Ng, M S; Graser, K and Hall, D M (2023) Digital fabrication, BIM and early contractor involvement in design in construction projects: A comparative case study. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 19(1), pp. 39-55. ISSN 1745-2007
Abstract
Digital Fabrication (DFAB) is a systemic innovation with low adoption rates in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) projects. Managing requirements of a new design process is one major challenge for the increased DFAB adoption. For other types of innovations, practices such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) improve design management by integrating process, information and organisation in construction projects. In theory, BIM and ECI could improve design management and increase the adoption of DFAB. However, the relationship between DFAB, BIM and ECI has not yet been studied thoroughly. There is a need to understand new paradigms of DFAB design management in regard to process integration, information integration and organisational integration. This study undertakes a comparative study of four DFAB adoptions in AEC projects with varying levels of BIM and ECI implementation. The design processes of DFAB are traced using swimlane process diagrams. From this, relationships between DFAB, BIM, and ECI are derived using a quadripartite interrelationship diagram. This work illustrates the proposed relationships in DFAB adoption in design using a fishbone diagram. This work concludes with potential future research in design management for digital fabrication, including five takeaways for practitioners to adopt and manage DFAB in the design process of construction projects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | BIM; comparative case study; design management; digital fabrication; early contractor involvement |
| Index terms: | design management, construction project, digital fabrication, information integration, design process, implementation, case study, building information modelling, comparative study, systemic innovation, practitioner, paradigm, early contractor involvement, integration |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, practitioner, production management, management, organizational analysis, design methods, research design and methodology, contractual arrangements, information systems, design process, education and knowledge transfer |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Digital Applications, Procurement, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Project Management, Business Strategy, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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