FROM FRAGMENTATION TO INTEGRATION: DEVELOPING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY DATA SHARING FRAMEWORK FOR SURVEYING PRACTICE IN MALAYSIA’S DIGITAL BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Authors

  • Elia Syarafina Abdul Shakur Department of Real Estate, Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Umi Kalsum Zolkafli @Zulkifly Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Mohd Asrul Hassin Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
  • Ali Sunandar Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UNIVERSITAS MERCU BUANA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i43.2111

Keywords:

Data digital, Digital built environment, Interdisciplinary data sharing, Surveying practice, Malaysia

Abstract

The rapid digital transformation of the built environment has increased the need for effective interdisciplinary data sharing within surveying practice in Malaysia. However, persistent fragmentation across technical systems, organisational structures, and professional workflows continues to hinder seamless integration. This study aims to develop a structured interdisciplinary data sharing framework tailored to Malaysia’s digital built environment. A qualitative research design was adopted using semi-structured interviews with 12 experts from multiple surveying disciplines under the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM). The data were analysed through thematic analysis to identify recurring barriers, opportunities, and governance requirements. The findings reveal that data fragmentation is shaped by three interconnected dimensions: technical interoperability barriers, organisational and contractual constraints, and behavioural and collaborative culture challenges. In response, the study proposes an empirically informed socio technical framework that integrates interoperable digital infrastructure, governance mechanisms, and lifecycle collaborative workflows, based on insights from a purposively selected group of RISM affiliated experts. The study contributes theoretically by advancing understanding of interdisciplinary data sharing challenges in surveying practice and, practically, by offering a framework for policymakers and industry practitioners. Its novelty lies in its context specific focus on surveying data sharing and in the development of an empirically grounded framework that is intended to inform data sharing practices within the Malaysian surveying context. Future research should incorporate broader industry participation and industry based case implementation.

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Published

2026-08-09

How to Cite

Abdul Shakur, E. S., Zolkafli @Zulkifly, U. K., Hassin, M. A., & Sunandar, A. (2026). FROM FRAGMENTATION TO INTEGRATION: DEVELOPING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY DATA SHARING FRAMEWORK FOR SURVEYING PRACTICE IN MALAYSIA’S DIGITAL BUILT ENVIRONMENT. PLANNING MALAYSIA, 24(43). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i43.2111

Issue

Vol. 24 (2026): PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL : Volume 24, Issue 4, 2026

Section

Article

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