Collinge W H, H C F (2013) Evolving designs and stakeholder contributions to the briefing process. In: Smith, S D and Ahiaga-Dagbui, D D (eds.) Proceedings of 29th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2013, Reading, UK.
Abstract
This paper examines how client stakeholders engage with a project in the briefing phase through the artefacts of design. The significance of stakeholder engagement and interpretation of evolving designs is emphasized by empirical evidence drawn from a research study into hospital construction project briefing and design practices. The paper reflects that whilst both the NHS client and hospital design teams attempt to “engage” and “understand” stakeholders, stakeholders have the capacity to interpret designs with their own cognitive understandings. The semiotic theories of Roland Barthes and Umberto Eco concerning the role of author and reader of signs and lexicons of knowledge provide a supportive analytical framework for the insights of the paper. It is noted that whilst the constitution of the client and the parameters of a project affect stakeholder management practices, the role of evolving design artefacts and stakeholder engagement and interpretation of them should be recognised. Stakeholders relate to a project via the artefacts of design, interpreting issues against personal individual understandings that may be different to those of construction professionals or externally appointed project advisors. The paper makes the case for more inclusive participatory design initiatives to embrace diverse and insightful stakeholder opinions and interpretations.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | briefing; hospitals; semiotics; stakeholders |
| Index terms: | construction professional, participatory design, evidence, stakeholder engagement, artefact, healthcare building construction, analytical framework, project briefing, briefing, stakeholder management practice, design practice, design team |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, professional practice, participation process, scope management, design methods, community and social dimensions, evaluation and assessment methods, sociology, building construction, design process, professional development |
| Topics: | Stakeholder Management, Information Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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