SOFTWARE AGENTS IN INTERNET-BASED SPECIFICATION AND PROCUREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS

摘要

The specification and procurement of construction products is largely an information intensive process. The successful implementation of an optimal system has been impeded by" the existence of semi-structured or non-structured information held in catalogues in various formats. This problem is further compounded by the challenge of application integration. Consequently, a significant amount of time is spent by designers in gathering relevant information. This position paper is based on a project aimed at demonstrating how agent technology and XML can contribute to making the specification and procurement of construction products more effective and more efficient. The paper introduces the selected domain, pointing out the challenges in executing online activities. A road map for agent technology both in the short term and in the long term is provided. A concept and model for an evolving prototype system is described. The paper ends by summarising the main themes in the paper and reaffirming the need to incorporate agents and XML technologies in online specification and procurement of construction products.