CEM244-Analysing Construction Processes

Module Provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Summer term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Ruth Dowsett
Email: r.m.dowsett@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

To gain relevant knowledge and skills to analyse construction processes and structures and develop abstracted and systemic forms of representation and understanding.

Aims:
To gain relevant knowledge and skills to analyse construction processes and structures and develop abstracted and systemic forms of representation and understanding.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of this course you should be able:

• Map and define design, construction and operation processes and organisational systems, functions, roles and relationships at firm, project, group, individual, and task levels of analysis.


• Analyse and represent simple information flows and data structures relevant to projects and built environment/infrastructure assets (e.g. work breakdown structure, methods of measurement, budgets, co-ordinates, IFC, Uniclass, COBIE, BS1192).


• Use appropriate methods to explore complex and ill-defined problems.

Additional outcomes:
By the end of this course you should have improved you ability to use systemic forms of representation and demonstrate abstract understanding of technical and business problems..

Outline content:

• Methods of researching, analysing and formally representing processes and data in design construction and operations (e.g. entity-relationships, object models, use cases, data flow diagrams);


• Construction industry data codes and standards (e.g. WBS, NRM, IFC, Uniclass, COBIE, BS1192).


• Human-computer interaction in construction, hybrid practices, task analysis in computer-supported collaborative work;


• Systems approaches, diagramming, quality, improvement tools, soft systems methodology.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Teaching and learning is offered through case-supported lectures and tutorials, web-based material, guest speakers from national and international firms, a group project and presentation, and guided reading.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures			16
Tutorials			6
Demonstration			2
Guided independent study:			76
Total hours by term	0	0	100
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The written assignment is an individual assignment completed during independent study after the timetabled module week. This assignment forms 100% of the assessment. Preparatory work for the written assignment will be carried out during the module week in groups using non-assessed in-class exercises.

Formative assessment methods:

Exercises throughout the module week will challenge students’ understanding, and provide opportunity for informal review and feedback. Feedback throughout the module week will provide formative input into the development of the individual written assignment.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 50% overall

Reassessment arrangements:
Students are required to contact the School to confirm reassessment arrangements.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 22 September 2022