Project Documentation Research Articles

Management of the Territory Restoration Process Following a Disaster: The Case of the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic

The article presents a methodology for the management of repairs to property damaged by a disaster. The article describes the procedure for the development of an organizational layout, along with planning and managing activities leading to the restoration of damaged property. Last but not least, the article deals with financial planning. The methodology presented was applied to a case study that was conducted in the village of Hrušky, South Moravian region, the Czech Republic, which was hit by a tornado in 2021. More than three years have passed since this tragedy, and repairs to the village’s property are still planned to continue until the middle of 2025. Qualitative approaches to data collection and evaluation were used for data collection, especially in-depth interviews related to the given issue. The mayor of the village, the village management, and representatives of construction companies were involved in the in-depth interviews. Another important source of data was the project documentation and the municipality’s accounting records. The main outputs include a list of construction works, which served as a basis for the financial damages; the municipality’s participation in state subsidy programs for the financing of the restoration; and, last but not least, a list of works that was used to create the project documentation for the reconstruction of individual buildings. Other outputs of the work include a structural plan, which has been developed for the purposes of planning and managing activities leading to the restoration of the damaged area, and a financial plan, which contains information on expenses and funding sources. The key contribution of the paper is a methodical procedure for the identification, the design, and the execution of crucial activities connected with the restoration of the territory after a disaster. The methodological procedure is designed considering the experience associated with a specific disaster, namely, a tornado in the southeastern part of the Czech Republic, which served as the basis for this case study.

BIM IMPLEMENTATION FOR HERITAGE RENOVATION THROUGHOUT PROJECT LIFECYCLE: CURRENT USE, BENEFITS, AND BARRIERS

Introduction: Building Information Modeling (BIM) has garnered significant attention due to advancements in sophisticated technologies and methods. However, a comprehensive review of the existing literature indicates a lack of research exploring the application of BIM in managing the entire intervention design and renovation processes from a broader system perspective. The purpose of the study was to fill this gap by identifying and evaluating the current utilization, benefits, and barriers associated with implementing BIM in the lifecycle of renovation projects. The study methodology is based on conducting 31 structured interviews with experienced professionals who have employed BIM in their project deliveries. The results reveal that the primary benefits of BIM adoption, in descending order of importance, pertain to improved collective understanding of design intent, lower risk and better predictability of outcomes, better-designed and performing buildings, more accurate project documentation, and increased accuracy of the cost estimate. However, there are several prominent barriers: project budget, complexity of modeling historic structures, cost to hire BIM professionals, and the lack of BIM knowledge. The findings will advance BIM adoption for heritage renovation and enable project stakeholders to focus on realizing the benefits and potential uses of lifecycle BIM, while also addressing the critical challenges discussed in this study.

Leveraging Qualitative Analysis Software to Complement Traditional Qualitative Research Approaches for Curriculum Design: Results of a Needs Assessment Study

ABSTRACT Educational programs are continually challenged with maintaining a curriculum that meets the current and future needs of the industry they serve, and accreditation requirements. Research methodologies of interviews, focus groups, and surveys to accomplish these requirements have a long-standing documented history in the literature. Interviews and focus groups can provide collection of rich information, but have limited sample size, and greater potential for participant and researcher bias. Survey research can be more objective and reach larger population, but results are limited to the type and quality of questions posed by the researchers, and honesty of the participant responses. Technological advances in data collection and analysis have been improving research methodologies for decades. This paper describes a research approach for conducting a program needs assessment. Using structured focus groups and qualitative artificial intelligence software, MAXQDA, the methodology identified 15 themes for activities commonly performed by entry-level construction management graduates. Within the themes, 17 common types of knowledge, and 15 types of skills were identified. Key knowledge included Terms & Symbols, Project Documents, Materials & Methods, Software Platforms, Scopes of Work, and Contract Structures. The top skills identified were Oral & Written Communication, Using/Learning Software/Technology, Collaboration/Teamwork, Analyzing/Interpreting Documents, and Personal Organization/Time Management.

Exploring the significance and priority of digital product passports implementation in building renovation projects targeting circular economy

PurposeThis study explores the significance and implementation priorities for Digital Product Passports (DPP) in the context of building renovation projects. It aims to reveal bottlenecks and how a data-driven workflow bridges the DPP understanding/implementation gap, facilitating the transition towards practices aligned with the EU Green Deal goals.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-methods embedded design was employed for a real-case study exploration. Desk research and field observations ground the two-level analysis combining project documentation, namely the Bill of Quantities (BoQ), with different criteria in digitalisation and sustainability, such as economic ratio, 3D modelling, waste management, hazards, energy performance and facility management. All results were interpreted from the DPP lens.FindingsThe analysis revealed a system for identifying building products representing a significant part of the renovation budget. About 11 priority DPPs were found. Some are crucial for both the deconstruction and construction phases, highlighting the need for an incremental and strategic approach to DPP implementation.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to a single case study. Constraints are minimised given the sample's archetype representativeness. The outcomes introduce the need for strategic thinking for incremental DPP implementation. Future research will explore additional criteria and cases.Originality/valueThe research has resulted in a classification framework for DPPs' significance and priority, which is provided with case results. The outcome of the framework provides views on concept alignment to make the implementation in construction more straightforward. Its practical use can be replicated in other projects, emphasizing the importance of data structure and management for the circular economy.

Типовые условия государственного контракта на государственное геологическое изучение недр

The full implementation of the state geological survey of the subsurface directly depends on the terms of government contracts, which should reflect the specifics of the field of the subject of purchase, which cannot be done without special conditions for this type of government contracts. It is possible to avoid delaying procurement procedures for the state geological study of subsurface resources and possible nonfulfillment of tasks assigned to state customers by establishing standard conditions necessary to reflect the specifics of the subsurface use area. In this regard, the special law on public procurement requires adjustments in terms of setting standard conditions for the approval of project documentation and the ability of customers to limit the cost of an informational geological report.

CERTAIN ASPECTS OF RESEARCH WORK IN THE RESTORATION OF THE KYIV VELODROME

Kyiv Velodrome is the oldest sports facility in Ukraine and one of the oldest in Europe. In 2016-2017, the restoration of its track, administrative building, construction of an underground parking lot and reorganization of the adjacent territory were carried out. As part of the scientific and technical support, an examination of the velodrome track was carried out to determine all existing defects and damages and as a result, recommendations for their elimination were provided. In particular, solutions have been developed to repair cracks and recommended measures are aimed at preventing their appearance in the future. Also, within the scope of research work, some experimental studies were carried out with the designed constructions of the bicycle track for their compliance with the technical documentation and to establish durability (in laboratory conditions). The article analyzes and researches the structural and technological solutions proposed in the project documentation for the restoration and arrangement of the bicycle track, providing solutions and recommendations that will ensure the necessary quality and the project's design life. Thus, recommendations are being considered to reduce the likelihood of the appearance of new cracks and the development of existing ones on the track.

Synergizing human insight and machine learning: A dual-lens approach to uncovering healthcare research and innovation outcomes

Many healthcare organisations have extensive documentation detailing the processes behind their various research and innovation projects. Analysing this data can provide valuable insights into why some projects succeed without major issues, others encounter and overcome problems, and some ultimately fail. This study introduces an approach that combines narrative interviews and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to identify patterns associated with innovation project outcomes. We analysed 618 documents from 67 projects provided by ZonMw, a major Dutch healthcare research funder, and conducted 32 narrative interviews across seven cases of healthcare innovation projects. By using narrative interviews to inform and pre-train a text embedding model, we demonstrate the potential to create a proxy for human judgement, allowing for a more natural identification of contextual patterns in project documentation. The findings indicate that successful projects are more likely to adopt a proactive approach to role changes and uncertainty (due to ambiguous laws and regulations) and to allow flexibility, which enhances stakeholder engagement, compared to failed projects. However, while we were able to conduct descriptive analysis to gain these insights, significant interpretation is still required to fully understand the findings. Our study makes two primary contributions: first, it offers a new approach for future research on the factors that determine project success or failure, closely aligning with Structuration Theory. Additionally, it suggests potential efficiency improvements in theory development by enabling multiple pattern configurations within Grounded Theory. Second, it offers practical strategies for organisations to more effectively capture and use contextual information in their project documentation for future success.

Theoretical Courses and Architectural Education: Studio-based Approach for Technical Writing Course

Technical writing skills are critical to ensure the success and integration of architecture and urban projects. The practice of architecture requires high communication skills to deliver ideas and plans to the different stakeholders in architecture projects. Clear technical communication provides mutual understanding of the aspects and requirements of projects to all involved parties including contactors, engineers, clients and even authorities, mitigating the high risks of misunderstandings. Technical writing allows for clear project documentation, facilitating coordination between interdisciplinary teams and improving decision making and problem solving. Architectural education relies mainly on hands-on experiences and design-oriented studios. Theoretical courses present a challenge for both architecture students and lecturers, as they are often taught in a lecture setting, which is not so familiar to architecture students, making them overwhelming to students. Theoretical courses challenge students as they often miss the link between concepts and application. Technical writing courses are hardly linked to students’ interests. This study presents a pedagogical approach to the course of Technical Writing in the Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design Program at Helwan University in Egypt. It presents an studio-based interactive approach through using in-class discussions, workshops, games, peer discussions and interactions. It also links sustainable architecture and urban design applications into students’ work, to ensure their interest in the course and their compound benefit. The paper presents the results of a tailor-made evaluation questionnaire to identify the most effective methods used in teaching the course, in addition to students’ key takeaways from the course. Results show that students learned the most of report writing and presentation skills, perceived the course as highly interactive and highlighted that using games enhanced their learning experience.

Neural network classification of technological development projects in Russian companies: Perspectives of extreme project management

To achieve the goals of sustainable socio-economic development and ensure the technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation, it is critically important to choose effective methods of technological project management. The article develops a novel toolkit for neural network classification of technological development projects in Russian companies and justifies the use of extreme project management to such endeavors. The methodological framework resides in the concepts of project lifecycle management and data mining. The study employed the following research methods: textual analysis of project documentation using large language models, and intelligent project classification based on two-dimensional projection of multidimensional clusters using Orange Data Mining. The research draws upon regulatory documents in the field of Russia’s scientific and technological development and open databases on Russian companies’ projects. The work proposes a new neural network classification toolkit based on a large language model. We have found that most development projects related to critical and end-to-end technologies are characterized by low certainty of goals and solutions, which necessitates applying extreme approaches to manage them. The findings can be used by Russian companies for reasoning the choice of a project management model, as well as by experts when evaluating technological development projects.

Online Integrated Platform for Project Management

The Integrated Platform for University Projects (IPUP) aims to streamline student project management across academic disciplines. Utilizing web technologies and project management principles, IPUP provides a centralized hub for collaboration, communication, and progress tracking. Additionally, IPUP utilizes a plagiarism checking API as a method to ensure academic integrity. Project documentation submitted on the platform is analysed using the SmallSEO Tools Plagiarism checking API. This API employs algorithms defined by SmallSEO Tools to detect any plagiarized content within the documentation. The API returns a response indicating the percentage of content identified as copied. A predetermined threshold is set for this percentage; if the value exceeds this threshold, the submission is rejected by the website. IPUP serves as a driving force for academic innovation, enabling cross-disciplinary learning and excellence in project-based education, while also integrating communication tools and prioritizing data security.

Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning analytics for development effectiveness: a comprehensive approach to extract insights from project data

ABSTRACT In the normal course of business, international development institutions investing in development projects generate thousands of project-related documents summarising and analysing each aspect of their policymaking processes and policy lifecycles from design and financing through implementation performance and ultimately project/policy outputs, outcomes and effectiveness-related data. Moreover, institutions’ internal processes for quality assurance, monitoring and results measurement systems generate quantitative and qualitative primary and secondary data that can be employed to extract insights about lessons learned, internal decision-making processes, business model changes and project and portfolio performance. Resource and time constraints, however, result in the underutilisation of these valuable data sources for knowledge management, planning, evaluation and analysis. Specifically, qualitative insights housed in project documents remain largely inaccessible and cannot be employed systematically in combination with other quantitative data, in a unified framework. This article explores how machine learning can accelerate knowledge generation and management and aid results-based decision-making in line with development institutions’ existing development effectiveness frameworks through two main channels. The first leverages project documentation for historical portfolio systematisation to extract key strategic topics as well as lessons learned through the application of techniques such as text mining and topic modelling. The second proposes an agency-based system for predictive analytics, which analyses current and historical data to make predictions about future outcomes or trends to strengthen data-driven decision-making.

Developing a Help Desk Service for Enhanced Coordination in Health Informatics Projects: A Sharepoint and Power Automate Approach.

Healthcare projects necessitate effective collaboration between clinical and technical partners, particularly during pivotal phases like lab testing and piloting. However, challenges in coordination often impede seamless collaboration, leading to inefficiencies and delays. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to developing a help desk service tailored for CAREPATH projects, leveraging SharePoint services and Power Automate. The solution aims to bridge communication gaps, foster collaboration, and enhance coordination among clinical and technical partners. Through iterative development and testing, we refined the system based on stakeholder feedback, resulting in streamlined workflows and improved document management. During the lab testing phase, the help desk system demonstrated significant improvements in resolution duration, communication efficiency, and success solution rates. Stakeholder feedback highlighted enhanced collaboration and improved access to project documentation. With successful testing, the help desk is poised for implementation in subsequent phases, promising further enhancements in patient engagement, technology integration, and scalability. These findings underscore the critical role of help desks in healthcare ICT projects, offering a transformative approach to project management and stakeholder collaboration. Future directions include enhancing patient engagement, leveraging advanced technologies, and conducting longitudinal studies to evaluate long-term impact. Embracing these directions will drive positive change, delivering better outcomes for patients and caregivers in healthcare ICT projects.

Designing the Australian Cancer Atlas: visualizing geostatistical model uncertainty for multiple audiences.

The Australian Cancer Atlas (ACA) aims to provide small-area estimates of cancer incidence and survival in Australia to help identify and address geographical health disparities. We report on the 21-month user-centered design study to visualize the data, in particular, the visualization of the estimate uncertainty for multiple audiences. The preliminary phases included a scoping study, literature review, and target audience focus groups. Several methods were used to reach the wide target audience. The design and development stage included digital prototyping in parallel with Bayesian model development. Feedback was sought from multiple workshops, audience focus groups, and regular meetings throughout with an expert external advisory group. The initial scoping identified 4 target audience groups: the general public, researchers, health practitioners, and policy makers. These target groups were consulted throughout the project to ensure the developed model and uncertainty visualizations were effective for communication. In this paper, we detail ACA features and design iterations, including the 3 complementary ways in which uncertainty is communicated: the wave plot, the v-plot, and color transparency. We reflect on the methods, design iterations, decision-making process, and document lessons learned for future atlases. The ACA has been hugely successful since launching in 2018. It has received over 62000 individual users from over 100 countries and across all target audiences. It has been replicated in other countries and the second version of the ACA was launched in May 2024. This paper provides rich documentation for future projects.

On Some Issues of an Expert Study of the Readiness and Cost of Design Documentation for Construction Projects

On Some Issues of an Expert Study of the Readiness and Cost of Design Documentation for Construction Projects

The Evolution of Dismounted Soldier Systems: A Comprehensive Review of GOSSRA’s Innovations

The Generic Open Soldier System Reference Architecture (GOSSRA) project represents a significant step forward in the evolution of Dismounted Soldier Systems (DSS). This article provides an in-depth analysis of the project, drawing on direct author participation, extensive project documentation, and a wide range of academic literature. It synthesizes key insights into the technological advancements, operational challenges, ethical considerations, and strategic implications of DSS. The research highlights the potential of advanced technologies to substantially enhance soldier capabilities but also underscores the complexities of integrating these technologies into cohesive and functional systems. The analysis delves into the operational effectiveness and flexibility of DSS, illustrating their ability to improve situational awareness, decision-making, and mobility in diverse operational contexts. However, it also points out the need for systems to adapt to varying scenarios and environments. The ethical and strategic dimensions of DSS deployment are explored, emphasizing the need for robust ethical frameworks and strategic planning to ensure that advancements in military capabilities align with ethical norms and contribute positively to global security. Lessons learned from past deployments and case studies provide invaluable insights into the real-world performance, user acceptance, and integration challenges of DSS. The article concludes with a forward-looking perspective, anticipating future developments in DSS and outlining strategies for their successful implementation. The conclusions and recommendations presented provide a roadmap for the development and integration of DSS, ensuring they evolve in alignment with the imperatives of modern and future warfare.

Emergency repairs downstream of earth and rockfill dams with water spring with indication of internal erosion

During periodic dam safety assessments, various anomalies are identified through field inspections, project documentation analysis, and structural behavior monitoring. These assessments aim to detect non-conformities, and engineering design firms propose technical solutions to address these issues. The primary goal of these reviews is to evaluate the overall state of conservation and structural safety, ensuring compliance with updated design criteria, revised standards, changing weather conditions, and technological advances. Dam renovations are crucial for enhancing operational capacity and preventive care. Implementing filtering materials within the dam's body establishes a drainage system to relieve internal pressures on the embankments and foundations. This prevents the washing away of soil particles due to internal erosion, known as "piping," a major cause of dam failures. Piping occurs when soil particles are displaced towards the outside of the embankment through the percolation process, particularly in the upstream area near the dam's base, where high hydraulic gradients and flows make it susceptible. This article presents a set of emergency or long-term solutions to address anomalies related to the onset of internal erosion in dams, with a focus on preventing piping. These solutions are vital for safeguarding the structural integrity and safety of these critical infrastructure components.

Some Aspects of Lexical Variation in Na-Našo/-u (Molise, Italy)

Molise Croatian is a Štokavian Ikavian variety brought from the East Adriatic coast to the region of Molise at the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century. Today it is spoken in three out of four officially recognized Croatian Molise villages in the region of Molise in south Italy, namely those of Mundimitar / Montemitro, Kruč / Acquaviva Collecroce, and Filič / San Felice del Molise, but even there its use has been declining, and intergenerational transmission is interrupted in some parts of the community. The aim of the paper is to present and discuss aspects of diatopic variation in lexicon between the three local varieties on the basis of the terms collected in a local language documentation project and published in Vocabolario polinomico (Sportelli linguistici 2020).

An Architect's House in Curitiba

The study object of this paper is architect Manoel Coelho’s (1940-2021) house in Curitiba, Brazil. The main objective is the historiographical documentation and descriptive analysis of the residence’s architectural design. Projected by the architect and built in 1980-81, it is located on an urban plot in a residential neighborhood in Curitiba. It is characterized by the use of fair-face concrete and utilizing color as the main design element. This article begins with a description of the architect’s biography and then of the project itself, firstly through an analysis of the existing bibliographic references and then through a descriptive analysis of the house. The result of the documentation is a reproduction of the original project through plans, sections, and elevations. In parallel, current photographs taken during a survey illustrate the description. Through all these materials, we can better understand the effectiveness of the project documentation methodology and the contribution of this survey to new research on related subjects and, of course, on the production of this architect and others, whose work is still little researched and published.

Replication in Knowledge Transfer within MNC Subsidiary Episodes

With the rise in multinational corporations (MNCs), there is a greater need than ever to comprehend how parent businesses oversee their subsidiaries' activities and impart knowledge to them. Japanese businesses have led the way in this area, implementing techniques like the Toyota Production System (TPS) to transfer the Japanese manufacturing ethos and uphold quality and control in their foreign operations. While there has been much discussion about the process of transferring Japanese manufacturing capabilities, little is known about how these methods are really acquired and integrated into the operations of the subsidiaries that are expected to employ them. This article looks at the parent company's perspective on the transfer of manufacturing knowledge to the subsidiary. Thus, a comprehensive qualitative study was conducted in the Japanese multinational's subsidiary, encompassing three major manufacturing initiatives (or philosophies): "TPS," "TPM," and "TS." Case data was gathered through 52 in-depth interviews with project participants, documentation, and moderate-participant observations. By using the subsidiary's procedures, the formation of the entire process, and most importantly the utilization and development of episodes in snapshots to understand the process adds to our understanding of knowledge transfer. This article further elaborates how replication is a major element in episodic knowledge transfer.

Ontological model of structure and parameters of components in high-tech product modernization projects

The subject of the article is models representing the structure and parameters of components in high-tech products based on the analysis of technical documentation in modernization projects. The purpose of the proposed research is to enhance the quality of modernization processes of high-tech products by forming an ontological model of the product with innovative components, considering the diversity of information support. The article addresses the following tasks: studying the main methods and technologies of system representation of complex product structure; forming a model of structural-functional decomposition of a high-tech product, creating an ontological model of the structure and parameters of a high-tech product based on technical documentation. The following methods are applied: systemic approach, methods of functional-structural decomposition, set theory, ontology construction methods, semantic models. The following results were obtained: The main methods of system representation of complex product structure were investigated, based on the following principles: decomposition of complex product architecture, layering of complex product representation, multivariate synthesis of component architecture. The main directions and advantages of using 3D technologies for solving design tasks in modernization projects of high-tech product components are considered. The decomposition of a high-tech product into component parts and partial parameters is proposed, taking into account functional, structural, and parametric characteristics. An ontological model of the structure and parameters of a high-tech product is formed based on a set of technical documentation and considering additional heterogeneous sources of information. Innovative elements are identified, the description of which may be fuzzy. Conclusions. The proposed ontological model can serve as a basis for finding similar solutions regarding the design of innovative components in the precedent database, which is properly structured. In the absence of similar design solutions, innovative component design can be carried out using 3D technologies based on supplementing fuzzy information in the semantic model.