Quantifying teamwork benefits to design offices using simulation

The design of construction projects is an iterative multi-disciplinary process often challenged by tight budgets and limited time. These challenges, coupled with the prevailing market pressures, have forced many design firms to downsize and re-engineer their operations in a way that improves productivity and cost effectiveness. Re-engineering, however, is not a simple task and requires thorough analysis of process-level operations, resource use, and productivity. Several simulation tools have been used in construction to facilitate the process analysis, yet with limited success due to their complexity and the difficulties associated with generating a simulation model. In an effort to simplify the modeling process, this paper presents a new approach for modeling and simulation. The main advantage of this approach is its simple flowchartbased modeling and powerful simulation capabilities. A model of the work operation in a typical design office is developed to quantify teamwork benefits to design offices and examine various re-engineering strategies. The developed model serves as a template for analyzing the design process in small to medium-size design firms and can also be used to compare between traditional and innovative office procedures. The advantages of this model are discussed and potential extensions outlined.