The Evolution of Forensic Delay Analysis: A Literature Review Investigating Changes and Progress in Project Management Approaches to Delay Measurement

This literature review explores the topic of forensic delay analysis (FDA), highlighting recent advances and key themes currently attracting research interest within the area. Project delays in every context can have significant financial and non-financial impacts, so it is crucial to accurately identify and assess their influence. Our analysis shows that despite the initial conceptualization of FDA methods and tools, the field remains complex and laborious, and its credibility is often contested too. The findings suggest that FDA has received insufficient research attention compared to other project management domains and has made limited progress since its inception. Furthermore, there is no consistent approach to measuring delays, despite their prevalence, severity and global persistence. Although a wide range of publications acknowledge the continuing interest in FDA, most confirm its limited applicability and inadequate standardization. The literature also highlights a lack of progress in this area of knowledge predominantly due to a lack of innovative perspectives, tools and understanding. In order to improve the credibility and reliability of FDA and delay analysis techniques (DATs), it is therefore essential to embrace and promote alternative and innovative methodologies. This paper will appeal to a wide audience, including academics and practitioners, who wish to explore the limitations of FDA and the knowledge gaps identified in the existing literature.