A Lessons-Learned Mobile System for Construction Companies: Motivation and Design

Abstract

Construction projects are an important source of expert know-how and organizational knowledge. Though, it is known that construction companies do not make and appropriate transfer and use of this knowledge. In fact, it is common to find that most of lessons learned in construction projects are lost, because most of companies never worried to collect and storage them. To avoid the later, construction companies need to have a knowledge management system that allows them to manage the lessons generated on each project. Construction companies need then, a system that fit their specific needs and that uses new technological advances to make it really applicable on-site. This paper presents a research that attempts to develop a lessons-learned system to support the construction management process. A research methodology based on case studies has been applied, where semi-structured interviews, direct observation and review of documentation have been conducted in three Chilean construction companies. Based on this, a mobile lesson-learned system application with interface for smartphone and web in a cloud environment is proposed. Currently, a prototype of this system is being under development and test in a construction company. This article focuses on the design of this prototype and the main characteristics of its architecture. It is concluded that the application of mobile technology on the field would facilitate the use of a lessons-learned system, and that this kind of technology could be an appropriate tool for knowledge management.