Identification of Changes

Identification of Changes Formation Scenarios in Construction projects

Based on Changes Occurrence Paths Analysis

Mohammad Hadi CHARKHAKAN1 and Gholamreza HERAVI2

1Graduate Student, School of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering,

University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; PH (+98 21) 4461 5415; E-mail:

charkhakan@ut.ac.ir

2Assistant Professor, School of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering,

University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; P.O. Box 11155-4563; PH (+98 21) 6111 2852;

Fax (+98 21)6646 1024; E-mail: heravi@ut.ac.ir

ABSTRACT

Today change is a major challenge in construction projects environment.

Identification and assessment of changes occurrence paths is an important tool for

promotion of changes management systems. A method for assessing a complicated

phenomenon such as "change formation" is breaking them into tangible elements.

Using separated concepts, the steps for changes occurrence paths have been formed.

These concepts include change sources, change drivers, change causes, change

requesters, and affected project parties. By using dynamic programming method an

approach for identifying of changes formation scenarios based on changes

occurrence paths has been presented. Finally, the developed approach has been

illustrated with a case study. Based on this approach decision-makings would be

made with a better understanding of probable scenarios of change formation at the

early stages of projects. The developed approach could be used for development of a

system for predicting changes in construction projects.

Keywords: change management, changes formation scenario, changes occurrence

path, change source

INTRODUCTION

Changes have been identified as major challenges in construction projects

environment. Changes have a dynamic and complex nature thus it makes their

assessment difficult, which requires precise identification of concepts and formation

process of them. Development and implementation of a project change management

system before the project commences is a good, proactive step toward constructively

managing change (Ibbs et al. 2001). Identification and assessment of change paths is

an important tool for promotion of changes management systems.

Many studies have been conducted so far on management of changes by

different goals and approaches. Following are three groups of studies which are

Construction Research Congress 2012 © ASCE 2012 427

related to the approach of this research: The first group of studies includes those

conducted, directly or indirectly, in the field of identification and classification of the

causes and effects of changes on construction projects. Sun and Meng (2009)

considered a review of different ways of categorizing change causes of studies and

presented taxonomy of change causes. The second group of studies assesses the

effect of one or more factors on changes occurrence in projects. Similarly, Rilley et

al. (2005) and Perkins (2009) analyzed the effect of project delivery system on the

rate and forms of changes. The third group of studies includes those studies

conducted on changes management systems (Motawa et al. 2007; Zhao et al. 2010),

or on other issues relating to management of changes such as management of

communications and uncertainties (Atkinson et al. 2006; Meng 2011).

METHODOLOGY

The principal method of this study is the deep and exact evaluation of the

previous studies and analysis. According to these studies, changes formation concepts

will be identified and changes occurrence paths will be formed in accordance with

succession of the concepts. By using of step-by-step monitoring of changes occurrence

paths, the assessment of paths for indentifying changes formation scenarios will be

carried out in accordance with step-by-step selection. The approach of this research is

using a partially-oriented view on macro and strategic level of changes.

DECOMPOSITION OF CHANGES FORMATION CONCEPTS

A method for assessing a complicated phenomenon such as "change" is

breaking them into tangible elements. In the previous studies often some overlaps are

seen in the separated concepts. Therefore, in this research separating the concepts

carried out in line with decreasing ambiguities and overlaps of concepts. These

concepts include change sources, change drivers, change causes, change requesters,

and affected project parties. Using separated concepts, the steps for changes

occurrence paths will be formed.

Change sources

The initial point in the occurrence path of a change is defined as the source of

change. This includes internal and external characteristics of the project. Such

characteristics