Evaluating the Potential of Common Data Environment Tools to Minimise Rework in the UK Construction Industry

Rework, the need to redo completed work due to errors, miscommunication, and poor coordination, is a persistent inefficiency in the UK construction industry, accounting for a substantial share of project delays, cost overruns, and productivity losses. Common Data Environment (CDE) tools such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, Bentley ProjectWise, Aconex, and Viewpoint have been widely shown to improve coordination and document control, yet prior research stops short of three specific questions: whether UK professionals perceive CDEs as a deliberate rework-mitigation strategy, how CDE capability maps onto distinct rework drivers rather than coordination in general, and how effectiveness varies across those drivers. This study addresses that gap by identifying the primary drivers of rework and assessing perceived CDE effectiveness against each. A semi-systematic literature review with inductive thematic coding isolated five leading drivers, namely incomplete tender information, misinterpretation of design, late-stage changes, poor workmanship, and procurement issues.

A structured 25-question survey using five-point Likert scales was then distributed to UK construction professionals, including architects, contractors, BIM coordinators, and quantity surveyors, yielding 101 valid responses from 500 distributed, a 20 percent response rate, analysed through mean scoring and weighted ranking. Results showed misinterpretation of design and late-stage changes were rated most severe, with CDEs judged most effective against design inconsistencies and coordination failures, scoring 4.13 and 3.70 out of 5, but markedly weaker against workmanship, 2.32, and procurement, 2.94. Usability, resistance to change, data security, and inadequate training emerged as adoption barriers. The findings help UK organisations target CDE investment where rework reduction is most achievable.