Concurrent engineering: A strategy for procuring construction projects

The construction procurement process has been heavily criticised for its fragmented approach toward the delivery of construction projects. This has affected project effectiveness inasmuch as current procurement practices do not effectively encourage the integration, coordination and communication between participants. In addition, there is an ephemeral shifting coalition of participants from which divergent goals and objectives often emanate. This inhibits the scope for creativity and innovation throughout the procurement process. To overcome the difficulties often associated with procuring projects, industry practitioners and researchers have turned to the manufacturing industry as a point of reference and a potential source of innovation. Accordingly, a concept known as Concurrent Engineering (CE) has become a focal point for research. Concurrent engineering is a holistic approach to the design, development and production of a product. A multi-disciplinary team approach is required, whereby participants are brought together during the design to determine how downstream issues may be affected by design decisions. This paper suggests that a CE approach in construction may significantly improve the way in which projects are procured. A simple model demonstrating how CE can contribute to project effectiveness is proposed.