Infrastructure through Life – Technology Use in Global Projects
Start Date: Feb 2008
End Date: Jan 2011
Project Status: Current
This 3 year research project aims to develop practical understanding of how digital modelling can support the delivery of global projects. The UK construction sector is engaged in a number of large infrastructure projects including the London 2012 Olympics, CrossRail and Heathrow East as well as contributing to major projects worldwide. While large projects are always challenging, the introduction of digital technologies into the processes of their delivery presents significant new opportunities and risks. Through the life of a project there are the ongoing issues of incorporating learning from lead-users on sub-projects; maintaining commitment from suppliers with diverse business models; managing relationships with IT suppliers and tailoring use to practices at different stages of the project life-cycle.
This research seeks to investigate empirically the issues associated with using digital technologies through the life of a project, and to analyse them based on broad theoretical interests in a) practice-based perspectives, which explore what people do, how they interact with objects and the consequences of their material practices; and b) institutional theories, which look at the processes through which societal patterns of activity are created and destroyed.
Because of the lack of ‘slack’ and the high visibility of global projects, a dual research strategy is used, involving a) historical cases and b) day-to-day engagement with technology development and use on large infrastructure projects. Theory is built using qualitative, in-depth research conducted in close collaboration with partner organizations. Innovative aspects of the approach are the use of historical cases; the long term engagements with industrial partners that extend through the process of data analysis and dissemination of findings and the use of visual images and transcripts of practice in the analysis.
The project builds on previous research by members of the ICRC, particularly Dr Jennifer Whyte and Dr Chris Harty, and is born out of a broader tradition of research that takes a multi-disciplinary, international and cross-sectoral approach to understanding innovation in the built environment. There are strong links to research themes within the ‘Knowledge and Information Management through Life’ Grand Challenge and to the wider international research community.
The benefits of the research include new theoretical understanding of the relationships between digital technologies and the organization of mega-projects. Results will be disseminated to the academic community through publication in top international research journals. The research will also inform the best-practice guidance regarding decision-making and data use within the industry, and they will be disseminated to design, construction and engineering firms through workshops, inter-active events and tool-kits for industrial partners.