Enhancing contract knowledge of cost engineers through the Web

As project managers, professional cost engineers have to perform contract administration. This article describes a web-based construction contract information services (CCIS) through which contract administrators can enhance their contract knowledge. The CCIS was developed based upon S. Mishra's online learning model, and includes a database for construction contracts, reference standard contract documents, contractual scenarios, and abstracts of construction cases. When faced with a contractual problem, a contract administrator can search for the relevant contract clauses and reference contractual documents through the Internet. Similarly, through reading of the contractual scenarios and decided cases, the contractual implications can be better understood. Where necessary, advice from professional offices can be obtained through the hyperlinks established. The contents of the CCIS are construction specific and the development concept can be extended to other subject areas so that an integrated learning platform can be established for construction studies.