2004

Burcin Becerik is currently a doctoral student at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in the area of Project Management. Ms. Becerik graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a degree of Bachelors in Architecture in 1999, and a Master in Architecture in 2001. In 2002, she attended the University of California, Berkeley where she received her degree of Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a special concentration on “Construction Engineering and Management”.

Ms. Becerik’s on-going research is in the area of construction project extranets. Her research examines the enhancement possibilities of implementation and operation of extranets in the AEC industry. In addition, it explores the proposed opportunities that the new technology can provide to project stakeholders and their collaborators during the life cycle of the construction projects. Ms. Becerik is expecting to complete her studies and graduate in 2005 with a Doctor of Design (DDes) degree from Harvard University. 

"Critical Enhancements for Improving the Adoption of Online Project Management Technology"

¹Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

This research focuses on current problems and inefficiencies of implementation and operation of online collaboration and project management technology in the US Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Despite the enormous number of the solutions and claims about their advanced technology and benefits, the adoption of these tools by the industry stakeholders has been very slow. Unfortunately, the huge amount of technology is presented without targeting the evolving communication & collaboration necessities of the industry. In an attempt to fill the need of research to explore how these tools actually interact with the organizational context, what the needs of the users are, and how this technology can be improved and commonly adopted by the industry, three active construction projects were studied and a user survey was conducted. This paper outlines the findings of a year of research (surveys and interviews) and concludes with “Critical Enhancement Areas” that would hasten the adoption and successful implementation of these tools by the AEC industry. The study enforces that success is less about adding more advanced technology to the tools but it is more about using the available technology in a more reinforcing way to solve business problems and obstacles regarding the adoption of these tools. 

2001

Masayuki ISHIKURA, Ph.D., PMP, PE, Chiyoda Corporation
and Junichi MASUKAWA, PMP, Chiyoda Corporation
"Evolution of Project Engineering in Process Plant Projects"

2000

Vikas JOSHI and Thomas COOK, Bechtel Corporation, and Richard BONNER, Eastman Chemical Company
"Project Management Approach for Small Capital Projects"

1999

John L. HOMER, BMW Constructors, Inc.
"Project Triage, Giving Emergency Help to an Out-of-Control Project"

1998 **Inaugural Winners**

Frank JENES, CH2M HILL
Mike ENDRES, Transportation Corridor Agencies
Pat STRICKLIN, Silverado Constructors
Bill GRAMER, CH2M HILL
"Design/Build Project Delivery of the Eastern Transportation Corridor-Orange County, California"