Interoperability in Construction - Hype and Reality
| 
Abstract
Specialization and division of labor are important for progress as they enable innovation and increase productivity. Unfortunately, specialization leads to fragmentation. This is why computer integrated construction and interoperability have been researched a lot over the last few decades. The hope has been that computer integrated construction could be achieved and full interoperability of various tools. BIM technology has been seen as most promising to achieve that. However, interoperability is a means to achieve a goal. Which is neither integration nor more efficient construction but rather the division of labor and specialization. The presentation argues that since interoperability problems are caused by the ever emerging specializations, the problems of interoperability will never go away. The industry will have to recognize that it will always operate in an environment where interoperability is limited. While research will continue working towards making systems interoperable and integrated it would need also to give attention to exploring collaboration in environments that are only partially interoperable.
Keywords
Construction, Information technology, Interoperability, Computer integrated construction, BIM.
