State-of-the-Practice of Big Data in Decision-Making Processes within the Construction Industry

Big Data (BD) can revolutionize the way that the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry operates by improving decision-making processes and improving design and construction decisions. However, there is a fundamental lack of understanding about how to best employ available data into AEC processes. After providing a brief summary of the state-of-the-practice and identifying key sources of BD in the construction industry, this paper considers how BD could be employed in decisions to change the flow of information. Recognizing that the first step to filling the identified void is an improved understanding is what data are actually generated and available to AEC project teams, and when, this research identifies this information and presents a framework of data flow throughout the project's lifecycle. Ultimately, this information will improve core knowledge around how BD can and should be used by engineers during their decision-making processes throughout the project to allow for a better project outcome, faster delivery rates, and overall higher quality. As we conclude the paper, we then poise a future path forward for this research.