Lean execution of engineering projects: The potential application of case-based reasoning to facilitate cross-project knowledge transfer

Engineering firms have not completely utilized the potential advantages of inter-project knowledge transfer. The lack of knowledge transfer from past projects to new arrivals creates wasteful endeavor in the form of reworking previously solved problems in new projects. This situation increases firms' operational expenses, especially in the era in which efficient and effective project delivery gives an advantage over competitors. The difficulty of retrieving relevant historical projects in a timely manner is one reason why firms struggle to learn from past projects. Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism to effectively retrieve project experience. This manuscript proposes case-based reasoning (CBR) as the methodology to counter this problem and facilitate the reuse and adaptation of prior project experience, to avoid the occurrence of repeated problems. A case study from an engineering firm, providing asset integrity management solutions in the energy sector, is provided to illustrate a CBR development.