Current Status of Interface Management in Construction: Drivers and Effects of Systematic Interface Management
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 142, Issue 2
Abstract
Interface management (IM) is an emerging construction management practice that industry finds necessary for megaprojects that have become more complex and global. Defined as the appropriate management of communications, relationships, and deliverables among stakeholders, effective IM is integral to project success. Yet, because it is an emerging discipline, IM implementation has varied widely across the industry. Furthermore, the effect of IM on project performance is still unclear. To address these gaps, the construction industry institute (CII) chartered a research team, to identify the current state of IM and to investigate the relationship between systematic IM and project performance. To accomplish this, the authors conducted structured interviews for 46 projects. The study results showed that IM practices are most often found in industrial projects, with dollar values of more than one billion. In addition, IM adoption is positively correlated with the project dollar value and number of interface stakeholders. In terms of performance, projects with systematic IM tend to have lower mean and less dispersed cost growth, compared with projects without systematic IM. These results contribute to an understanding of the potential benefits of IM and its appropriate application as it further develops and is used in practice.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Construction Industry Institute (CII) for funding this research. Furthermore, this research would not been possible without the outstanding and significant collaboration, effort, and input from the members of the CII research team 302, interface management.
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Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 142 • Issue 2 • February 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 9, 2014
Accepted: May 28, 2015
Published online: Aug 17, 2015
Discussion open until: Jan 17, 2016
Published in print: Feb 1, 2016
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