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Purpose: This paper presents the results of a study aimed at investigating the information requirements for broad use mobile applications for construction projects. It also presents the results of usability testing of a mobile application prototype for improving information management in construction projects. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the research objectives, the information required to properly design the mobile application was collected by distributing an online questionnaire among construction professionals. Then a server-based application prototype was developed based on enterprise content management concepts. The mobile application was tested in a laboratory by setting a group of construction management postgraduate students who had experience on working in construction industry. Finding: This study determines and ranks the critical on-site information artifacts, considered highly important from the perspective of clients, consultants, and contractors. The study also illustrates the development of a mobile application prototype and results of a usability test. The test results demonstrate that the application is well designed, user friendly, and meets user requirements. Practical implications: The results of this study are useful for developing a functional mobile application to manage on-site information in construction projects. Originality/value: The paper makes an original contribution of investigating information requirements of a mobile application for on-site information management.

Abstract-Constructability is the optimum use of construction knowledge and experience in the conceptual planning. This paper aims to illustrate the application of constructability concepts during the design stage by providing a relevant case study which is a three story residential building. The buildability score of this building is accurately calculated and then by comparing to current standard of buildability, it was found that the buildability of the building needs to be improved. Thus, the constructability concepts were implemented and it was found that if the concepts being implemented in design stage, the constructability of the building will be improved. This paper concluded by a guideline which shows relevant suggestions for improving constructability concept.

Construction continues to be considered as one of the most dangerous industries in the world, in particular residential building construction. This paper aims at proposing an automated safety planning plug-in (ASPP) for project scheduling software applications to mitigate the occurrence of construction accidents. To achieve this aim, frequency and severity of the common construction safety hazards in residential buildings were investigated by distributing a questionnaire among various safety managers and construction managers in Malaysia. A total of 106 completed responses were received. The risk level associated to each hazard was calculated based on the relevant risk matrix. The ASPP extracts current construction activities from any computer-based schedule (Microsoft Project Ò in this paper) and identifies their risk levels as well as safety regulations and hazards related to each activity as a report. The reliability and usability of ASPP was tested in a case study. The ASPP was found to be efficient and helpful for rigorously complying with safety regulations and control potential hazards. The practical implication of this study is to improve construction safety by promoting the project managers' awareness of safety hazards and relevant risks as well as essential safety measures provided through a comprehensive report from which managers can review essential safety measures to prevent possible construction accidents.

Buildability is increasingly becoming a major requirement in building construction practice. The aim of buildability is to improve efficiency of the overall building process by developing construction sensitive designs. The objective of this study is to develop a model to assess the buildability of the buildings within Malaysian construction projects. To achieve the objective of this study, a structured interview with an expert panel, including 30 construction professionals, was conducted to compare the common buildability attributes with common construction systems for building structure in Malaysia using analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The proposed model to assess the buildability of the construction buildings was evaluated and the model was amended to fulfill the requirements of the construction industry in Malaysia. Results of this study are useful to evaluate the design of the buildings within Malaysian construction projects, thus saving time, cost, and enhancing quality.