Implementation Level of CII Tools

Why Measuring Tool Adoption Matters

CII members frequently ask an important question: “Which tools and practices are most widely used across the industry?” Understanding tool usage helps us identify which resources are most relevant to today’s practitioners, and which tools may require updates, revamping, or renewed guidance to support evolving project needs.

Hence, as part of RT-410’s ongoing effort to understand how CII Best Practices are being implemented across the industry, the team also collected data on the implementation levels of several CII Tools. Figure 1 below visualizes the tools with the highest implementation levels.

After further analysis we obtained few insights:
• Many tools are recognized at the organizational level but lack consistent project deployment—suggesting a gap between policy and practice.
• Tools like PDRI, IPRA, and CRA exhibit strong project-level traction, reflecting their procedural and project-focused nature.
• Lower-scoring tools may need refreshed training or modernization to meet evolving industry needs.

Understanding these patterns helps CII prioritize updates, improve member support, and guide future tool development.

Figure 1. CII Tools in Order of Org-level Usage Score and Project-level Usage CScore



How Were the Tools Selected?

For this analysis, we shortlisted tools that demonstrated clear relevance to member organizations. Selection criteria were based on the download activity and sales volume of the tools from the CII Website. Although download or sales volume does not necessarily indicate tool quality, it reflects the level of attention and interest from members. These metrics served as a practical way to identify tools worth evaluating.

How Usage Was Measured

To assess implementation, RT-410 collected 5-point usage ratings for each shortlisted tool at both the organization level and the project level. Each respondent selected one of the following categories:
• Not at all (0)
• Not much (1)
• Some Use (2)
• Partially Used (3)
• Fully Implemented (4)

A Usage Score was then calculated for each tool by summing the numerical values (0–4) provided by all survey respondents. This includes 35 organization-level surveys completed by Project Management Office (PMO) leads and 57 project-level surveys completed by Project Directors/Managers.

This scoring approach provides a standardized measure of adoption, allowing us to directly compare implementation levels across tools regardless of organization size or project count.

We encourage you to explore these tools through our search homepage or via our CII-GPT. The links are provided below.

CII Tools
Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI)
Integrated Project Risk Assessment (IPRA)
Construction Readiness Assessment for Productivity Improvement (FR-DCC-02)
Constructability Implementation Guide (SP34-1)
Implementation Tool #1 AWP RT 272
Planning for Startup (IR121-2)
Implementation of Lessons Learned Programs (IR230-2)
Project Delivery and Contract Strategy (PDCS)
Prefabrication, Preassembly, Modularization, and Offsite Fabrication (PPMOF): Decision Framework Tool (IR171-2)
Benchmarking Associates Guide, Version 2 (IR BMM-2)
Improving Hazard Recognition (IR 293-2)
Best Productivity Practices Implementation Index (BPPII)
Alignment Thermometer (AT)
Global Procurement & Materials Management: An eGuide to Effective Project Execution (IR257-2)
Mega-Project Assessment of Criticality Tool MPACT
Experiential Knowledge Retention Management Model, Version 1.1 - IR292-2

CII-GPT Link: https://chat.construction-institute.org/