Project-specific Web sites: Friend or foe?

Recent research has shown that one of the keys to project success is effect ive communication. Today, project communication is becoming increasingly co mplex, and the rapid transmission of project information is vital to projec t performance. Unfortunately, our current information network is based on p roject "push" -where information is moved sequentially to and from each mem ber of the project team. The alternative to push communication is "pull" co mmunication, where individuals access project information from a single cen tral source. Project-specific Web sites (PSWSs) give construction personnel new ways of pulling the information needed to design and build today's com plex projects. This paper will describe information push and pull, and disc uss its applications in project-specific Web sites. Additionally, the paper will outline a case study approach that uses a social network analysis to study push/pull on three major construction projects. The research found th at PSWSs can speed information flows on construction projects, but can also generate information "overload" that limits its effectiveness. More import ant, the study found that the success of new Internet-based technologies de pends on the participation of key members of the project team. When one of these key players refuses to participate, then Internet-based project manag ement systems quickly lose their effectiveness.