A Health Check of the Strategic Exploitation of IT

This tool is the evidence of a two-year, industry led study completed in association with Construct IT. It documents examples of strategic exploitation of IT in the UK and international construction companies. The study resulted in guidelines of how to be strategic in using IT. These guidelines are produced as a health-check to be self-administered by organisations.

The report aims to raise the profile and promote the strategic awareness of IT through discussion of relevant and important issues. In doing so, the report as a whole drives towards establishing what needs to be done by construction organisations now, and in the future, concerning the use and management of IT ... download >
   
An IT Self-Assessment Tool
The self-assessment tool has been designed for senior managers to enable them to make an assessment of the effectiveness of their company's use of IT. In conjunction with other Construct IT reports, it can help develop the use of IT within their business. The document provides a framework that allows businesses to assess their current use of IT, decide which area they may wish to improve the use of IT, and plan how to best achieve these improvements. The tool, which is aimed at small to medium enterprises within the construction industry, is simple, yet effective and has been designed so that companies can benefit easily though its use. The tool has also been designed for repeatable use to enable companies to continuously improve their business practices ... download >
   
Measuring the Benefits of IT Innovation

This tool outlines an approach/framework to assess ways in which IT innovation can benefit a construction business through improving:

  • Efficiency 'doing things right' - Finally measurable
  • Effectiveness 'doing the right thing'- Measurable but not in monetary terms
  • Performance 'doing better things' - Not measurable at all but is a great consequence in influencing long-term business performance.

This tool enables senior managers in construction to assess the expected benefits of IT innovation and to gauge the benefits that result after their investment in innovation has been made. It is intended to be used as part of the overall process of assessing new business investment proposals alongside currently used methods for assessing cost, judging risks and planning for training and implementation issues. The framework can be used in a dynamic manner throughout the process of planning for and managing the implementation of IT within a construction organisation. Specifically, the framework is intended for use both before an IT innovation is implemented and afterwards when the results can be assessed ... download >
   
Achieving Benefits from IT Projects
The Achieving Benefits from IT Project tools aim to assist senior managers and IT management staff to resource and manage the planning and implemenation of IT effectively. The tools were created out of a DTI funded research project by Construct IT. The research was conducted over an 18 month period, completed in November 2000. (Last update: 6-03-2001) The purpose of the research was to identify what factors are required for construction organisations to gain benefit from IT projects. The research was completed as a series of case studies on 'live' IT implementation projects with UK construction companies.