Project Development Phase Research Articles

Enhancing Students’ Performance in Integrated Project Course through Collaborative Learning and Open Artificial Intelligence Chatbot

Numerous students faced challenges related to specific concepts, deeming it essential to seek supplementary guidance for the successful completion of their mandatory final semester projects within the Integrated Project Course. This need arose early in the project development phase, and these individuals consistently encountered difficulties in bringing their projects to fruition. The challenges stemmed from the intricate nature of the course material and the inadequacy of suitable guidance. As a result, some students occasionally delivered incomplete and below-par project outcomes. Consequently, this research endeavors to enhance students' final semester project performance by employing collaborative learning methods and integrating an Open Artificial Intelligence Chatbot as interventions. The study was conducted during the session II 2022/2023 in the Department of Information and Communication Technology at Polytechnic Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, involving 12 students enrolled in the Integrated Project Course and receive score mark below five during their Demonstration One presentation session. Data collection included rubric scores and reflective journals, which were analyzed based on rubric percentages before and after the intervention. The findings of the study indicated an improvement in rubric scores before and after the intervention, signifying an enhancement in students' project-related performance. Additionally, the reflective journal provided insights into the students' learning experiences with both interventions. This research contributes to educators' comprehension of effective methods for elevating students' performance in Integrated Project Course by leveraging contemporary technologies and approaches. Future research initiatives could further diversify teaching and learning methods in Integrated Project through the organization of workshops specifically addressing current technology and knowledge pertinent to the development of final semester projects.

What is the structure of a Challenge Based Learning project? A shortitudinal trajectory analysis of student process behaviours in an interdisciplinary engineering course

ABSTRACT Challenge Based Learning (CBL) is an educational approach that has gained popularity in response to the need for authentic learning environments. While the CBL literature is predominantly focused on cases of pedagogical implementations, the actual processes by which students develop CBL projects remain under-investigated. This shortitudinal study seeks to examine the phases of CBL project development and associated process behaviours at group level, as they unfold. The participants are 6 interdisciplinary student groups totalling 22 students enrolled in a first-year course on ethics and data analytics. Data was collected weekly throughout 10 weeks via reflective diaries (n = 15 students) and observation of course sessions (n = 22) and is complemented by interviews after course completion (n = 15). The data was subject to a thematic trajectory analysis. The study identifies 7 distinct phases in the temporal structure of a CBL project: gaining client know-how, articulating a problem, mapping the problem context, setting the aim, proposing an action path, testing and evaluating it, and implementing the solution. The article concludes with recommendations for further research into CBL project development processes, which may support the growing adoption of real-life interdisciplinary projects in engineering education.

“In densification we trust” – on the role of abstract space in the production of urban densification in the Alpine Rhine Valley

ABSTRACT This paper draws on Henri Lefebvre’s conception of abstract space to analyze how socio-territorial relations between a variety of public and private actors shape the transformation of the built environment of the Alpine Rhine Valley in western Austria through urban densification. First, the paper conceptualizes abstract space through the duality of land, which is both traded as a market commodity and regulated by the various layers of the state. Lefebvre’s concept is further refined by making it volumetric, in order to analyze how conceptualizations of urban density are the site of negotiations and trade-offs that irrationalize the rational nature of abstract space. Six socio-territorial relations were identified during typical phases of land acquisition and project development, derived from the empirical material resulting from 20 interviews with key stakeholders. The paper thus demonstrates how socio-territorial relations are essential for the conceptualization of urban densification projects, as well as how volumetric abstract space can contribute to de-naturalizing our understanding of the transformation of the built environment.

Integrating BIM technology in construction for effective knowledge management: case studies and methodological insights

Integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology for effective knowledge management (KM)in the construction industry is a crucial aspect of modern construction. The construction industry is susceptible to losing its qualified and knowledgeable workers, and there are no certain plans to address this issue. The construction industry often relies on personal knowledge and experiences rather than certain analytical methods or textbook guidelines. Although various knowledge management approaches and researchers have given many perspectives on knowledge management, this study explores and compares previous management systems practices in the construction field. It investigates the implementation of BIM technologies and discusses the challenges, benefits, and potential strategies for enhancing knowledge-sharing and management processes. Knowledge management is furnished with significance through various decision-making processes, innovation, and constant learning that ends in progressing project delivery and collaboration among project teams. With regards to the implementation of the technology that involves building information modeling and knowledge management of construction projects, the analysis and comparison of some case studies that related to definite locations was conducted to discuss how cultural and development factors affect BIM involvement in construction projects. For concluding purposes, it emphasizes the importance of implementing BIM into each phase of projects not merely during the design and the construction operations but in all phases of project development. This research investigated novel ideas for improving (KM) and the application of (BIM) and also expressed that cultural and developmental characteristics have a noticeable influence on knowledge management systems based on BIM.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Interior Design Education: Concept Development

This article aims to explore the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) as a design tool in interior design education. The research examines the students' interior design studio project outcomes over the usage of AI in creating conceptual images, and the implementation of the AI-created concept to the overall space. In the research, students' projects are divided into two groups of 5 according to sufficient or insufficient prompts for the "AI generated" conceptual images. Barnard's (1992) CAIDC (Consensual Assessment of Interior Design Creativity) scale was used for the assessment. Mann-Whitney U Test was conducted for the results. We understand that there is no significant difference between writing sufficient or insufficient prompts in the concept development phase of interior design projects according to the Barnard (1992)’s design merits. It has been confirmed that the main factor that influences this regard is the need for an appropriate "concept analysis" to adapt the concept generated with AI to the specified project spaces.

Leveraging Single-Case Experimental Designs to Promote Personalized Psychological Treatment: Step-by-Step Implementation Protocol with Stakeholder Involvement of an Outpatient Clinic for Personalized Psychotherapy

Our objective is to implement a single-case experimental design (SCED) infrastructure in combination with experience-sampling methods (ESM) into the standard diagnostic procedure of a German outpatient research and training clinic. Building on the idea of routine outcome monitoring, the SCED infrastructure introduces intensive longitudinal data collection, individual effectiveness measures, and the opportunity for systematic manipulation to push personalization efforts further. It aims to empower psychotherapists and patients to evaluate their own treatment (idiographic perspective) and to enable researchers to analyze open questions of personalized psychotherapy (nomothetic perspective). Organized around the principles of agile research, we plan to develop, implement, and evaluate the SCED infrastructure in six successive studies with continuous stakeholder involvement: In the project development phase, the business model for the SCED infrastructure is developed that describes its vision in consideration of the context (Study 1). Also, the infrastructure's prototype is specified, encompassing the SCED procedure, ESM protocol, and ESM survey (Study 2 and 3). During the optimization phase, feasibility and acceptability are tested and the infrastructure is adapted accordingly (Study 4). The evaluation phase includes a pilot implementation study to assess implementation outcomes (Study 5), followed by actual implementation using a within-institution A-B design (Study 6). The sustainability phase involves continuous monitoring and improvement. We discuss to what extent the generated data could be used to address current questions of personalized psychotherapy research. Anticipated barriers and limitations during the implementation processes are outlined.

Landslide Susceptibility Analysis of Jugal Rural Municipality, Sindhupalchok

Hilly and mountainous areas of Nepal, with challenging terrain, young geology, and heavy monsoon rainfall, are susceptible to landslides and slope instability. To analyze and prepare landslide susceptibility maps, this study selects a typical hilly area, the Jugal Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchok district. Twelve factors contributing to landslides were considered, including slope, aspect, elevation, geology, land use, proximity to roads and drainage, plan curvature, profile curvature, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), soil type and rainfall. Moreover, 286 landslides were identified using high-resolution satellite imagery and field verification as the landslide inventory. These landslides were then randomly divided into two sets: 70% for training and 30\% for validation. Bivariate statistical analysis was performed using factor maps and the landslide inventory map. Notably, the analysis revealed a Prediction Rate (PR) of 9.35 for 'Land use', the highest among all factors considered. Since land use is a dynamic factor, we recommend conducting an analysis of land use changes and their impact on landslide susceptibility. Such an assessment would be invaluable during the planning and execution phases of development projects in Nepal's disaster-prone regions.

Risk factor prioritization in infrastructure handover to operations

Worldwide, there are numerous reports of major infrastructure projects failing at handover to the operations phase following completion of the project development and delivery phase. While poor risk identification and prioritization has been identified as one of the causes of this failure, we know little about the specific risk factors project beneficiaries consider most important at this point of handover. With these issues in mind, we draw on a survey of key dry port project beneficiaries in Brazil to examine and prioritize the risks considered most important at handover to operations. Paying particular attention to project beneficiary heterogeneity and incongruence, we find eight key risk factors – ‘Cost’, ‘Location’, ‘Infrastructure’, ‘Accessibility’, ‘Operational’, ‘Economic’, ‘Political and social’, and ‘Environment’ that warrant emphasis. We reveal congruence among some project beneficiaries in terms of prioritization. We also find variations in handover to operations risks based on project characteristics. However, these characteristics appear to have very limited impact on prioritization. Our findings further point to risk blind spots at critical moments of project handover to operations. Overall, this paper contributes to project risk management/prioritization literature in the context of handover to operations.

Exploring the China-Pakistan economic corridor project performance during Covid-19 pandemic

The outburst of the coronavirus into the global arena, first as a respiratory disease and later as a worldwide pandemic and health emergency, pushed the world economic order into complete turmoil and aftermath, posing severe challenges to the financial stability of developing countries like Pakistan. The temporary suspension of economic activities worldwide has resulted in significant disruptions to international supply chains, leading to substantial delays in implementing infrastructure projects associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The pandemic has further hindered CPEC progress. Building mega-projects, such as the CPEC, is crucial in determining the economic stability of a nation such as Pakistan. Nevertheless, it is essential to consider that the implementation of infrastructure projects can be subject to delays due to the COVID-19 lockdown and travel restrictions. However, it is worth noting that there needs to be more scholarly research available examining the ongoing progress and performance of CPEC projects from a particular perspective. This study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown policy and travel restrictions on CPEC project performances by highlighting the role of socioeconomic and infrastructure development factors. The study will shed light on numerous causes of concerns in project development phases and provide policy recommendations to help CPEC officials reduce project losses and better survival in the event of extreme uncertainty. The data were collected through an online survey from all over Pakistan using self-administered questionnaires with 570 responses from CPEC employees, officials, and professors from management and economic departments. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique analyzes the problem mentioned above. As per the results of this study, it is evident that the COVID-19 lockdown policy and travel restrictions have a detrimental effect on the construction of the CPEC project. Moreover, it has been observed that the socioeconomic and infrastructure development associated with the CPEC has a notable impact on the performance of the CPEC projects. This paper aims to provide valuable insights to policymakers by examining the management of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of the CPEC.

Do concerns about wind farms blow over with time? Residents’ acceptance over phases of project development and proximity

Social acceptance is a key issue for the continued expansion of onshore wind energy. Wind energy development targets increasingly rely on the assumption that residents' concerns related to new wind farms dissipate over time. The persistence of resistance to new wind farms has motivated efforts to investigate this effect. The ‘U-curve’ hypothesis proposes that acceptance is likely to decrease when residents are confronted with the planning of a wind farm in their neighbourhood, but that acceptance may later recover during construction and operation. In this study, relevant research is reviewed, discussed, and applied using a largescale experimental survey focused on residents living within 10 km of an existing wind farm in Ireland (n = 1109). It uses two indicators of how people experience wind farms to investigate willingness to accept further developments. The indicators include the proximity of existing wind farms and their development phase (i.e., planning, construction or operation). The findings show that experience is an important determinant of acceptance, as are an awareness of low-carbon energy initiatives and sense of community spirit. The study examines residents' expectations for participatory fairness and local benefits. Expected adverse impacts on local tourism or potential for discord within the community influence the acceptance for further development. Acceptance is also determined by trust in sources of information, including a designated community liaison officer. The concerns of residents living within the nearest 2 km radius of a wind farm and at the earliest and most uncertain phases of project planning can be crucial issues for acceptance.

Connecting innovation and source conservation for meeting water needs

Springs are the major sources of water in Nepal, but the springs are drying up fast due to, among others, climate change, ill-engineered infrastructure and associated disasters. A huge sum of money is invested in water supply projects and a significant percentage of those have become nonfunctional due to source drying. Most of the projects consider the supply side only- not sustainability. By that, the scarce public investment is wasted. Hydrogeological aspects including climate change, and source conservation were never been realized. Once the sources dry up, projects become redundant. People look for alternative sources requiring scarce public investment. Therefore, the Government of Nepal and development partners like Renewable World (RW) concluded that the sustainability of water projects is crucial and must be considered in the initial phases of project development. It can be assisted and achieved by hydrogeological evidence-based water source conservation planning. To implement it, an interdisciplinary research team of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation and RW conducted a hydrogeological study including the climate impacts and participatory planning applying different sets of tools and methods applied in social and natural sciences such as hydrogeological study, key informant interviews, focused group discussions and policy assessment. Consequently, 10 site-specific source protection and conservation plans for solar MUS schemes were developed. The study found four types of variables: (i) Precipitation and temperature: There was no significant impact of climate change in terms of rise in temperature and precipitation; (ii) Problems related to conservation: The major problems included drying up and displacement of springs by flood, landslide and road constructions; pollution through agricultural runoff, livestock grazing, and contamination by pesticides and chemical fertilizers; disappearance or conversion of traditional wallowing/recharge ponds; contamination and damage by flood; (iii) Innovation: Even a small innovation like Solar MUS can contribute in people’s life significantly through lifting water from downhill sources; (iv) Planning: Source protection and conservation plan can be formulated democratically and owned by local government and water user groups and implemented jointly.

Virtues and shortcomings of guidance and tutoring in higher education: a longitudinal study of the TIMONEL Project

This research is established within the framework of Project TIMONEL, developing in three phases under a concurrent mixed research model. The ultimate goal was to create a Web Recommendation System (RS) to complete the tutorial and guidance work of university professors. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected from a large sample of students and professors from different European universities on the needs and situation of guidance practice (phase 1). In addition, certain cases are investigated and the reasons, knowledge, feelings and good practices in guidance and tutoring are explored, in order to identify opportunities for improvement and elements that enable the design of the RS (phase 2). The data collected in the first and second phases of project development were used to finally build a SR capable of receiving feedback from user contributions (phase 3). Finally, the SR was evaluated, proving to be a tool of great use for university students and faculty.

Assessment of risks affecting the operational activities of the Amman bus rapid transit (BRT) system

In the first decade of the 21st century, bus rapid transit (BRT) became a significant transportation method. However, implementing a BRT system in developing countries involves many risks associated with its operational activities, whether political, technical, occupational, or financial. Therefore, a corresponding risk assessment is required, which consists in identifying, classifying, and analysing all risks in any project at each phase of project development. Most studies show that risk evaluations in the early stages refer to planning and implementation. However, little research has been conducted on the operation phase to determine the importance of studying risks at this phase. The current study aims to analyse risks affecting the main operating activities of Amman BRT system in Jordan. Thus, the risks associated with the Amman BRT project are highlighted by reviewing previous studies, resulting in 45 risk factors classified into five main groups of Amman BRT operational activities, including 17 categories. A survey was carried out by distributing a questionnaire to 177 respondents; 122 were returned, and 115 were accepted for analysis. The collected data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Through analysing the questionnaire, the probability of occurrence and the risk impacts were calculated, yielding the relative importance index for each risk. To validate the analysed risks, external validation was carried out by interviewing seven experts in Amman BRT system operation. The key results obtained indicated eight significant risks affecting the Amman BRT system that need to be considered: fuel price change; work-related stress conditions; violence and harassment at work; accidents in the workplace due to breaking traffic rules; a lack of supporting infrastructure (rainwater drainage, a lack of emergency exits on the bus route); corruption and bribery; the involvement of too many multi-level decision- makers; and contract problems between the operator company and the government, where their relative importance indexes ranging from 20.7 to 15.2. The study contributes to the knowledge of this region of the world on this subject. Specifically, the case of BRTs is rare, and knowing which risks are affecting the main operational activities is critical. For future studies, mitigating these risk factors associated with the Amman BRT system is recommended via proper management.

Impact of transparency law on the post-award development phase of Toll and Annuity PPPs

PurposeInvolvement of lenders for PPP highway projects in India starts after the bid award. The post-award development phase of Toll and Annuity PPPs differ significantly in terms of potential risk assumed by lenders. This study aims to assess the impact of the transparency law on the post-award development phase of Toll and Annuity PPPs.Design/methodology/approachA unique dataset of 469 PPP highway projects implemented in India was used to conduct this empirical study. An OLS regression model was developed to assess the impact of the transparency law on the post-award development phase.FindingsEnacting the transparency law increased the duration of the post-award development phase of Toll projects; however, its impact on Annuity projects was not significant. Moreover, Toll and Annuity projects with a longer post-award development phase had a shorter construction phase. The post-award development phase of the Toll projects was relatively more sensitive to technical, economic and location-specific variables than Annuity projects. Length of road stretch, duration of the concession period and individual income of end-users significantly impacted the duration of this phase of Toll projects.Practical implicationsTransparency law can improve risk mitigation of Toll projects during the post-award development phase.Originality/valueThe impact of transparency law on PPP projects has never been assessed. This study assesses its impact on the two forms of PPPs. It also highlights the determinants of this phase and how they differ for the two forms of PPPs.

Feasibility of floating solar photovoltaic systems (FSPVs) development in Nigeria: an economic cost appraisal case study

This study focused on evaluating the economic cost viability of developing a floating solar photovoltaic systems (FSPVs) project in Nigeria, using Ikang river, Bakassi as an incident study. The FSPVs was designed using the HOMER software to satisfy full load requirements of 2426.45 kWh/day, while appraising the viability of the FSPVs in incident study. Meteorological data of the incident study location which include geographical coordinates, ambient temperature, and global horizontal irradiance were used to select a suitable FSPVs design for the cost appraisal. Lifecycle cost model was further developed to evaluate the proposed FSPVs at different project development phases. These include: predevelopment and consenting (PC), procurement and acquisition (PA), installation and commissioning (IC), operation and maintenance (OM), and decommissioning and disposal (DD). The results obtained showed that the net present cost, Levelized cost of energy, and operating cost of the project were 10,350,933.25USD, 0.90USD/kWh, and 179,164.73USD, respectively. Also, the capital expenditure (CAPEX) amassed by 81.53% of the entire project cost, while operating expenditure (OPEX) was 18.47%. Furthermore, installation, support systems, predevelopment and project management, contingencies, indirect cost, and electrical equipment were the key drivers of the project. For the lifecycle stages; PC, PA, IC, OM and DD were obtained to be 12%, 57.9%, 11.6%, 9.96%, and 8% respectively of the project cost. Thus, the incident study location has the potential for FSPVs development and has proven to be economically viable. Nevertheless, established model was suitable in appraising preliminary variations in FSPVs.

The implications of global oil exploration for the conservation of terrestrial wildlife

Global dependence upon fossil fuels persists in the 21st century. With known deposits of oil diminishing, technological advancements and alternative financing have facilitated explorations into a number of sensitive habitats around the world. Such pursuits challenge global priorities relating to the ideals of energy production versus those of biodiversity protection. Presently, the implications of oil extraction on terrestrial wildlife, for instance, are unclear, undermining the ability to meet this challenge. We synthesized the literature to quantify the range of documented impacts of oil extraction on terrestrial wildlife and to identify prevailing knowledge gaps. Our review returned 31 studies documenting various effects of oil extraction, across the exploration, development, production, and abandonment phases, on terrestrial wildlife. These studies were most often based in North and South America, tended to focus on the development phase of oil extraction projects, and often focused on the impacts on mammals. We found that terrestrial wildlife were generally negatively impacted by oil extraction through road development, seismic surveys, hydraulic fracturing, installation of oil wells, contamination, and other extraction disturbances. We also considered the implications of this review on oil extraction in Murchison Falls National Park and the broader Murchison Falls Conservation Area, a highly biodiverse region in Uganda. Herein, we detected an important knowledge gap relating to the ways in which various oil extraction activities may increase the potential for human-wildlife conflict. Reviews of this type are essential for quantifying the effects of oil extraction on terrestrial wildlife and can inform future decision-making on natural resource extraction in ecologically-sensitive habitats globally.

Do Residents’ Concerns About Wind Farms Blow Over with Time? Familiarity Effects Over Phases of Project Development and Proximity

Do Residents’ Concerns About Wind Farms Blow Over with Time? Familiarity Effects Over Phases of Project Development and Proximity

Multicriteria assessment of landscape architecture projects: the sustainability perspective

Cities are implementing numerous projects for improving their urban landscapes. The quality of planned landscape interventions is critical for the users and that depends on proper assessment of the projects. After theoretical and empirical research, the paper proposes the framework for quality assessment of landscape architecture projects in relation to sustainability principles. By using the set of pre-determined criteria and relevant indicators the paper offers triple-level multicriteria decision-making tool for assessing the projects aiming at refurbishing, regenerating or conserving the existing parks and gardens, urban open spaces, cultural landscapes and urban infrastructure landscapes by the professional experts. The results of assessing the urban open space refurbishment projects have demonstrated that the proposed solution is fit for setting the participatory quality assessment platform with involvement of stakeholders for comparing the proposals, identifying theiradvances and shortages, also figuring out the dominating design trends. The results suggest that each phase of project development has a significant impact on the quality of the process and the overall assessment result.Authors and clients should pay special attention to landscape perception values.

Risk of Brownfield during Construction Stage: Case Study of PLTGU Project in Indonesia

Projects at the brownfield location cannot be separated from potential hazards related to geotechnical conditions and the existing project site. The construction phase is carried out at a location in the middle of an already operating factory. Lack of understanding of site characteristics and minimal use of the technology used can result in the project not meeting what was expected. This study aims to identify brownfield risk events during the construction phase of the PLTGU project development in Indonesia. This research uses quantitative and qualitative methods with a case study approach. Primary data were collected using documentation, field observations, survey questionnaires and structured interviews. The results of the study identified 23 (twenty three) and 6 (six) main risks based on the rankings, namely: 1) Groundwater level risk, 2) Location infrastructure damage, 3) Flood risk, 4) Structural damage and structural settlement, 5) Land subsidence, 6) Leakage of existing underground pipes. risks affecting project performance during the construction phase. The results of the study reveal that these risk events are risks that must be managed by project management during the construction phase.

Exploring the patterns of convergence and divergence in the development of major infrastructure projects

This paper explores the long-term patterns in the development phase of major infrastructure projects to advance our understanding of underlying temporal unfolding processes and of the possibilities for steering these towards a more resolute and better prepared start of execution. Our inquiry relies on a process perspective, on the concept of project trajectory as a pattern of project participants' and stakeholders' convergence and divergence with respect to conditions enabling the start of execution, and on a theoretical framework aiming to explain the formation of long-term trajectories. This framework is used to study the development trajectories of three major infrastructure projects in North America and to elaborate preliminary accounts of their onset. Results contribute an original conceptual arsenal for tracing and reflecting on the overall project development trajectories, as well as a broader, more dynamic understanding of factors conditioning the pattern, pace and efficacy of convergence towards project execution.