Data flow model for communications between project participants in a highway bridge project

The construction industry is highly fragmented. A large number of diverse organizations participate in the planning, design, and construction of each constructed project. Cooperation between project participants necessitates the transfer of large quantities of project information. Communication, in many forms, is the means for data exchange among participants. Availability and timeliness of the data needed to perform different project tasks may decrease the potential for project delay(s) and rework, thus increase productivity. This paper discusses the use of the "structured analysis" methodology to document the communication process. The paper also discusses the use of a shared-data resource to solve some of the communication and standardization problems in the construction industry. An overview of the structured analysis methodology is provided. Data flow diagrams, a data dictionary, and transform descriptions comprise the tools for implementing structured analysis. Each tool is briefly described with emphasis given to data flow diagrams. Portions of the communication process documented for a highway bridge project administered by Wisconsin Department of Transportation are provided as an example to illustrate the use of data flow diagrams for information flow identification. The example also presents the use of the data dictionary as a supplementary document to provide composition and definition of data elements. Selected communication difficulties among project participants as well as potential areas of modifications and (or) automation in the current system are highlighted. This paper provides a framework for tracking and documenting the information flow between project participants. Key words: data flow model, data flow diagram, bridge construction, structured analysis, communication.