## 2 Materials and Methods
### Research Aim and Hypothesis  
The research focused on analyzing the implementation factors of ICT in the life cycle cost of buildings. Monitoring and analyzing construction costs in each phase of a construction project is the first step to managing and attempting to optimize these costs. A thorough analysis of research and studies has focused on the impact and implementation factors of using ICTs. The research aim is to analyze the implementation factors of ICT in the life cycle costs of buildings and verify that investment costs represent the most critical implementation factor. The primary research claims that information and communication technology play an important role in construction life cycle cost management based on study knowledge and research. One of the most significant advantages of using information and communication technology is a positive impact on reducing costs at every stage of a construction project's life cycle. In addition, key factors impact the implementation of information and communication technology in life cycle cost management. Based on this, the main hypothesis adopts this claim. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Pre-Research Stage** & **Data Source** & **Methods** & **Results** \\ \hline
1. & Analysis of previous research and creation of an overview & Web of Science database & Analysis and synthesis & Implementation factors of ICT in LCC overview \\ \hline
2. & Determination of research question and hypothesis & Web of Science database & Analysis and synthesis & Problem statement and hypothesis \\ \hline
3. & Analysis of implementation factors—assessment of the correctness of implementation factors by experts (construction project managers by large enterprises) & Primary data & Interview & Selection of researched implementation factors of ICT in LCC—Final implementation factors of ICT in LCC overview \\ \hline
**Research steps** & & & & \\ \hline  & & Research sample was performed at random. However, the research groups and their representation (number) were established according to the number in the market. Thus, no research group was disadvantaged, and the research sample reflected the market presence. & Research sample was discarded, and the research sample reflected the real market presence. & \\ \hline
5. & Data collection & Questionnaire data & Likert scale & Research data \\ \hline
6. & Data processing & Questionnaire data & & \\ \hline (a) & Evaluation of the suitability of the questions asked & Questionnaire data & Cronbach’s alpha & \\ \hline (b) & Ranking of implementation factors & Questionnaire data & Relative importance index and five critical levels & Ranking \\ \hline (c) & Verification of ranking results by statistical significance & Questionnaire data—Statistic software & Kruskal–Wallis test & Statistical significance \\ \hline (d) & Quantification of the ICT implementation factors on LCC & Questionnaire data & Arithmetic mean and impact rate & Proposal of the influence of ICT factors on implementation and LCC \\ \hline (e) & Verification of implementation factors impact rate results by statistical significance & Questionnaire data—Statistic software & Kruskal–Wallis test & Statistical significance \\ \hline
7. & Hypothesis evaluation & & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Research methods and steps. Hypothesis statement: Investment costs are the most important ICT implementation factor in managing the buildings' life cycle costs. This statement means that, in analyzing the impact ranking of factors, the factor investment costs will achieve the highest value and be ranked first. Based on this, a null hypothesis can be postulated and verified. This means that no implementation factor has a higher impact rate than investment costs. The investigated main or null hypothesis and its alternative have the following form:  
**Hypothesis 1. **_Investment costs are ranked first as the most important ICT implementation factor in managing the life cycle costs of buildings._  
**Hypothesis 0.