Information Technology and the Construction Industry:Another Tower of Babel ?

The application of information technology (IT) to the construction industry has not been outstandingly successful and does not seem to have produced the benefits which other industries have achieved. A number of reasons for this are highlighted, some already well-known. However some serious mismatches between the technologies and the requirements of the industry are also identified. It is suggested that new developments in multimedia interfaces and computer supported co-operative working may reduce this mismatch and result in a higher level of take-up of the technology.