Integrating a DfMA guideline matrix to facilitate value engineering workshops for construction projects

Conventional value engineering (VE) workshops face challenges in brainstorming effective ideas due to heavy reliance on personal expertise and the difficulty in fully considering downstream factors. In contrast, design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) emphasizes the proactive consideration of downstream issues through established guidelines. This paper proposes a systematic framework for integrating DfMA to facilitate VE workshops for construction projects. It starts with a comprehensive literature review to achieve the cross-sectoral learning of DfMA in the construction industry, resulting in the generalization of six construction-tailored DfMA principles. A DfMA guideline matrix (DfMA-GM) is developed by clarifying guidelines along two dimensions, offering a structured approach for their utilization in construction projects. Integrating the matrix into the VE process leads to the proposal of the DfMA-GM-supported VE workshop. The workshop acquires and utilizes the guidelines to facilitate idea generation, transforming the creativity phase into a guideline-driven process. The framework undergoes thorough validation, including application illustration, qualitative evaluation, and quantitative comparison. The findings reveal that the framework of integrating DfMA into VE workshops not only offers a rational and feasible strategy for construction projects but also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the idea generation with broad implications.