Disseminating project learning in contracting firms

The construction industry is highly competitive with its clients demanding continuous improvement and highly innovative construction projects that are delivered to key performance indicators such as less time, reduced costs, high quality and fewer accidents. Capturing and disseminating lessons learned is one way of fostering project learning which in turn can contribute positively to continuous improvement. This paper proposes a roadmap that can foster project learning by addressing the challenges of capturing useful lessons learned and disseminating these in an effective manner. The data collection was done in three stages. Firstly a questionnaire survey was sent to the top 122 UK construction contractors to understand current lessons learned practices; this included what the processes were, why they were used, how they were carried out, their usefulness and the perceived barriers to dissemination. Secondly, nine interviews were undertaken to gain a more detailed understanding of companies’ lessons learned practices and the challenges experienced. The interviewees consisted of individuals based in the head offices of construction contractor organisations with responsibility for lessons learned practices. These respondents therefore provided the corporate view of what the organisations did. Thirdly, three focus group interviews where held with site based project teams. This provided a comparison between the corporate views and what happened on construction sites. The roadmap proposed addresses the needs of both corporate and site teams for (1) identifying what is relevant, (2) the processes that should be adopted, (3) the content and format of lessons learned, (4) the types of repositories, (5) the dissemination mechanisms and (6) the feedback loops. Each of these stages is accompanied by checklists to provide examples of typical tools

When will we learn? Improving lessons learned practice in construction

Purpose: The aim of the research is to improve lessons learned practices within construction contractor organisations. This will result in contractors' project teams having access to the most relevant lessons at the most appropriate time, in the most appropriate format. Scope: The research was based on the responses of 41 large UK contractor organisations to a questionnaire survey, detailed interviews with nine companies and three focus groups. The respondents were senior and middle managers variously involved in business improvement, knowledge management, and technical services. Results: The questionnaire survey identified methods, tools and processes used to collect lessons learned. The interviews and the focus groups uncovered the diverging requirements of corporate vs. site-based staff. The data contributed to the development of a project learning model and a conceptual model from which a Project Learning Roadmap was derived to support business leaders to improve their project lessons learned processes. This will enable organisations to develop individual solutions tailored to stakeholders' needs

Applying a longitudinal tracer methodology to evaluate complex interventions in complex settings

Long-running multi-faceted intervention studies are particularly problematic in large and complex organizations where traditional methods prove too resource intensive and can yield inaccurate and incomplete findings. This paper describes the first use of, longitudinal tracer methodology (LTM), a realist approach to evaluation, to examine the links between multiple complex intervention activities (intervention processes) and their outcomes on a construction megaproject. LTM is especially useful when the researcher has little control over intervention delivery but has access to evidence drawn from a variety of sources to evaluate the effects of intervention activities over time. There are, however, very few examples of how this methodology can be successfully deployed in complex organisational settings and none on a construction megaproject. In this paper we present a case study of its use over a period of three years, on 24 construction sites forming London’s Thames Tideway Tunnel (Tideway) megaproject. The aim of the study was to examine the ‘transformational’ power of occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions as they played out across the multiple organisations and supply chains that constituted the megaproject. The case study shows how, with careful design, the method can be adapted in-flight to accommodate shifting lines of inquiry as the intervention activities progress and change. This feature of the method, along with its resource efficient operation, make it a particularly attractive option where interventions are likely to have differential effects across multiple sites of enactment

Is the longbow better than the crossbow? Emerging issues from mobilising a longitudinal study on a megaproject

Longitudinal studies of occupational safety and health (OSH) outcomes in construction projects are rarely conducted, due to the financial, practical and ethical difficulties of studying people, projects, and organisations over extended periods of time. Traditionally, OSH research in the construction industry is cross-sectional – where a ‘snapshot’ is taken, often with a retrospective view. The focus of this paper is the mobilisation of a longitudinal research study investigating OSH policy in an eight-year infrastructure megaproject in the UK. The research examines implementation of the project’s “transformational” OSH strategy, in order to develop new understandings of the effectiveness of OSH interventions. The research design uses a “strategy as practice” lens and traces the various strands of OSH policy, from development to their adoption as practice. The research context is complex, due to the complicated contractual arrangements. The research design incorporates a rarely used “tracer” methodology. During the mobilisation phase of the research project, several challenges were identified, including interpretation and implementation of this tracer methodology, coping with a large team of researchers, obtaining ethics approval and establishing the governance structure, deployment of the team to the site, ensuring consistency in the data collection, managing data sets, and the reliability of the coding. The methodology adopted is time-consuming, and the very large data sets that are generated need to be managed. Complex research project management structures and processes are required, which would not be needed for traditional cross-sectional studies. Sufficient time needs to be allowed at the start of such research projects, in order to put the necessary systems in place. The paper will be of interest to OSH researchers and those contemplating longitudinal studies, particularly those employing a tracer approach

Real world lessons that can assist construction organisations in implementing BIM to improve the OSH processes

Changing the way OSH management is performed with BIM is relevant. Several authors propose that real world cases need to be studied as there are few examples of studies covering BIM implementation for OSH. The UK PAS1192:6 introductory standard indicated some of the requisites and approaches to implementing BIM for OSH. Lessons from projects that have already implemented PAS 1192:6 will provide valuable inputs. This paper explores the stakeholders’ perceptions about benefits and barriers of adoption of BIM for OSH purposes using examples from a complex large project (Thames Tideway Tunnel). The methodology adopted was a survey of 39 project participants. The study focused on the following areas: collaboration, risk assessment, training and awareness, inspection of workplaces, work accidents, budget control, error detection, liaison between logistics and productivity. The implementation of the new BIM based approach to construction OSH management in this project shows that there is a very positive vision, namely in areas of risk assessment and training, in terms of the improvement of OSH management as well as of optimization of times and costs, better liaison between OSH and production, with increased production efficiency. This can potentially lead to a paradigm shift in OSH management in large projects.</p

Improving project learning: a new approach to lessons learnt

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on research which has developed a new approach to capturing project-based learning. Design/methodology/approach – Action research was employed as part of a longitudinal single organization case study. Findings – Project learning processes can be improved by using an event-based approach to project knowledge integration that propagates duetero-learning. The approach developed generates outputs that codify lessons learnt and promotes measurement of benefits. The event and the outputs, in effect, take the form of “boundary objects” which act as a bridge or means of translation between the participants, as well as to those who will use the learning to improve their own project practice on other projects. Research limitations/implications – The approach has only been applied within a single support services organization, but could provide a way of overcoming the considerable difficulties inherent in capturing lessons learned within project-based environments. Practical implications – The approach helps to overcome the key issues of obtaining management and staff buy-in, and dealing with the time pressures that exist in project-based environments. The outputs can be applied to encourage learning across projects and wider communities resulting in improved practice. Originality/value – The process uses the concept of boundary objects to explain how some of the problems arising when complex abstract concepts are involved can be overcome, particularly in increasing understanding and buy-in from the actors involved. Viewing learning events as boundary objects sees them as mediating information across project boundaries, between project practitioners and across business units. The event process can be adapted for a variety of scenarios and used by an organization or group of organizations to improve and apply learning more successfully

BIM4OSH Observatory: Central repository to monitor the status of BIM implementation for OSH – purposed architecture

Key Technological Developments (KTDs), in recent years, have led to a step change in dealing with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) risk management. Building Information Modelling (BIM), part of a wider trend of applying digital technology in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation (AECO) sector, has the potential to optimize the management of risks and costs of accidents at work and occupational diseases. Understanding the way OSH management can be improved using BIM is important as new processes and standards need to be created and existing procedures adapted. Currently there is no centralized sharing mechanism where countries, companies or projects can share lessons learned to help their implementation. Furthermore, there is no formal mechanism to observe and monitor trends and dynamics in the use of BIM for OSH at National, European or industry levels. Digital4OSH is a research group comprised of multidisciplinary academics and industry partners whose aim is to encourage the use of KTDs to improve OSH outcomes. Following a pilot study carried in a complex infrastructure megaproject in UK, this group proposes the development of an Observatory to overcome these gaps. The Observatory would be built on a web-based platform that can be used to obtain statistical longitudinal OSH data and provide information about the progress of national and European implementation of BIM for OSH (through dashboards); to capture, centralize and share (through factsheets) lessons learned from previous projects; to create a repository of technical and scientific information. </p

Lessons from implementation of Key Technological Developments to improve occupational safety and health processes in a complex UK-based construction project

The use of new Key Technological Developments to transform the way Occupational Safety and Health is managed is now becoming a viable option for contractors to consider. These developments can be used to modify the traditional approaches to Occupational Safety and Health to minimize the risks and costs associated with accidents at work and occupational diseases. The research reported in this paper aims to examine the benefits, barriers and challenges associated with the introduction of new digital information technologies in Occupational Safety and Health settings. A longitudinal case study of a complex construction project based in the United Kingdom is reported, which will be used to identify practical solutions and guidelines that can assist organisations in the adoption of these technologies. The lessons learned, both positive and negative, from this project are shared to provide valuable insights to the wider construction industry. The main focus is in the following areas: training; risks identification; site planning. The results of the study can be used to optimise how Health and Safety risks are managed in non-United Kingdom construction projects. The main benefits from this is the resulting productivity gains which can improve project outcomes significantly.</p