AN EVALUATION OF WEB-BASED SOLUTIONS IN EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. A CASE STUDY: RCCNET. By: HEBA AHMED FAYEK AMEN. Supervised by: DR. IAN MITCHELL. MAY 2001 MSc Business Information Technology AN EVALUATION OF WEB-BASED SOLUTIONS IN EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. A CASE STUDY: RCCNET. By: HEBA AHMED FAYEK AMEN. Supervised by: DR. IAN MITCHELL. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Business Information Technology MAY 2001 Middlesex University, in collaboration with RITI – Cairo Abstract The main goal of this project is to evaluates the Egyptian practice of using web-based technology in the architecture, engineering & construction ( AEC) industry, based on surveying the field and studding RCCNET web site as the first and only till Jan 2001, AEC industry information services provider in Egypt , evaluate the current web site, suggest improvement and new services, develop general recommendations on developing the implementation of web-based solutions in the Egyptian AEC . The main problem faced, was trying to set a suitable evaluation methodology for evaluating web- based solutions, as it is a new technology, so the evaluation methodology was set based on available experience in evaluating other phenomena, this methodology set the evaluation plan used . Throughout the process of evaluation, a number of inputs and outputs are required. Required input includes statistical information on the current AEC industry status, the IT implementation in Egyptian AEC firms, as well as a survey on RCCNET web site (e.g. services, users..) and the company providing it . During the evaluation processes, and based on the information collected, solutions for the appearing problems were suggested, then a general recommendations were reviewed as guided principles for implementing web-based solution in AEC industry. The evaluation of the current Egyptian AEC web-based solutions is very important for the Egyptian AEC industry, as it defines recommendations that will provide a roadmap to guide future AEC e-commerce and net markets. Heba Fayek. i Abstract Student No.: 9944423 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………. i Table of contents ………………………………………………………………………... ii List of tables ……………………………………………………………………………... v List of figures ……………………………………………………………………………. vi Chapter 1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………… 2 1.1. Background and Motivation………………………………………………………….. 2 1.2. Scope and Limitations of the study…………………………………………………… 4 1.3. Project Outline and Action Plan …………………………………………………….. 4 Chapter 2. Evaluation Methodology………………………………………………. 5 1.2. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… 5 2.2. What is Evaluation? ………………………………………………………………….. 6 2.2.1. Process evaluation ……………………………………………………………………. 7 2.2.2. Outcome evaluation…………………………………………………………………… 7 2.2.3. Impact evaluation……………………………………………………………………... 7 2.3. Why Conduct Program Evaluations?………………………………………………... 7 2.3.1. Evaluation for Project Management…………………………………………………... 8 2.3.2. Evaluation for Staying On Track …………………………………………………….. 8 2.3.3. Evaluation for Project Efficiency…………………………………………………….. 8 2.3.4. Evaluation for Project Accountability………………………………………………… 8 2.3.5. Evaluation for New Program Development and Dissemination……………………… 9 2.4. Risks of Evaluation……………………………………………………………………. 9 2.5. Steps in Planning Evaluations………………………………………………………… 9 2.5.1. Identifying the Evaluation's Consumers………………………………………………. 9 2.5.2. Choosing the Important Evaluation Questions……………………………………….. 9 2.5.3. Mapping Out an Evaluation Work Plan………………………………………………. 10 2.6. Setting up the Evaluation Plan……………………………………………………….. 10 2.6.1. Evaluation Planning…………………………………………………………………... 10 2.6.1.1. Formulating an overall evaluation strategy………………………………………… 10 2.6.1.2. Identifying and developing the necessary evaluation instruments…………………. 11 Survey Methodology………………………………………………………… 11 Computerized Evaluation Methodologies…………………………………… 12 Achievement Testing and Measurement……………………………………. 12 Heuristic Evaluation………………………………………………………… 12 2.6.2. Data Collection………………………………………………………………………. 12 2.6.3. Data Coding………………………………………………………………………….. 12 2.6.4. Data Analysis………………………………………………………………………… 12 2.7. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….. 12 Heba Fayek. Table of contents Student No.: 9944423 ii Chapter 3. Evaluation Process……………………………………………………… 12 3.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………. 12 3.2. A description of RCCNET web site…………………………………………………. 12 3.2.1. What is RCCNET?……………………………………………………………………. 12 3.2.2. What are the important user categories and what are their motivations and goals?…. 13 3.2.3. What kind of information is comprised in RCCNET database?………..…..………… 13 3.2.4. What other information can be found on RCCNET? ..……………………..………… 14 3.2.5. Does RCCNET send newsletters to its members?……………………………………. 14 3.2.6. A quick navigation survey……………………………………………………………. 14 3.3. RCCNET Web site evaluation………………………………………………………... 16 3.3.1. Web Information Architecture………………………………………………………... 16 3.3.1.1. The User Experience………………………………………………………………... 16 3.3.1.2. Web site organization: Site map……………………………………………………. 19 3.3.1.3. Web site labeling……………………………………………………………………. 21 3.3.1.4. Web site navigation…………………………………………………………………. 22 3.3.2. Web Usability………………………………………………………………………… 26 3.3.2.1. Attention……………………………………………………………………………. 26 Structure……………………………………………………………………… 26 Page Structure…………………………………………………………… 26 Site Structure…………………………………………………………….. 30 Colors………………………………………………………………………… 31 Alert mechanisms…………………………………………………………….. 32 Spatial cues…………………………………………………………………... 32 Temporal cues……………………………………………………………….. 32 3.3.2.2. Clarity………………………………………………………………………………. 33 Readability…………………………………………………………………… 33 Fonts…………………………………………………………………………. 35 Graphics……………………………………………………………………… 35 3.3.2.3. Consistency…………………………………………………………………………. 37 3.3.2. Web Services………………………………………………………………………….. 39 3.3.3.1. IT & Construction attribution……………………………………………………….. 39 3.3.3.2. RCCNET Services…………………………………………………………………... 40 First: Recommendations of Researches and surveys………………………… 42 Second: A survey on services provided by a similar leading web site………. 47 Third: Survey on Users………………………………………………………. 49 3.4. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………... 55 Heba Fayek. iii List of tables Student No.: 9944423 Chapter 4. Recommendations………………………………………………………. 56 4.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………. 56 4.2. Recommendations……………………………………………………………………… 56 4.2.1. Information 57 Architecture………………………………………………………………. 4.2.2. Usability……………………………………………………………………………….. 59 4.2.3. Services………………………………………………………………………………... 60 4.2.3.1. Identify Web Businesses Models……………………………………………………. 60 4.2.3.2. Customer Information……………………………………………………………….. 61 4.2.3.3. AEC Webs Hybrid Course………………………………………………………….. 61 4.2.3.4. AEC Virtual Net Marketing…………………………………………………………. 61 4.2.3.5. Towards Egyptian AEC Virtual Market 62 Place………………………………………. Now 62 The Future 62 Marketing Tactics 63 3.3. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………… 64 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………… 65 Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………………. 66 Appendixes Appendix [A]: Report on Construction Industry in Egypt…………………… 67 Appendix [B]: Report on MCBI company…………………………………… 70 Appendix [C]: MCBI Services chart…………………………………………. 74 Appendix [D]: Interviews……………………………………………………. 75 Appendix [E]: Questionnaire………………………………………………… 80 Appendix [F]: Log File Analysis Technical Reports………………………… 87 Appendix [G]: Glossary of Terms…………………………………………… 105 Appendix [H]: References…………………………………………………… 108 Heba Fayek. iv List of tables Student No.: 9944423 List of tables Table [3-1] RCCNET services ………………………………………………………41 Table [3-2] Basic statistics on Construction.com usage……………………………..49 Table [3-3] Number of computers per employee……………………………………50 Table [4-1] Staged development for customer engagement…………………………58 Heba Fayek. v List of tables Student No.: 9944423 List of figures Fig [2 -1] Website evaluation directions………………….……………………………41 Fig [3 -1] RCCNET's first introductory page………………………………………….14 Fig [3 -2] RCCNET's second introductory page……………………………………….15 Fig [3 -3] RCCNET's members home page……………………………………………15 Fig [3 -4] RCCNET's non-members home page………………………………………15 Fig [3 -5] RCCNET Site Map…………………………………………………………20 Fig [3 -6] Web sites link……………………………………………………………….21 Fig [3 -7] First top navigation bar……………………………………………………..23 Fig [3 -8] Second top navigation bar……………………………………………….…23 Fig [3 -9] Left navigation bar…………………………………………………………23 Fig [3 -10] The Egyptian Federation link in RCCNET home page…………….……..25 Fig [3 -11] The top navigation bar in Acer.com………………………………………25 Fig [3 -12] Page Structure diagram……………...……………………………………26 Fig [3 -13] Home Page Structure elements……………...……………………………27 Fig [3 -14] RCCNET logo repetition…………………………………………………28 Fig [3 -15] Home page regions map………………………………………………….29 Fig [3 -16] Black text on a white background………………………………………..31 Fig [3 -17] Colors in the top navigation bar………………………………………….31 Fig [3 -18] White background and gray foreground text…………………………….32 Fig [3 -19] Arabic version link………………………………………………………34 Fig [3-20] Arabic and English texts in the same page……………………………….34 Fig [3 -21] Home page with hides graphics option…………………………………..35 Heba Fayek. List of figures Student No.: 9944423 vi Fig [3 -22] The site map page images design……………………………………...…36 Fig [3 -23] Building