Swallow, M and Zulu, S (2024) Enhancing collaboration and engagement using virtual reality within site safety planning. Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law, 177(4), pp. 223-231. ISSN 17514304
Abstract
For construction managers’ effective collaboration, communication and engagement during safety planning is essential to improve on-site efficiency and reduce risks. While the use of virtual reality (VR) has gained increased global attention in the past decade, the documentation of practical applications during active construction projects in the UK remains underdeveloped. Specifically, this includes the use of VR within on-site construction logistics management processes and its potential impacts on multidisciplinary collaboration and engagement. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the use of VR during practical safety and plant logistics planning workshops to capture real-world examples. Collaborating with a UK-based construction contractor, this study collected qualitative data over a series of planning workshops during a live project, involving 15 site team members of varying disciplines. Data collection included direct observations and focus groups, with the data analysed using a hybrid thematic analysis method. The results provided evidence of effective and accurate plant logistics planning with working practical examples, indicating that the use of VR had a positive impact on interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement. The results showed that the inclusion of VR tools also encouraged knowledge transfer between project teams, which led to improved confidence and engagement when conducting planning activities.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction management; health & safety; logistics |
| Index terms: | documentation, focus group, virtual reality, construction logistics, evidence, knowledge transfer, project team, construction contractor, interdisciplinary collaboration, construction project, logistics planning, thematic analysis, construction manager, direct observation, workshop, collaboration, efficiency |
| Subjects: | professional development, practitioner, project delivery, construction logistics, research design and methodology, methods and analysis, virtual reality, management, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, profession, performance management, logistics planning, research dissemination and communication, production management, construction type |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Project Management, Organizational Design, Roles and Professions, Information Management, Supply Chain Management, Construction Technology, Digital Applications, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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