Knowledge Management in a Project Climate 135Copyright © 2005, Idea Group Inc. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without writtenof drawings in two and three dimensions continually updated, a document archive
including photographs of work in progress, news and information, schedules of meet-
ings, programmes of induction and training, and even listings of social events.
Finally, Tayweb’s Knowledge Share portal features a centralised interactive facil-
ity, which is available to Taylor Woodrow’s entire workforce providing an extensive
range of library information services. Here, there are online services such as British
standards, health and safety information, and construction information. It also enables
users to access a technical library and to order documents.
The perceived returns by Taylor Woodrow from its investment in KM are primarily
in terms of the use of best practice and lessons learnt to improve the quality and reduce
the defects of their product. In the construction industry, defects can be very costly both
in monetary terms and client relationships. Thus KM in this company supports quality
management. Measures are now in place for quantifying the return on investment for
Taylor Woodrow’s KM system and they are being developed to demonstrate added
value in monetary terms. The benefits of qualitative outcomes and some assessments of
cost savings are collated in Table 1.
Table 1. Returns from knowledge management at Taylor Woodrow
Technical
News ServiceTechnical
HelpdeskTop Tips Site Set-Up
NewsSecure Project
Web SitesInformation
Centre
Increased
Efficiency Of
Information
ManagementReduction in
time spent by
senior
managers
searching for
informationProject managers
spend less time
implementing
site set-up
proceduresFaster access to
information and
quicker response
timesOffers Taylor
Woodrow fast
access to
knowledgePermanent Global
Availability24/7 access 24/7 access 24/7 access 24/7 access Instant global
access anytime24/7 access
Administrative
Cost ReductionReductions in
paperworkReductions in
paperworkReductions in
paperworkReductions in
paperworkReduces routine
administrationReductions in
paperwork
Access & Response
Time ReductionsFaster access to
information and
quicker response
times
Dissemination
Leadtime
ReductionProactively
keeping
managers
informed of
the latest
innovationsMore time
available to
concentrate on
value added
activities
On-Site
Productivity
ImprovementEnabling
managers to
make better
informed
decisionsProject managers
spend less time
implementing
site set-up
procedures
Savings - examples 1. Investigation
of tar macadam
defects saves
£60,000;- Cavity wall
ties save
£14,000 in
stone façade
fixture; - Design life
technology
applied to a flat
inverted roof
saves client
£10,800; - Re-designed
stainless steel
wind posts save
£20,000.
More time
available to
concentrate on
value added
activitiesRelatively
inexpensive to
establishEnables Taylor
Woodrow to work
more efficiently