Framework for Computerizing the Processes of a Job and Automating the Operational Management on Site—A Case Study of Demolition and Reconstruction Construction Site

Abstract

With regard to the topic of digitization for operational site control, it is clear that while there is an acceleration towards digitization of processes, especially complex ones, there are still clear research gaps to be filled. The present study is part of this line of research and aims to respond to the current demand for digital and sustainable innovation of production processes. It, therefore, aims at defining a framework for the management of an order that takes place in real time. In order to improve the quality of information and organizational processes of an order in a project-oriented logic, a framework has been created: Model Smart Management. The framework integrates project management techniques with digital innovation tools and includes a computerized procedure to monitor and control the operational management of the site: SmartApp. In order to allow the interoperability of information, the platform can be used entirely in the cloud. From the processing of data in the planning phase, ad hoc checklists are developed that include a series of activities closely related to each other to ensure a continuity step by step, allowing users to have an immediate control of the project and of the relevant key performance indicators thanks to an advanced and fully customizable reporting. SmartApp, integrated with a cloud computing system, makes computerized and automated the operational control on site, creating a centralized archive of all company data, reducing time and costs for the management of documentation. Moreover, with the omnichannel system, paper documents are managed and archived through QR-code, optical character recognition on smart devices, so as to achieve a regime of maximum efficiency. This framework was then applied in a case study located in L'Aquila, Italy, represented by a post 2009 earthquake demolition and reconstruction site.