decisions' on the basis of MPR advice. The quantitatively measured value can be used as additional information together with the review outcomes to provide a better opportunity to improve the quality of 'critical decisions' and the performance of projects. To achieve this aim, a fuzzy recognition based quantitative decision support tool is developed and validated with data of Gateway reviews collected from Australian government agencies and Gateway experts. It is discovered that the fuzzy recognition process involving Relative Membership Degree (RMD) (Chen 1998) is as a suitable technique for the decision support tool developed in this thesis. This method has advantages in quantifying the specific format of qualitative information included in the MPR outcomes. With the selected technique, a decision support tool has been established, which facilitates decision making with quantitative interpretation of decision improvement by adopting the review advice. It is noticed during the development of the tool that parameters of the tool have to be specified for different review processes. Different organisations of review outcomes and formats of information require different methods of data collection and process to suit the analysis. By using the Gateway data collected from Australian government agencies and Gateway experts, the tailored model for the Gateway review has been validated. The tool has been proved to be of great efficiency in measuring the value obtained from the Gateway review process. On comparing with the existing Value for Money (VfM) estimation tool, the tool developed in this thesis requires much less subjective inputs for analysis (89%) and saves up to 94% of meeting times with review teams to achieve similar quantitative results. In terms of the value obtained from the Australian Gateway review process, this tool demonstrates a flexible and accurate assessment of benefits in the preferred dimensions by the decision makers. In the frequently used dimensions of cost and time, this tool shows that 22% cost savings and 29% time savings have been achieved by the Gateway reviews conducted between 1/1/2003 to 1/4/2008. Apart from these two dimensions, other dimensional benefits can also be calculated by using this tool. With the tool developed, benefit allocation between categorised projects is also calculated. Projects with similarities are categorised into groups; benefits obtained from different categories provide valuable directions for potential Gateway reviews and improvements. Based on the results obtained from this research, it is concluded that the decision support tool with the special interface to the MPR can quantitatively support the 'critical decisions'. Efficient and accurate estimation of the potential quality improvement by adopting advice from a review will largely benefit the decision makers, especially under complex situation. The application of this tool will provide additional opportunity to achieve a better decision and project performance.