Abstract

The following thesis-equivalent involved the development and evaluation of an interactive repository to be used by the construction industry. It has been pointed out by architects and engineers that there is a lack of expertise about brick veneer wall construction. Not only are there not enough human resources available but the existing workers are not adequately trained, due to a lack of readily available information about this specific type of construction. From these concerns emerged the need for a single repository or compendium that could be used both as a training tool and as a reference database. Since the contents were available and/or best presented in various forms, the CD-I technology was selected. CD-I integrates a variety of media such as video, computer animation, text, photographs and digital audio. This report relates the development phases and the evaluation of a prototype designed on a microcomputer emulating the CD-I environment. The compendium was evaluated with the help of a multi-disciplinary team composed of a professional courseware developer, a general contractor, a construction worker and an architecture student. Results of the interviews and hands-on sessions are discussed. Attitudes toward the CD-I compendium were also probed at a Construction Industry Trade Show held in Toronto, Canada. Results of the questionnaire which was employed are discussed.