When Protocols Go Unwritten: A Case Study On Effective Digital Documentation In The Construction Industry

Sammanfattning

In the construction industry, quality management is a persistent concern, yet digital documentationpractices remain a recurring source of operational inconsistencies. Gaps between formally certifiedprocedures and actual behavior can persist across multiple audit cycles, and standardized managementsystems do not in themselves guarantee consistent compliance. This bachelor's thesis in information systems aims to identify factors that support effective digitaldocumentation and explore how the documentation strategy for tendering start meetings can beimproved through organizational measures and information technology. The empirical study applied aqualitative, deductive thematic analysis structured around six literature-derived factors:standardization, governance and accountability, information continuity and traceability, humancompliance and organizational culture, knowledge capture and tacit knowledge management, andtechnology as enabler. Three key findings emerged. First, human compliance and organizational culture explain why thetendering start meeting protocol is not consistently produced, as it is perceived as a low-valuecompliance obligation. Second, the internal audit process records deviations without generatingcorrective action. Third, a gating mechanism embedded in the management system, preventingprogression to the next project phase until required documentation is completed, represents the mosttheoretically grounded improvement proposal, provided it is scaled to project size and paired withmeasures addressing the document's perceived value. The study is limited to one company and five interviews, and results should be interpreted within thisspecific context. Future research could replicate this study across multiple ISO 9001-certifiedconstruction companies to examine whether the identified patterns extend beyond this single case,incorporate production team perspectives to capture how documentation gaps affect project execution,and empirically evaluate whether a gating mechanism produces genuine behavioral change.