A decision model for technology selection in renovation project planning

As infrastructure ages, a significant portion of US capital expenditure is incurred for the renovation and retrofit of existing facilities. Renovation projects are complex, high risk, and involve extensive coordination and planning, primarily due to uncertain site conditions and continuing operation requirements of existing facilities. Early studies have identified innovative and emerging technologies that facilitate site investigation and align renovation and maintenance activities with business production and operation schedules. However, the selection of appropriate technologies in specific project and business environments remains a challenge. Particularly, there is no guidance for project teams who must incorporate the selected new technologies into scope management and project planning. This paper establishes a framework to guide project teams towards appropriate technology selection in renovation project planning. A decision model is developed to integrate the technology selection process into a widely used scope management tool, Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI). The model is specially designed and flexible enough to allow project teams to decide appropriate technologies according to various criteria, including cost, application area, and risk mitigation.