Leon, M (2015) Development of a computer mediated multidisciplinary design protocol and its application to the early architectural design stages. PhD thesis, Robert Gordon University, UK.
Abstract
Effective multidisciplinary design collaboration and increased effort during the feasibility and early design stages in architecture provide the greatest potential for added value and overall success of a built environment project, from the initial design to construction and operation of a building. This can be facilitated, supported and promoted through human-computer interactions' technologies that allow the integration of physical and digital realms. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the concept design processes assisted by computer mediation for bridging smoothly the pre Building Information Modelling stages and the concept development with the more advanced design stages in an efficient and effective way. For that purpose, an extensive literature review and a number of interviews with senior practitioners of the Architecture, Construction and Engineering industry assisted in clearly identifying the design workflow problems and drivers. Furthermore, concept design processes have been investigated and analysed and a Conceptual Design Stages Protocol was developed to guide design teams through the feasibility stages. The Protocol was further supported by an Information Technology environment for concept design; a design software applicable to a Tangible User Interface has been developed for benefitting multidisciplinary design teams from the haptic and visual experience, which is substantial for externalising, communicating and sharing ideas among them. Three different multidisciplinary studies were undertaken that tested both the current paradigm of concept stages and the proposed Conceptual Design Stages Protocol together with the computational design tool. Based on these results a number of conclusions were drawn, with the most important ones being the promotion of cognitive and conceptual activities due to the organised approach supported from the Conceptual Design Stages Protocol, the maturity of the concept ideas owning to the multidisciplinary approach and the importance of technology for promoting collaborative design and bridging different professional viewpoints. Overall, the research provided a deep understanding of the concept stage design processes and the effect of technology on design activities and it contributed in providing an enabling context for pre Building Information Modelling collaboration; hence, the research has the potential to improve the final design solutions for buildings, by making it possible for multidisciplinary teams to work collaboratively and to involve stakeholders more effectively at the early stages of the design process.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Laing Julian Pau, R A M |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | architect; building information modelling; collaboration; design process; information technology; integration; interview; professional; stakeholders; workflow |
| Index terms: | user interface, information technology, mediation, collaborative design, architectural design, built environment, literature review, workflow, multidisciplinary team, design team, design stage, early design stage, added value, building information modelling, design collaboration, conceptual design, human-computer interaction, integration, collaboration, concept design, practitioner, promotion, paradigm, design process, architect, interview |
| Subjects: | professional practice, practitioner, sociology, profession, human-computer interaction, information systems, computing systems, education and knowledge transfer, infrastructure and transport systems, organizational analysis, design practice, dispute resolution, economic analysis, design methods, data analysis and analytics, data collection methods, management, design process |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Research Practice, Digital Applications, Human Resources, Business Strategy, Design Practice, Organizational Design, Legal Issues, Roles and Professions, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here