Information is an asset to be valued, treasured, and managed. The value is in capturing that information as it is created throughout the delivery and operation of an asset. An assets and assets information life cycle includes the high-level pillars of:
- Design and build
- Operate and manage
- Plan and manage new or refurbished projects
Throughout the life cycle of an asset, information flow depends on the activities and processes that are involved in each stage which will involve the planning, creation, and operational management of that asset.
The value is in capturing information as it is created
Each activity is supported by processes carried out that collect, create and maintain information. Those processes are made up of individual tasks that required information to be acquired or information to be delivered of other processes and tasks to be carried out. Hence there are many exchange transactions between parties involved in an asset life cycle.
It should be noted that for each stage, different activities which require different types and movements of information. The typical life cycles could be:
- Planning stage
- Design stage
- Construction/modify
- Test validate & Handover to operation
- Operation and manage
DNA information through each stage
Summary of DNA information for each stage:
Stage 0-1 (strategy):
o Develop business requirements
Stage 2-4 (explore/develop):
o Develop functional requirements and performance specifications
o Master planning requirements
Stage 5-6 (deliver):
o Satisfy functional requirements such as construction and asset component requirements
Stage 7 (operate):
o Maintain functional requirements
Information throughout the delivery and operation is the golden thread
You can predict the behavior, and reliability of an asset, based on data collected from existing assets, reducing the uncertainty of the performance of the asset and the commercial performance risk involved in using that asset. Predictability is valuable in the construction industry because so many aspects of construction are unpredictable.
If something fails you have the information DNA to know WHY you put it there in the first place, and what its performance criteria were and that helps you find a similar product and replace it. Provides the basis of forwarding analysis. If you want to change the performance requirement for something, such as changing the capacity of a bridge you can do so.
Information is stored in the DNA chain.
At any one stage, the asset owner can look back through the information DNA chain to discover the reason and purpose of the asset. It is therefore important that the delivery stage information not only describes how the asset is constructed but can provide critical information for those who will manage and operate the asset (The stakeholders).
For example, if a bridge bearing is needed to be replaced, the DNA information which was built up from the concept stage to as build specification will be used by the user to identify the details of that bearing and analyze it from an engineering point and economical viewpoint if replacement is required based on the vast information DNA available. This information may include the material quality the method of construction and any detailed specifications the users should know.
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Stages of Asset Information
There are natural stages of an asset during its life:
Planning
Design
Construction/Modify
Test Validate & Handover to Operation
Operation and Manage
Each has its own peculiar/specific information requirements and need for information exchange. Some relate to are cumulative (that is they are additive at each process/step) to asset information, some are cumulative to the current process stage, and some are specific to a task within a process. The movement of information and the requirement for information will differ in each circle of interest and segment/stage. Information granularity as we go through the stages increases.
The data could be from the supply chain and more:
Data from the previous stage
Lead design data
Data for construction, scheduling, logistics, temporary works supplier
Data from fabricators, product suppliers, material suppliers
Data from specialist designers and analysts
Cross-team coordination
Planning stage (existing situation and proposed solutions)
o Often carried out over a protracted period
o Multiple and complex stakeholder involvement
o Involves understanding the need and business case for change interacting with existing assets and other public/private assets
o Developing functional performance requirements
o Liaising with the public and other stakeholders
o Creating early concept alternative solutions
o Modelling the existing situation
o Test possible solutions
o Modelling proposed solutions e.g. Traffic modeling, Flood modeling
o Developing cost estimates
o Developing logistical plans
Information is an asset to be valued treasured and managed
Design stage
o Information from Planning Stage
o Information to and from multiple domain specialisms
o Information between tasks in the process and the specialisms
o Information from existing context & environment
o Information from an existing asset involved.
o Develops functional information
o Develops technical requirements information
o Develops physical information: Spatial Geometry, Properties
o Details cost estimates
o Details quantity requirements
o Details construction delivery requirements
Construction/modify
o Information required to translate the digital asset designs and plans into physical assets.
o Technical requirements information
o Physical information: Spatial, Geometry, Properties
o Quantity requirements
o Costs
o Construction delivery planning
o As-built information from each delivery task satisfying design technical requirements:
- Changes in design
- Materials used
- Properties
- Products used
Tests Validate & Handover operation
o Information about tests carried out and results
o Information that validates and verifies delivery of technical and functional requirements
o Information required for maintaining delivered products
o Information that is required for handover acceptance
Operation and manage
o Information that measures the performance of the physical asset
o Information to model asset behavior for example traffic management, mitigation of issues as they arise, disaster planning
o Information that is required by operational systems for example signaling, flood monitoring, structural behavior, timetabling
o Information that is required for asset intervention such as maintenance, repair, or replacement of asset parts