An information model for collaboration in the construction Industry

Collaborative work is an essential ingredient for success in the construction industry. With the advancements of capabilities of information technologies and communication infrastructures, the effective utilisation of these technologies has become very important and strongly affects business processes that have long followed traditional paths. This article describes the main characteristics of the concept-modelling framework that is developed in the DesKs project. Concept modelling gives end-users access to the schema of design models and provides a high level of flexibility for modelling. To support collaborative work, it provides remote data access and allows users to share resources that, instead of being exchanged or stored centrally, remain active at their source in tight relation with business processes. The main technical aspects of the concept-modelling framework are discussed. Object version control and timeline management of revisions of objects are used to increase the integrity between objects that are accessed and edited by multiple users across a network.