Information visualisation for the wicked problem of safe construction design

Prevention through Design has been identified as an effective means to enhance construction safety. However, design professionals, clients and other stakeholders often have limited experience of construction processes. Although processes and tools have been advanced to support stakeholders, very few have been adopted in practice. The complexities inherent in designing for safe construction suggest this to be a wicked problem using criteria advanced by Rittel and Weber. Approaches advanced to solve wicked problems outside construction are not applicable for solving construction design problems, largely because they require that stakeholders expend an impractical amount of time and energy to arrive at amenable solutions. Instead, an approach that utilises information visualisation addresses criteria for wicked problem resolution. The promise of information visualisation for this wicked problem has been illustrated through a case study involving façade design. An infographic was generated following structured interviews with building designers and safety experts. A workshop involving 20 designers, engineers and safety experts demonstrated that the infographic prompted participants to identify risks not previously considered and stimulated discussion about mitigation or reduction. There was unanimous agreement that the information visualisation could feasibly be adopted within the construction industry's tight time and resource constraints.Prevention through Design has been identified as an effective means to enhance construction safety. However, design professionals, clients and other stakeholders often have limited experience of construction processes. Although processes and tools have been advanced to support stakeholders, very few have been adopted in practice. The complexities inherent in designing for safe construction suggest this to be a wicked problem using criteria advanced by Rittel and Weber. Approaches advanced to solve wicked problems outside construction are not applicable for solving construction design problems, largely because they require that stakeholders expend an impractical amount of time and energy to arrive at amenable solutions. Instead, an approach that utilises information visualisation addresses criteria for wicked problem resolution. The promise of information visualisation for this wicked problem has been illustrated through a case study involving façade design. An infographic was generated following structured interviews with building designers and safety experts. A workshop involving 20 designers, engineers and safety experts demonstrated that the infographic prompted participants to identify risks not previously considered and stimulated discussion about mitigation or reduction. There was unanimous agreement that the information visualisation could feasibly be adopted within the construction industry's tight time and resource constraints.