ahmadu bello university zaria department of building faculty of environmental design | BLDG715:Information technology in construction | Assignment | | ONU MARGARET ENE MSC/ENV-DESIGN/1927/2011-2012 | 4/23/2012 |

LECTURER: ENGR. A.D ABDULAZEEZ ABDULLAHI BELLO |

Question 1: What are the challenges construction Organizations face in using traditional form of records management?
Question 2: What if any software do construction organizations use in processing and managing project records
Introduction
No government body or business could survive without making records of its activities. No office could operate successfully if it had to rely on memory alone to keep track of every transaction. Without records, all organised administration would quickly come to a halt. Records, and more specifically the information they contain, are one of the vital resources that an organisation needs to conduct its operations effectively. No organisation could continue without funding, personnel and material supplies. Similarly, it could not operate if it did not keep accurate and accessible records * In the context of an organisation’s business activities, records help to 0 provide a corporate memory 1 formulate policy 2 make appropriate decisions 3 achieve greater efficiency, productivity and consistency 4 meet statutory and regulatory requirements 5 protect the organisation’s interests and those of its staff and clients 6 reduce the risks associated with missing evidence of decisions and actions 7 document activities and achievements.
What are records?
A record can be either a tangible object or digital information: for example, birth certificates, medical x-rays, office documents, databases, application data, and e-mail. Records management is primarily concerned with the evidence of an organization's activities, and is usually applied according to the value of the records rather than their physical format. (1) * Because records arise from actual happenings, they represent a ‘frozen’ picture. A record fixes an action within its particular context of function, authority, place and time. Certain essential characteristics of records may be identified. 0 Records are static in form: Records are static; they provide evidence of a particular action in time 1 Records have authority: They provide official evidence 2 Records are unique when in context: They have meaning in relation to a specific action or transaction 3 Records are authentic: Their creation and use can be verified

Records management
Records management is furthermore a systematic, organized, planned and controlled process of managing or tracking the life cycle of records. A record can be a tangible paper object or it can be in digital or electronic form. Records can be kept on financial, medical, informative, formal documents, office documents, payroll, government forms and emails among hundreds of other types of records. Records management addresses the three phases of the life cycle of records: The creation or the receipt of a record; the maintenance, safe storage, retrieval, or general use of a record; the disposal of a record. (2)
Records Management in the Construction Industry
The communication and information/records management process in the construction industry is still heavily biased towards traditional methods of paper transfer and although the use and awareness of IT has increased over the past decade many construction site records management processes are still lacking in quality and prone to errors. The use of IT within all facets of industry is now taken for granted as the awareness of its benefits increases. However, the exception to this general rule may be the construction industry, where many of the professionals still insist on using traditional communication methods to collect and transfer a wealth of general and project information. The issue and collection of information and records on construction projects is a process still centred on the use of pens and paper. Project and site managers operating within the construction industry are being constantly inundated with information and documentation. (2)

Challenges faced in the use of traditional forms of Records Management
The managers are then confronted with the problems of organising, recording and disseminating these huge amounts of information and how to respond to the daily request for information (Lam and Chang, 2002). When it comes to filing information and keeping records, many managers have to physically travel to submit such information or send the information through traditional systems such as the post (Gyampoh-Vidogah et al., 2003) which in itself is not secure because records can be lost and misplaced, which can result in disputes. (3)
The following are further challenges faced in the use of the traditional methods of Records management: 1. Data retrieval and sharing. 2. Data redundancy/ duplication. 3. Limited user access. 4. Lack of storage and access standard.(4) 5. Chances of human error. 6. Time consuming. 7. Organising 8. Dissemination of information and how to respond to request for information(Lam & Chang, 2002) (3) 9. Improper storage.
1. Data Sharing and retrieval: - Traditional record management do not allow for information retrieval and sharing. When data are held on paper and stored in a registry, retrieving it presents a challenge and information can be used by one individual at a time.
2. Data Redundancy/ Duplication: - There is possibility of data duplication as there is no repetition checks which in turn result in the recreation of data which take up space.
3. Limited User access: Don’t support access for multiple users’ i.e. Multiple users at different work station cannot access the same data simultaneously limiting access to important data if multiple users search for the same data at the same time.

4. Lack of Storage and access Standard: Employees suffer morale problems when they compete with the growth of records for rapidly diminishing space, There are no policy-based retention schedules, and “old” records are kept “just in case” and stacked up in attics, basements, closets, and passageways because no one is sure what ought to be done with them.
5. Chances of Human error: The chance of interchanging similar documents/data upon request or when required for use is highly likely.
6. time consuming: Managers spend too much time waiting or searching for documents, Files needed by customers, employees, auditors, the public, attorneys, and others are increasing difficult—or even impossible—to find.
7. Organising: In dealing with papers and files in the traditional records management system, it is a cumbersome procedure to organise records in an easily accessible manner especially if a workable management system had not been in place.
8. Dissemination of Information and how to respond to request for information: When it comes to filing information and keeping records, many managers have to physically travel to submit such information or send the information through traditional systems such as the post (Gyampoh-Vidogah et al., 2003) which in itself is not secure because records can be lost and misplaced, which can result in disputes
9. Improper Storage: Inactive records are banished to hostile environments, such as basements, attics, garages, closets, abandoned buildings and there is neither an adequate list of locations, nor an effective index to what is stored there. Therefore Records are exposed to dust, dirt, rodents, insects, mold, mildew—all of which accelerate deterioration of records.

Question 2
An Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRM) is a computer program (or set of programs) used to track and store records. The term is distinguished from imaging and document management systems that specialize in paper capture and document management respectively. ERM systems commonly provide specialized security and auditing functionality tailored to the needs of records managers. (1)
The following are Software’s used for Processing and Managing Project Records:- |

1. AccuBuild Construction Document Management Software (ADMS)AccuBuild's construction Document Management System (ADMS) is an integrated toolset for the electronic storage, retrieval and sharing of all your paperwork and documentation. Using ADMS, you can scan paper documents to create digital files using the built-in construction imaging software. Or, you can easily store existing files within AccuBuild, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PDF files. AccuBuild's construction Document Management System can be used in many ways to improve operational efficiencies, saving you time and money. Our construction document imaging and management software: 1. Provides easy and immediate access to any document that is electronically filed within AccuBuild 2. Eliminates lost or misplaced invoices; streamlines the approval process by electronically attaching an invoice to the Accounts Payable transaction upon receipt 3. Decreases the need for large, paper-based job binders by electronically filing job site photos, RFI's(Request for Information), Change Orders, Transmittals and miscellaneous documents within the job in AccuBuild for instant retrieval as needed 4. Eliminates storage issues and expenses relating to paper-based filing and document archiving 5. Streamlines preparation for an audit or legal appearance by assuring that all supporting documents are available on demand 6. Offers the ability to view, annotate, print, fax or e-mail documents from any workstation or remote location that runs AccuBuild. 2. Microsoft ProjectThis is a project management software program developed and sold by Microsoft which is designed to assist a Project Manager in the following functions: 1. Developing a plan 2. Assigning resources to tasks 3. Tracking progress 4. Managing the budget and 5. Analyzing workloads. 3. Microsoft AccessVery simply MS Access in an information management tool that helps to store information for reference, reporting and analysis. MS Access can help to overcome the limitations found when trying to manage large amounts of information in MS Excel or other spreadsheet applications.The efficiency and accuracy of any business processes can be vastly improved by the use of a properly designed database. Common business applications it could be used for are as follows:- 1. Contact Management 2. Purchasing 3. Human Resources 4. Cost Estimating and Pricing 5. Bills of Material 6. Payroll 7. Scheduling 8. Capital Equipment control 9. Production control 4. SPSS(Statistical Package for Social Science):Is a comprehensive system for analyzing data SPSS Statistics can take data from almost any type of file and use them to: 1. generate tabulated reports,2. Charts, and 3. Plots of distributions and trends, descriptive statistics, and complex statistical analyses.5. AutoCAD: CAD (Computer Aided Design). This is software used in the process of design and design-documentation. It aids in the production of Architectural designs. References 1. The Definition of Records Management. By Patricia Faulhaber http://The definition of Records management|eHow.com 3 http://www.snagmaster.co.uk/snagmaster/download/recordsManagementPaper.pdf 4 Kampffmeyer.U, (2008) Breaking the barriers of traditional records management. 5 http://www.accu-build.com/modules/docman.php | | | | |