ITcon Vol. 30, pg. 745-777, http://www.itcon.org/2025/31

RealCONs: A Digital Framework for Construction Reporting Accuracy and Early Delay Detection

DOI:10.36680/j.itcon.2025.031
submitted:November 2024
revised:May 2025
published:May 2025
editor(s):Yang Zou, Mostafa Babaeian Jelodar, Zhenan Feng, Brian H.W. Guo
authors:Kambiz Radman, PhD Reseracher
School of Built Environment, Massey University, New Zealand
k.radman@massey.ac.nz

Mostafa Babaeian Jelodar, Dr
Associate Professor in School of Built Environment, Massey University, New Zealand
m.b.jelodar@massey.ac.nz

Ruggiero Lovreglio, Dr
Professor in School of Built Environment, Massey University, New Zealand
r.lovreglio@massey.ac.nz
summary:Accurate and timely reporting is essential for effective construction project management. However, existing progress tracking systems often face challenges such as delayed reporting, data inconsistencies, and inefficient documentation processes, compromising report accuracy and prolonging preparation times. This study introduces RealCONs, a digital framework for on-site project reporting management designed to enhance construction site real-time data acquisition, project tracking and reporting. The framework integrates the Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology and Unified Modelling Language (UML) to streamline workflows. A comparative analysis was conducted using case studies from the Electrical and Instrumentation (E&I) trade dataset to evaluate RealCONs' effectiveness in 1) improving daily reports generation speed, 2) Reducing reporting errors, and 3) Improving project performance via early delay identification. A mixed-methods approach was employed to validate RealCONs' objectives, analysing daily reports and their preparation times while utilising Earned Value Management (EVM) metrics to assess the impact of early delay identification on project performance (CPI, SPI). The results demonstrate that RealCONs significantly outperforms traditional methods, increasing total report generation by 32.2%, reducing reporting errors by 84%, and enabling earlier delay notifications. Although developed for the E&I trade, the framework offers scalable applications for broader construction and infrastructure projects facing similar reporting inefficiencies.
keywords:Database Management, Reporting, UML, Productivity, Digital Framework
full text: (PDF file, 2.461 MB)
citation:Radman K, Babaeian Jelodar M, Lovreglio R (2025). RealCONs: A Digital Framework for Construction Reporting Accuracy and Early Delay Detection, ITcon Vol. 30, Special issue Construction 5.0, pg. 745-777, https://doi.org/10.36680/j.itcon.2025.031
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