Challenges in the digital transformation of lean design methods: A case study

Lean design, a major lean construction focus, entails various relative methods currently being practically implemented. Among them, Project Studio (PS) has been utilized since 2011 by a major Swedish contractor, to facilitate and standardize the design process; PS promotes the face-to-face communication and collaboration of designers within the same working space, by using visual analogue tools, fostering creativity, and facilitating mutual learning. Following the digitalization paradigm shift in the construction industry, the aforementioned contractor sought to digitally transform existing flows, processes and tools, as part of its operational strategy. This course of action included PS, which was digitalized in 2017 via cloud applications seeking to optimize its performance, increase schedule availability, and facilitate the question-answer handling outside of the PS room. In the current paper, a case study emanating from observing an in-company competence course was conducted, in order to critically analyse the digital transformation of PS. Methodologically, a systems theory approach is adopted, augmented with the obtainment and analysis of qualitative field data, and supported by a preliminary targeted literature review using the concept-centric framework. While it was noted that some benefits were indeed brought about (e.g. higher detail of deliverables and remote access capabilities), the major results of this analysis were rather alarming. The critical observations showed a large variation on the understanding and utilization of the cloud tools (which in themselves could not adequately replace any of the PS existing working methodologies), more time-consuming meetings, frequent misinterpretation of digitally exchanged information, mobility reduction in the PS room, and stakeholder dislocation. These results tie with the general discussion of the possibly negligent way of introducing and utilizing digitalization within construction (following the current hype), the largely unfounded perception that digital tools make processes self-propelled, and the still existent unavoidable discrepancies emanating from the disassociation between developers and implementers.