Value Management for Construction Projects Via an Expert System Framework

ABSTRACT: To implement the Value Management (VM), instead of having one organized fixed process, there are different innovative methods. In this study it is aimed to propose a general method for VM practice. To fulfill this aim, a checklist was provided, based on the available experience resources and information, prepared by means of collecting and investigative sufficiently large amount of reviews and available data. Data collection was done through diverse published literatures. However, it was found that the literatures are not adequate sources for the aim of this research. Hence, to get the adequate data, some questionnaires about the VM process and its difficulties in construction projects, were prepared and sent to VM experts of some corporations in different countries. After the mentioned steps, a VM model was derived from the collected data and an organized system was developed accordingly. To solve the problem and help the companies and specially inexperienced and low-skilled engineers to carry out the process, relevant Expert System software has also been developed by Visual Studio 2012, C# and crystal languages, according to the model. After completing the first version of the program, it was future developed and improved many times, and finally, its performance was successfully assessed in a case study of a water supply project. Moreover, the VM Expert System was evaluated by domain experts that their comment proved that the accuracy of this software. Keywords: Value Management, Value, Function, Expert System, VM Expert System …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………