DECISION BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE: MANAGEMENT OF DECISION BASIS TO ENHANCE DECISION MAKING IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

This paper provides an introductory overview of a doctoral research on the management of decision basis in the building industry. Based on industry case studies, this research has concluded that the AEC decision basis is heterogeneous and evolutionary in nature. This work bridges the gap among theories in Decision Analysis, Project Management, and Virtual Design and Construction, leading to the formalization of the Decision Breakdown Structure (DBS)—a formal vocabulary for decision stakeholders to represent and organize decision information. Complementing the DBS with a set of dynamic methods known as the Decision Method Model (DMM), a research prototype known as the Decision Dashboard was developed. Validation results from industry test cases showed that managing the decision basis with the Decision Dashboard, along with its underlying DBS and DMM, enabled project teams to improve the decision quality when compared to the use of generic decisionsupport means and methods found in current practice. Thus, this research formalizes the management of AEC decision basis to enhance the quality of decision making in the building industry.