A framework for facilitating multi-dimensional information integration, management and visualization in engineering projects

This research proposes an application framework, named PIIM Framework (Project Information Integration Management Framework), to effectively solve the problems of integrating project information and system interfaces among different participating parties and engineering application systems, as well as to provide five kernel modules to encapsulate complicated management and visualization functions. The PIIM Framework is constructed on the basis of object-oriented techniques, such that users can take advantage of object oriented programming to easily develop applications required. In addition, this research conducted an actual engineering project example, and developed a prototype system based on the PIIM Framework to verify its feasibility. Through the feasibility study, it has been demonstrated that the PIIM Framework can provide not only provide a more efficient method to integrate, manage and visualize project information, but can also save programming time for the project management team when developing a project management system from scratch. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.