Prototype development of an ICT system to support construction management based on virtual models and RFID

There is a need to develop new information and communication technology (ICT) systems with better support of the contractor’s working practice in order to gain more advantages from the virtual models created during the design of buildings. For this reason, a Contextual Design of a prototype (an early example) of an ICT system was carried out to identify and formalise user needs in relation to construction management based on virtual models and radio frequency identification (RFID). The prototype was developed to support working processes in real-time project progress management, quality assurance and inventory management. In this paper a number of user needs for future ICT systems are presented. The needs are captured during the prototype development process and include that future ICT systems must be more user-friendly, enable object-oriented quality assurance procedures, capture data to be used in process optimisation (lean construction), support a wide range of user environments ranging from mobile phones to large displays for presentation and editing data shared in virtual model resources, enable real-time tracking and location of machines and materials, and integrate traditional document/drawing based working practice with the use of virtual models to enable an easier adaptable change process for the construction industry.