Information technology as boundary object for transformational learning

Collaborative work is considered as a way to improve productivity and value generation in construction. However, recent research demonstrates that socio-cognitive factors related to fragmentation of specialized knowledge may hinder team performance. New methods based on theories of practice are emerging in Computer Supported Collaborative Work and organisational learning to break these knowledge boundaries, facilitating knowledge sharing and the generation of new knowledge through transformational learning. According to these theories, objects used in professional practice play a key role in mediating interactions. Rules and methods related to these practices are also embedded in these objects. Therefore changing collaborative patterns demand reconfiguring objects that are at the boundary between specialized practices, namely boundary objects. This research is unique in presenting an IT strategy in which technology is used as a boundary object to facilitate transformational learning in collaborative design work

Le rôle des objets-frontières dans l’apprentissage et la performance d’équipes d’étudiants travaillant à des projets de conception de bâtiments

La pédagogie universitaire et le monde du travail sont tous deux influencés par les technologies de l’information. Dans le domaine de la conception de bâtiments durables, ces technologies servent d’objets-frontières, c’est-à-dire d’interfaces qui facilitent les interactions et le partage des connaissances nécessaires au travail multidisciplinaire. Fondé sur les théories de l’apprentissage social et de l’action située ainsi que sur des données probantes issues de plusieurs domaines dont la gestion de projet, l’architecture, l’ingénierie civile, l’ingénierie des systèmes et la conception participative, cet article présente un réseau nomologique illustrant les relations entre des phénomènes individuels et collectifs en jeu au sein d’une équipe de projet et qui déterminent l’apprentissage groupal et la performance d’un projet. Il en résulte un corpus de connaissances utiles aux pédagogues ainsi que six hypothèses vérifiables que les chercheurs peuvent tester.University pedagogy and the world of work are both influenced by information technologies. In the field of design for sustainable construction, these technologies are used as boundary objects, which means as interfaces driving interactions and knowledge sharing required for multidisciplinary work. Based on social learning and situated action theories, and on convincing data coming from multiple domains such as project management, architecture, civil engineering, system engineering, and participatory design, this article presents a nomological network illustrating relationships between individual and collective phenomena in play within a project team, and which determine group learning and project performance. This results into a useful body of knowledge for teachers and six verifiable hypotheses that researchers can test

Qualitative analysis of Request For Information to identify design flaws in steel construction projects

Request for information (RFI) is a formal process used in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry to address design flaws that affect communication between designers and contractors. A large number of RFIs are a sign of a lack of precision or coordination in the design documents. However, RFIs produce rich, precise, and structured information. Analyzing their content can help to identify recurring problems between designers and construction teams and better tailor future projects to the working context of the contractors. This article presents a method for identifying recurring issues during the design phase of steel construction projects through the analysis of the contents of RFIs. It is original in using a qualitative content analysis tool that can analyze large quantities of RFIs rapidly. Identifying the recurrent problems of contractors will allow the establishment of rules to be taken into consideration during the design phase of future steel construction projects. A case study of 26 steel construction projects demonstrates the feasibility of this method. This case study shows that, given the same designers and construction teams, recurring problems shown in RFIs do not differ according to the scale of the projects. In this case, the main issue between designers and contractors is the lack and inadequate presentation of information related to the connection of steel components. Identifying these problems can pave the way for initiatives to improve the design phase and can be an essential step in making contractors’ knowledge available to designers early in the projects

Use of collaborative platform to facilitate informal design communication: a case study

Construction projects are becoming increasingly complex and multidisciplinary; they involve a constant exchange and coordination of information between different specialists and stakeholders. There is a lack of tools to support the informal collaborative activity in situ and remotely [1]. This research aims to introduce a new remote synchronous e-platform to the architectural design team to bridge the gap of work between office and construction site. The paper presents two experimentations conducted in offices and on-site. Notwithstanding technical issues resulting from an unstable Internet connection during the experiments, results show the tool’s potential to improve communication between teams, especially for teams on construction sites. The implementation of the tool requires a clear work protocol and efforts to convince other stakeholders

BREAKING SOCIO-COGNITIVE BARRIERS TO VALUE GENERATION IN INTEGRATED TEAMS

ABSTRACT Value generation is defined as meeting client requirements while minimizing waste. Authors agree on the issues related to sequential design in handling client requirements, and suggest the use of an integrated Design approach as an alternative. Little is said, however, about the impact of adopting integrated Design new organization of work on traditional design practice, processes and tools, and about the importance of breaking down socio-cognitive barriers related to mental model fragmentation between design professionals, clients and users. This may result in cognitive inertia, a major source of waste. The objective of the research is to develop and test the use of boundary objects, such as requirement management tools in the context of integrated teams and organizations to break the cognitive inertia that hinders value generation. The research is conclusive about the effectiveness of using boundary objects such as a requirement management construct to transform practices in construction. The research also contributes to a better understanding of the new purpose of construction projects by framing its context and process dimensions within a theoretical framework, and to the evolution of practices in construction. KEY WORDS integrated design, value management, activity theory, boundary artefact

BIM MATURITY ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT TEAM SELECTION

Abstract: To implement BIM in a construction project successfully, all the project participants as BIM users must have minimum BIM capabilities. Before any project starts, assessing BIM capabilities of project stakeholders is a concern for construction clients. The main problem of public clients regarding BIM is that they have no mechanism to ensure that the key participants, they hire for a BIM project, have the minimum capabilities (i.e. BIM Infrastructure, processes and qualified resources) to participate in design and delivery of the project. The high variability of firms' readiness to work with BIM may impose a high cost for the client and other mature members of the supply chain. Therefore, construction clients need a way to ensure minimum BIM maturity of participants, such as a maturity audit to assess BIM competency of potential project team members. From a client's perspective, "minimum BIM qualification" means "minimum capability to use BIM". The current BIM maturity models try to assess BIM capabilities level of firms, but lack BIM uses assessment. This research proposes a prototype that focuses on capability of firms in specific BIM uses, while measuring their general BIM capabilities. The research methodology is based on an iterative literature review followed by focus group discussions. Through literature review, the researchers propose BIM platform maturity model. Then, BIM experts discuss on possible improvements. It is expected that by using this model, construction clients may achieve more BIM benefits, i.e. reduced cost, time, and increased quality of project, through selection of BIM-qualified project team members

Transformer le secteur de la construction par le numérique : un chantier ambitieux et nécessaire

L’industrie de la construction joue un rôle prépondérant dans l’économie. Malgré son importance, elle fut longtemps décrite comme moins productive et innovante que d’autres secteurs. Depuis quelques années, cette situation semble changer et plusieurs acteurs reconnaissent la nécessité d’innover pour assurer la compétitivité des entreprises. De nouvelles formes de travail émergent grâce à l’introduction de technologies telles que la modélisation des données du bâtiment (BIM), la réalité virtuelle et augmentée, la préfabrication, les objets intelligents, la fabrication additive, les technologies portables, l’automatisation, la robotisation, etc. Au Québec, plusieurs grandes entreprises ont déjà adopté certaines de ces technologies, mais leur mise en œuvre reste encore embryonnaire, en particulier chez les petites entreprises. Selon nombre d’experts, l’utilisation des technologies doit être encouragée afin de créer une véritable transformation numérique de la construction au Québec. Ce chapitre propose une courte analyse de cette transformation et des pistes d’intervention pour le contexte québécois, à partir des tendances observées au niveau international

Fluorescence studies on new potential antitumoral benzothienopyran-1-ones in solution and in liposomes

Fluorescence properties of four new potential antitumoral compounds, 3-arylbenzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-ones, were studied in solution and in lipid membranes of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (Egg-PC) and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB). The 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-one (1c) exhibits the higher fluorescence quantum yields in all solvents studied. All compounds present a solvent sensitive emission, with significant red shifts in polar solvents for the methoxylated compounds. The results point to an ICT character of the excited state, more pronounced for compound 1c. Fluorescence (steady-state) anisotropy measurements of the compounds incorporated in liposomes of DPPC, DODAB and Egg-PC indicate that all compounds have two different locations, one due to a deep penetration in the lipid membrane and another corresponding to a more hydrated environment. In general, the methoxylated compounds prefer hydrated environments inside the liposomes. The 3-(4- fluorophenyl)benzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-one (1a) clearly prefers a hydrated environment, with some molecules located at the outer part of the liposome interface. On the contrary, the preferential location of 3-(2-fluorophenyl)benzothieno[2,3-c]pyran-1-one (1b) is in the region of lipid hydrophobic tails. Compounds with a planar geometry (1a and 1c) have higher mobility in the lipid membranes when phase transition occurs.Portugal and FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional), for financial support through Centro de Física (CFUM) and Centro de Química (CQ-UM) of University of Minho and through the Project PTDC/QUI/81238/2006. M.S.D. Carvalho and R.C. Calhelha acknowledge FCT for their PhD grants SFRH/BD/47052/2008 and SFRH/BD/29274/2006, respectively.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT