Improving construction takt production efficiency by using digitalization

The construction industry is one of the largest economies globally however, during the past decades construction production has only increased by 1% annually. With the actively growing urbanization, construction industry is looking for the methods to build faster and achieve a better production flow. Construction sites do generate a lot of data that could be used to boost the production but, this data is still being collected manually using spreadsheets and hand-written notes. In order to enhance productivity improvement and cost efficiency, manual data collection must be eliminated and digital technology and advanced automation should be infused into construction daily activities. The objective of this thesis was to develop standards for efficient digital data collection and to propose improvement ideas for applying the generated digital data in construction site management in construction company Fira Oy. The research was tackled with two methods: a literature review and a case study that included observations, examination of used digital tools and currently available data, and semi-structured interviews. The literature review provided a definition for good construction productivity, theoretical background of takt production and introduced the concept of digitalization in construction. The aim of the empirical research was to test applicability of takt production in residential project, identify data users, find available and missing data. Combining recent theory on takt production and digitalization in construction with outcomes of the case study, four essential behavioral changes were identified that can help to increase digitalization integration level at the construction site: creating clear common rules and instruction for all potential users of digital systems; providing intensive training for site management on digital tools, sufficient training of subcontractors; obliging subcontractors to takt plan following and digital tools usage through contracts; and establishing clear communication by organizing regular daily and weekly meetings. In addition, several technical development ideas were proposed. The outcomes of research were based on a single case study and therefore, further research is required to specify the results and test them. The research proved workability of takt production in residential projects and showed that digital tools can provide more accurate work tracking, possibility for efficient learning and continuous improvement through proper processing and analysis of collected data. Utilizing digital tools has become a prerequisite for the competitiveness in construction industry but only well planned implementation of digitalization can bring the success

Code Review Practices for Refactoring Changes: An Empirical Study on OpenStack

Modern code review is a widely used technique employed in both industrial and open-source projects to improve software quality, share knowledge, and ensure adherence to coding standards and guidelines. During code review, developers may discuss refactoring activities before merging code changes in the code base. To date, code review has been extensively studied to explore its general challenges, best practices and outcomes, and socio-technical aspects. However, little is known about how refactoring is being reviewed and what developers care about when they review refactored code. Hence, in this work, we present a quantitative and qualitative study to understand what are the main criteria developers rely on to develop a decision about accepting or rejecting a submitted refactored code, and what makes this process challenging. Through a case study of 11,010 refactoring and non-refactoring reviews spread across OpenStack open-source projects, we find that refactoring-related code reviews take significantly longer to be resolved in terms of code review efforts. Moreover, upon performing a thematic analysis on a significant sample of the refactoring code review discussions, we built a comprehensive taxonomy consisting of 28 refactoring review criteria. We envision our findings reaffirming the necessity of developing accurate and efficient tools and techniques that can assist developers in the review process in the presence of refactorings

Sense of Belonging of Students of Color Participating in Living Learning Communities: A Phenomenological Study

While the national graduation rate has increased over the past ten years, Students of Color graduate at a much lower rate than their white counterparts (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021). Scholars boast that high-impact practices promote positive outcomes such as increased retention and graduation rates as well as student learning and sense of belonging, but little research has examined the extent to which high-impact practices benefit specific groups of students (Kuh, 2008; McDaniel & Van Jura, 2020; Tukibayeva & Gonyea, 2014). Students of Color still graduate at a much lower rate than white students despite the rise of high-impact practices, which raises the question, are these high-impact practices working for all students? Living learning communities are one high-impact practice with substantial evidence of increasing college completion and sense of belonging for all students. While there have been separate studies on the impact of living learning communities and the sense of belonging of Students of Color, few scholars have conducted research on how Students of Color participating in living learning communities perceive their experience and sense of belonging. By understanding how Students of Color experience living learning communities and how they perceive their sense of belonging, institutions may be one step closer to increasing their graduate and retention rates. The purpose of this study was to gain insight on the sense of belonging and experiences of Students of Color participating in living learning communities at a large, predominately white research university. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach using two sets of interviews with nine participants to collect data on their life history, day-to-day experiences, and reflection on those experiences. Strayhorn’s (2018) model of college students’ sense of belonging served as a theoretical framework throughout the study. Through data analysis, four themes emerged when exploring how Students of Color described their LLC experience and sense of belonging: shared identities & similar values, shared experiences & collective struggles, impactful connections & meaningful relationships, and a home away from home. Practical implications for practitioners and suggestions for future research are provided

Developing A Bim-Knowledge (Bim-K) Framework For Improved Decision-Making In Building Construction Projects

The construction industry is a knowledge-intensive industry, and knowledge has been identified as a vital resource for improving decision-making and a critical factor for increasing productivity and gaining organisational competitive advantage within the construction industry. Although, building information modelling BIM has been described as a 'shared knowledge resource for information' which forms the basis for 'reliable decisions during the lifecycle of a project', evidence from the literature indicate that current BIM implementation (BI) has not been able to effectively integrated knowledge into BIM. While BIM has significantly improved the quality of information available for use within the industry, capturing and integrating experiential knowledge (EK) into BIM implementation (BI) for improved decision-making in BIM projects is still very challenging. Knowledge management (KM) as a discipline can provide processes and tools/techniques for capturing and integrating EK into BI. Hence, leveraging KM processes and tools, this study develops a conceptual BIM-Knowledge framework for integrating EK into BI for improved decision-making in BIM projects. The study adopts convergent parallel mixed methods based on a pragmatic paradigm, which combines both qualitative and quantitative methods concurrently in a single study. Pragmatism philosophical stance provides the flexibility required to address the complex nature of the research question, which explores how the integration of EK into BI could improve decision-making in BIM projects. The study starts with the review of extant literature to explore the key concepts in the study, culminating in developing a preliminary framework. The preliminary framework provides the basic constructs that were further explored and investigated using semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty highly experienced stakeholders within the UK construction industry to explore their lived experiences about the constructs. Transcripts of the interviews were subjected to content analysis using NVivo 11 to identify prevalent codes from the quotations. In line with the adopted research philosophy, constructs from the literature review were also put together in a questionnaire survey and distributed to industry practitioners via Bristol Online Survey (BOS) to investigate their opinions about the constructs. The questionnaire's responses were subjected to rigorous statistical and factor analyses using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS-21). Findings from the analysis of both semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were triangulated for corroboration. The triangulation results led to the development of a conceptual BIM-Knowledge (BIM-K) framework for integrating EK into BI for improved decision-making in BIM projects. The proposed conceptual BIM-K framework consists of three main components: the BIM-K Core, which forms the framework's nucleus; the SKI, which consists an inventory of the skills and knowledge important to key decision-makers in BI; and the Output, which is the improved decision-making in BIM projects. The BIM-K Core component consists of three layers of concentric circles: (i) the integration layer where EK from best practice, past mistakes and creative ideas from different project phases are integrated into BI, (ii) the KM process layer, where the five KM processes and their appropriate tools and techniques help facilitate the effective integration process, and (iii) the layer of impacting factors, where four categories of factors that could impact on the effectiveness of the integration process are domiciled. The conceptual BIM-K framework was partially validated with industry experts virtually to test its suitability for practical implementation. The framework will benefit all key decision-makers in BIM projects, especially the client, designers, the engineer, contractors and suchlike, by improving the quality of decisions regarding BI tasks and activities right from the pre-design phase of the project

Empathy and care within engineering: qualitative perspectives from engineering faculty and practicing engineers

The purpose of this study was to investigate how empathy and care look within an engineering context from the perspective of (1) existing literature (2) engineering faculty and (3) practicing engineers. The project employed three separate, but interrelated studies, including a summative content analysis of the existing literature, a consensual qualitative research analysis of small group interviews with the engineering faculty, and a consensual qualitative research analysis of written responses from practicing engineers to an open-ended question about empathy and care. Thematic analyses of all three studies demonstrated that although empathy and care appear to have a place within engineering and engineering education – particularly given the current trends in engineering towards sustainability, team-oriented design work, and the renaissance engineer of tomorrow – it appears that conversations and awareness of these two constructs may not often be explicitly stated within the literature or frequently addressed by academic and professional engineers. Results from this study help define the role, benefits, and challenges of framing empathy and care within the engineering field. Our analysis and interpretation regarding how these findings parallel and depart from the existing conceptualizations of empathy and care is specified, and implications for engineers and the practice of engineering in general are discussed

Digital transformation of industrial organisations : A sociotechnical study on the role of leadership, structure and culture in achieving performance outcomes

In order to leverage the transformational possibilities of digital technology, digital transformation (DT) has become a strategic priority for industrial organisations. DT uses a mix of modern digital technologies and organisational strategies to facilitate significant business improvements. Recent studies have mostly concentrated on the technical components of DT or literatures reviews, while few conceptual and empirical studies have examined how industrial organisations are digitally transformed. This dissertation builds on the sociotechnical system perspective to answer the following question: How do industrial organisations prepare for DT? To address this question, four empirical research articles have been formulated to advance the knowledge on DT. By adopting a qualitative multiple case study method, this dissertation identifies the most important enablers of DT that help to achieve the targeted performance outcomes of the case organisations. This dissertation attempts to advance both theoretical and managerial understandings of DT by adopting a sociotechnical perspective and exploring an integrative approach for the successful DT of industrial organisations. The results of the study indicate that the case organisations’ main focus is on leadership roles and related competencies, changing organisational structures and organisational culture, which are the main enablers of successful DT. Further, the results show that the identified enablers help the case organisations to achieve organisational agility, customer centricity and enhanced collaboration, which are the main targeted performance outcomes of DT. In addition, the results emphasise that industrial organisations must jointly optimise their social and technical systems for DT in order to achieve the best results. Overall, this research demonstrates that a successful DT depends on how well industrial organisations readjust and update their organisational structures and organisational cultures to match the DT requirements. The role of leaders is vital in this change, and they must lead by example by adjusting their traditional style of leadership to match the DT requirements.Digitaalisesta transformaatiosta (DT) on tullut teollisten organisaatioiden strateginen prioriteetti, jotta ne voisivat hyötyä digitaalisen teknologian tarjoamista muutosmahdollisuuksista. DT yhdistää modernia digitaalista teknologiaa ja organisationaalista strategiaa merkittävien liiketoimintahyötyjen saavuttamiseksi. Viimeaikaiset tutkimukset ovat pääasiassa keskittyneet DT:n teknisiin osa-alueisiin tai ovat olleet kirjallisuuskatsauksia. On tehty vain muutamia käsiteellisiä ja empiirisiä tutkimuksia siitä, kuinka teolliset organisaatiot ovat digitaalisesti muuttuneet. Tämä väitöskirja vastaa sosioteknisen järjestelmän näkökulmasta seuraaviin kysymyksiin: Kuinka teolliset organisaatiot valmistautuvat DT:oon? Tähän kysymykseen vastauksena tehtiin neljä empiiristä tutkimusartikkelia edistämään ymmärrystä DT:sta. Käyttämällä kvalitatiivista monitapaustutkimusta, tämä väitöskirja tunnistaa tärkeimmät DT:n mahdollistajat, jotka auttavat tapausorganisaatioita saavuttamaan tavoitellut suoritustavoitteet. Tämä väitöskirja pyrkii edistämään ymmärrystä DT:sta sekä teorian että johtamisen kannalta, ottaen huomioon sosioteknisen näkökulman ja tutkimalla integroivaa lähestymistapaa menestyvään digitaaliseen transformaatioon teollisissa organisaatioissa. Tutkimuksen tulokset viittaavat siihen, että tapaustutkittujen organisaatioiden pääfokus on johtamisen rooleissa ja kompetensseissa, muuttuvissa organisaatiorakenteissa ja -kulttuureissa, jotka ovat pääasialliset menestyksekkään DT:n mahdollistajat. Lisäksi tulokset osoittavat, että tunnistetut muutoksen mahdollistajat auttavat tapaustutkimuksen organisaatioita saavuttamaan ketteryyttä, asiakaskeskeisyyttä ja tehostunutta yhteistyötä, jotka ovat DT:n tärkeimmät suoritustavoitteet. Lisäksi tulokset korostavat, että teollisten organisaatioiden on optimoitava oma sosiaalinen ja tekninen järjestelmänsä DT:ta varten saavuttaakseen parhaat tulokset. Tämä tutkimus osoittaa, että menestyksekäs DT on riippuvainen siitä, kuinka hyvin teolliset organisaatiot mukautuvat ja päivittävät organisaatiorakennettaan ja -kulttuuriaan ottamaan huomioon DT:n vaatimukset. Johdon rooli tässä muutoksessa on elintärkeä. Johtajien on johdettava esimerkin avulla muuttamalla perinteistä johtamistaan DT:n vaatimuksiin sopivaksi.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Hispanic First-Generation College Student Perceptions of University Support Programs

The purpose of this case study was to understand the Hispanic first-generation student perspectives on provided support programs at universities across the United States. Only 54% of Hispanic students graduate from public universities within six years, and the rates are drastically lower at private for-profit schools. Additionally, for those Hispanic students who do graduate from college, the chances of continuing to graduate school are slim, with only ten percent of Hispanic students enrolling in graduate school, compared to 64% of white students. With statistics such as these, universities need to create useful and valuable support systems for Hispanic students that will lead to higher graduation rates and the encouragement to further their education. The central question of the study was: How valuable do Hispanic first-generation students see university-provided support programs to be? The self-determination theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2017) guided the study. The study used a qualitative design, specifically, a single case study design, with multiple units of analysis. Journal prompts targeting open-ended questions, one-on-one interviews, and focus groups obtained the data. To analyze the data, manual coding and explanation building were utilized. The findings of the study revealed that Hispanic first-generation students are receiving most, if not all, of their supports from school organizations. The findings also revealed that a school’s orientation is a crucial support that is currently failing. Recommendations for future research include taking a closer look into the experience of students from underserved populations who attend a college that incorporates a valuable orientation process

Re(engineering) student success: constructing knowledge on students’ experiences in engineering education programs to encourage holistic student success

If a group of engineering deans were asked whether students at their institutions were successful and why, what information might they immediately or subconsciously use to measure or gauge the engineering students’ success? If only academic performance outcomes like GPA, individual course grades, or graduation rate race to their minds, then their rationale aligns with the majority of researchers. My research seeks to shift the mindset that frames engineering student success mainly within the boundaries of academic performance measures. By measuring students’ perceived autonomy, competence, social integration and relatedness within their programs, and aspirations after graduation, one can more accurately judge whether engineering students are achieving holistic student success. By utilizing surveys and exit interviews for freshmen Summer Bridge Program (SBP) participants, interviewing continuing and past SBP participants, and surveying engineering seniors, this research gathered more in-depth information on students’ experiences. In turn, one can better understand how the structures of engineering summer and undergraduate programs either contribute to or detract from student success and motivation. Results from SBP freshmen indicated that community building, structured studying, real-world experiences, residential life, and mentorship were perceived as valuable components by the students. Also, a perceived difficulty gap, based on students’ prior engineering experience(s), was uncovered. For continuing SBP students, there was an emphasis on Black community, leadership, and discourse when moving from SBP to larger departments. Lastly, within the seniors, we found that students tend to choose engineering careers regardless of their undergraduate experiences. This information can be used in practice for enhancing programmatic planning and design as well as potentially developing novel program components that contribute to students becoming more self-determined, motivated engineers. It is my hope that one day in the near future, engineering education faculty, administrators, and leaders will cultivate and measure success based on a more comprehensive assessment of lived experiences and better recognize how their decisions regarding programmatic structures impact students’ success and motivation

Re-structuring practice for sustainability: Learning from case studies

One of the biggest challenges in professional education today is to re-structure paradigms of practice to achieve higher-performing buildings and more livable communities. While great progress is being made in building performance research, there is often a great gap between research and practice. This paper is based on the idea that the typical highly resource-consuming development widely practiced today is a symptom of a deeper problem, which is an ineffective design process. To create sustainable buildings or communities, students and practitioners need a better model for incorporating empirical information into design. Three case studies in sustainable design can offer insights into the kind of design process needed to turn theories of sustainability into reality