CONSCOM: An OO construction scheduling and change management system

In a companion paper, an object-oriented (OO) information model was presented for construction scheduling, cost optimization, and change order management (CONSCOM), based on the creation of a domain-specific development framework. The framework architecture is developed using generic software design elements, called patterns, which provide effective low-level solutions for creating, organizing, and maintaining objects. The OO model has been implemented in a prototype software system for management of construction projects, called CONSCOM, using the Microsoft Foundation Class library in Visual C++. CONSCOM is particularly suitable for highway construction change order management. It can be used by the owner as an intelligent decision support system in schedule reviews, progress monitoring, and cost-time trade-off analysis for change order approval. The OO information model for construction scheduling cost management can be integrated into a concurrent engineering model for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry.