Learning from defects in the UK housing sector using action research: a case study of a housing association

Purpose: Maximising the benefit of learning from defects is regarded by UK housing associations (HAs) as a key opportunity to meet their challenges of building more homes with reduced government funding and rent incomes. Despite learning from defects being a frequent recommendation to reduce defects in the construction literature, there is scarce empirical evidence into how HAs actually learn from defects. This research aims to better understand how HAs learn from past defects and induce change to reduce defects. Design/methodology/approach: Guided by organisational learning (OL) as the theoretical lens, a 21-month action research (AR) project explored one HA’s defects management and learning processes. Findings: OL has the potential to reduce defects in new homes but is a secondary task which is reliant on a defects management team analysing defect data to identify priority areas. As such, learning from defects can be reduced due to peaks in workload if data analysis is a manual process. . Furthermore, a dual learning approach plays a significant role for HA’s learning consisting of designing out defects (codification) supported by networking (personalisation) to tackle issues of workmanship on site and those defects that cannot be designed out. Originality/value: This study demonstrates OL has the potential to reduce defects in new homes but is a secondary task in HA’s practice; and highlights the practical challenges of academia and industry co-production in AR in construction

A soft systems methodology approach to the improvement of a housing association’s defects management and learning systems

Rapid growth in the production of new homes in the United Kingdom (UK) is putting build quality under pressure as evidenced by rising numbers of defects. Housing Associations (HAs) contribute approximately 20% to the UK’s housing supply. HAs are experiencing challenges of central government funding cuts and rental revenue reductions. Maximising the benefit of learning from defects is recognised as being a key opportunity for HAs to help meet these challenges. This paper explores how a HA is introducing change to improve the way they learn from past defects in an effort to reduce the prevalence of defects in future new homes. Soft systems methodology was used to assist a HA who were intent on making such change, but were unable to identify a clear improvement opportunity. The findings identify a significant mismatch between what the HA’s system should be doing to enable the HA to manage and learn from defects and the current situation. The mismatch has revealed to the HA that a modification to their information system is necessary to improve performance and enhance learning via live data analysis and reporting. This research is ongoing and the HA is currently in the ‘taking action’ stage

Listening

In this paper we reflect on the kind of listening that happens in research whilst taking part in a keep fit group and getting sweaty, that pushes us to ask an interviewee 'Are you alright?' and haunts us when the project is over. This is the kind of listening that weaves through, around and beyond what is immediately heard, including the unspoken, the articulateness of objects and the listening that comes through participating. The paper stems from a project concerned with how people live, experience and manage cultural diversity and ethnic difference in their everyday lives in urban England. Divided into two sections, the first part introduces our methods that included participant observation, interviews and repeat in-depth discussion group meetings. The second reflects on our experiences of listening whilst doing, explores feelings that mediate listening and considers the time involved in listening

Milton Keynes City Infill study; technical report

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Milton Keynes local plan Proposals maps (proposed changes): list of proposed changes: second deposit draft

Folder containing two booklets and maps; Local plan relating to these booklets and maps held at m02/38018SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m02/38019 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Sustainability appraisal of the Milton Keynes local plan Deposit version

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Vision & aims A discussion paper

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City infill & expansion

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Development strategy A discussion paper

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Rural issues A discussion paper

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