Conclusion

The results of the study show that the maturity levels of project management knowledge areas in the design process of the building project can be enhanced by major breakthrough developments in some ITs. In the time horizon of this study experts do not foresee the full maturity levels for project management knowledge areas in the design phase of a building project. However, steady increases are expected for the project management maturity levels. Increases are expected to be parallel to each other, which suggests strong interdependencies between the maturity levels of project management knowledge areas. Therefore, improvement efforts to project management knowledge areas have to consider not one or few, but all of the project management knowledge areas together. Likewise IT deployment should target not one, but all project management knowledge areas in order to increase overall project management maturity level.

Delphi results indicate an increasing pace of technological innovation in some ITs. The increasing rate of major breakthrough developments has the potential to change the processes in the design phase of a building project. This suggests that designers in the building construction industry have to be ready to face emerging challenges created by rapid major breakthrough developments in ITs.

Given the cross impacts between the variables, the model showed inconsistencies of the Delphi survey results (i.e., expert opinions) in some cases. For these cases experts may be asked again to consider their Delphi forecasts in the light of these findings. These inconsistencies are to be expected and probably the result of the multidimensional interdependencies (direct and secondary impacts) which cannot be judged by the experts. In this case, the model serves as a learning tool for professionals.

The maturity levels of project management knowledge areas are found to be sensitive to breakthrough developments in project management software, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. Sensitivity analyses showed that developments in single ITs do not have significant impacts on the maturity levels of project management knowledge areas. On the other hand, major breakthrough developments in several ITs, with their direct and secondary impacts can enhance the project management maturity levels of a building design organization. Therefore, restructuring/reengineering efforts should address all aspects of process improvement. As the literature survey indicates, IT deployment without addressing the structural issues in the organization does nothing but create automation. This research showed that project management maturity levels in the building design process could be enhanced to some extent by the use of some ITs.

The model's scenario generating capability can be used effectively for planning and analysis purposes. The model can be used for comparative policy analysis. The testing of a variety of policies and their implementation through specific plans and appropriate budget allocations may identify several policies as potentially promising. The integrated approach used in this research, both in terms of disciplines and in terms of phases, helps professionals to develop robust strategies of IT deployment in their projects.

At a global level, this research developed a unique methodology for understanding ITs impact on the maturity levels of project management knowledge areas in the design phase of a building project by integrating expert, IT-specific, project management-specific, and process-specific knowledge and a mathematical structure. It is important to realize that "playing the model" is a learning experience. The greatest payoff may not be the determination of optimal strategies, but an increasing understanding of the insights of the subject and the gradual production of an improved model. This model might provide a conceptual framework within which to formulate forecasts, policies, and plans in areas where interdisciplinary approaches are essential and where reliable and comprehensive theories are absent.