Design basis for an integrated project control system

The author suggests overall objectives for the design of a project control system, paying particular attention to the subject of integration. He discusses the more important factors which determine the scope of the system, including: who will be using the system (client or contractor); the nature of the organisation and other systems in use; the degree of procedural definition; and economic justification. There is a discussion of how the potential scope might be modified by the existing organisational environment, and in particular by other functional systems (e.g. finance, engineering design, materials). This raises the fundamental question of whether the system is to be designed to serve an existing organisation, or whether the organisation itself could be changed in order to make the most effective use of information technology. A conclusion is drawn on the type of system which seems most appropriate for the use of projects run by a client organisation