Can the Skipper Ride the Storm?: The State as ICT-Client in Danish Construction

The paper presents an ongoing evaluation of a national R&D program for ICT in architecture, engineering and construction industries (AEC), its mechanisms, its process and preliminary results. Such ICT-programs can focus on standards for implementation of configurations of generic software packages, rather that development of new software or design methods.

However the coordination of a multi vehicle national program becomes a major issue and embedding in the institutions of the sector crucially important. Although the program is still on its way, the final public orders law-regulating the sector are by july 2006 present as detailed drafts, which just passed a public hearing and are to be issued by the 1th of January 2007.

The size of the program compared to research resources is a “poor fit”, but there is still room for national ICT- programs if a sector has a joint development agenda.