Lundkvist, R; Meiling, J and Vennström, A (2010) Digitalization of inspection data: A means for enhancing learning and continuous improvements? In: Egbu, C (ed.) Proceedings of 26th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-8 September 2010, Leeds, UK.
Abstract
According to Total Quality Management (TQM), Lean Production and Six Sigma literature, companies should develop organizational arrangements that foster learning from experience and base decisions on facts, since continuous improvements require continuous experience feedback in some form. In Sweden every construction project is checked in several inspections, and data about defects are collected in paper-based “punch lists”, but what happens to these data after the defects have been corrected and the building is delivered to the client? This study describes the current inspection regime in terms of the scope it provides for collecting experience feedback in the Swedish construction industry, and evaluates the extent to which Swedish construction companies recognize this scope. Empirically, it is based on a survey of the views of field superintendents in medium-sized to large building/construction contractors regarding the use of inspection data as a source of experience feedback in their respective companies. The results show that contractors are generally aware that inspection data can provide valuable information for experience feedback and constant improvements, but currently they do not have systems or processes for feeding back experience from inspections. The possibility of replacing paper-based punch lists with a digital system to process and access inspection data is discussed, which it is proposed could provide a means for improving organizational experience feedback-based learning among construction contractors.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | automation; information technology; inspection; knowledge-based system; quality |
| Index terms: | automation, construction contractor, construction industry, information technology, construction project, continuous improvement, knowledge-based system, inspection, lean production, construction company, survey, Sweden, six sigma, total quality management, digitalization |
| Subjects: | quality assurance, industry analysis, performance measurement, manufacturing engineering, Geography, production management, automation and robotics, digital technology, evaluation methods, artificial intelligence, organization, data collection methods, practitioner, computing systems |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Digital Applications, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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