ImaginationLancaster

In recent years many efforts had taken place in order to develop process and IT maps within the construction sector. However, the subject of co-maturation between IT and the process has not been given enough attention. This has resulted in the development of impractical solutions because of an apparent lack of balance between the IT and process capabilities. For
instance, some organisations in the construction sector have adopted the rapid prototyping concept which is widely used within the manufacturing sector without even investing in 3D modelling and VR technologies which are the most appropriate for this task. Paradoxically, some organisations have invested in these technologies, but rapid prototyping is non existent.
This paper addresses the issue of co-maturation between the process and IT in order to establish a balanced profile. The work is based on the CMM (Capability Maturity Model) model which was developed by the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in order to develop software for the US government, particularly to be used by the Department of Defence. The CMM is a five-level model which include ad-hoc, repeatable, defined, managed and optimised stages. The model is designed so that capabilities at lower stages provide progressively stronger foundations for higher stages, reducing the change management risks. Each development stage - or “maturity level” distinguishes an organisation’s process or IT capability.
This paper builds on the work achieved within the generic design and construction process protocol (GDCPP) which is being undertaken at the University of Salford. The main contribution of this paper is a conceptual model of co-maturation between IT and process. A synchronised IT/process model will be presented and discussed. This model is being developed through knowledge obtained form the industrial collaborators of the GDCPP
project.

Keywords: Process, IT, Maturity, Map, Capability Maturity Model

Sir Michael Latham (1994) published a report, which identified fragmentation and confrontational relationships as the greatest barriers to improving quality and productivity in the UK
construction industry. The lead bodies for change in the UK Construction Industry e.g. the Construction Research and Innovation Strategy Panel (CRISP); the Construction Productivity Network (CPN) and Construct IT; the lead implementation body for the DETR (Department of the Environment, Transport and the
Regions) on Construction Information Technology; and the construction task force, have been calling for roadmaps for the purposes of alignment and identifying the direction for change. Such roadmaps have been called for in terms of Process and Construction IT. It was recognised that manufacturing industry is not as plagued with such problems having introduced
a number of improvement initiatives over the past twenty years. One such improvement that has been adopted is the stage gate approach to new product development (NPD). This approach enabled progressive management and monitoring of the ‘whole project’ lifecycle for all activities involved in the product
development. The applicability and adaptability of manufacturing principles and practises into a construction environment has been examined in the past form a ‘production’ viewpoint (Koskela 1992). This approach could prove beneficial to the UK construction industry. However, the applicability of such principles from a ‘whole’ project view, similar to manufacturing NPD has not been widely examined. This paper summarises the main findings of a funded project, which involved a number of industrial partners from the whole spectrum of the UK construction industry. The main aim of the project was to develop
a construction process, which adopts and adapts the manufacturing NPD principles. The authors present maps for Construction IT and for a Generic Design and Construction Process Protocol (GDCPP), the latter of which has been adopted by CRISP and is currently under implementation as a complete process as well as providing a framework for benchmarking and procurement.

This report sets out the main fi ndings of a review developed for the Foresight Project on
Mental Capital and Wellbeing. The aim was to understand and identify how the physical
environment impacts mental capital and wellbeing.
Data was gathered through an extensive review of 280 academic articles about the physical
environment and its direct and indirect impacts on learning, mental health, work, learning
diffi culties and mental capital. The review is multi-disciplinary in focus and multi-level
in nature, from the small-scale level (e.g. light, noise) to the large scale (e.g. urban
neighbourhood, rural area).
The following main issues were identifi ed:
The signifi cant factors contributing to mental capital and wellbeing relate to our
sensory stimulation - that is, what we see, smell, touch, taste and hear.
Noise and light are signifi cant intervening variables for all the Foresight
Challenges, as is the quality of the fabric of the built environment, which affects
our visual and tactile senses and our sense of safety.
Layout and wayfi nding impact our sense of safety and contentedness.
Access to nature and the ‘natural’ are signifi cant contributors to individual
mental capital and wellbeing.
Designers and developers who create our cities and buildings, and those who
manage and maintain them, should refer to the evidence available and use it to
design and manage the environment better for mental capital and wellbeing.

Purpose – Designers and planners in the UK are being asked by government to address
sustainability. This paper seeks to explore how such issues can be addressed with the urban design
process. From the literature, it is unclear when specific sustainability issues should be addressed, who
actually makes decisions and what influences them, or how different stakeholders are engaged.
Design/methodology/approach – A case study is presented, focusing on the early stages of an
urban design and redevelopment process taking place in a deprived region of the UK. Interviews with
key decision-makers and observations were conducted and subsequently analysed using content
analysis.
Findings – The findings show that the process adopted by clients and consultants was relatively
similar to that identified by the literature. The importance of creating a sustainable community, and of
addressing deprivation and poor services was recognised from the outset. Sustainability was referred
to in the briefing to select a team of consultants to develop a vision and regeneration framework.
However, specific problems related to sustainability, such as crime and poor health, were not
communicated through the briefing documents, for fear of deterring private investment. Indeed, the
need to attract private investment was a key aspect of early stage of the urban design process.
Originality/value – This paper highlights potential difficulties of addressing sustainability at the
early stage of the design process, when private sector backing is such a crucial component of the
regeneration.
Keywords Urban areas, Design and development, Decision making, Sustainable design, Regeneration
Paper type Research paper

The urban design process must be transformed and improved if various stakeholders wish to create sustainable urban environments. Although the UK Government and other influential bodies have written many reports recently about the intimate relationship between urban design and sustainability, much more needs to be done to demonstrate how, when and where sustainability is embedded in the urban design process. There is also a need to understand who the decision makers are within
this process and what influences their decisions. A clear picture of how the urban design decision-making process works from start to finish, and how sustainability is embedded within this process, can help to achieve the goals and objectives of urban sustainability in the 24-hour city. This paper begins by defining urban design and describing the urban design process, highlighting the major stages and the general tasks involved at each stage. Sustainability and urban sustainable development are briefly discussed next. The final section indicates, through
case study research comprising the VivaCity2020 project,
where sustainability may be embedded within the urban
design process.

Organizational learning has been widely acknowledged as holding the key for companies to survive and prosper and has, in recent years, gained currency in construction management research. Much research centred upon the study of organizational learning as a process, as well as the view and understanding of companies as learning organizations. However, non-construction management researchers have recently begun to recognize the incoherence of the concepts presented in the literature and identified a lack of a solid theoretical and empirical foundation. To further exacerbate the challenge of embracing organizational learning in construction, the industry is largely project-based, thus increasing the difficulties for organizational learning to occur. Past research into organizational learning has also mainly concentrated on an intra-organizational perspective and where construction is specifically concerned, on project partnering. However, we regard such a focus to be myopic as a means of exploring organizational learning at the construction project level. As such, a number of research challenges are recommended including the need to examine organizational learning beyond project partnering; an emphasis on the inter-organizational dynamics involved in both the process and outcomes of organizational learning and the investigation of construction projects as learning networks.

The Trust in Construction project was a two-year EPSRC funded research into the impact of trust on construction project performance. Here we outline the development of the measurement tool used for assessing the level of trust in project team relationships, known as the Trust Inventory. We discuss the process and rationale for developing the Trust Inventory within the context of the study as a whole. The Trust Inventory was designed to support and integrate with a mixed methodology case study approach which looked at construction projects from a network perspective. By identifying key relationships in project teams and assessing the level of trust in those relationships, it would be possible to draw conclusions about the impact of trust in relationships on project performance.

Achieving commercial success through innovation is highly desirable, but difficult to achieve in practice. 500f product development costs are likely to result in a failed product and in some sectors, such as FMCGs, this figure is more like 75%.

What is the problem?
Typically, out of nine month's product development cycle, only two weeks are devoted to the generation of ideas and creative design - the "front end". This is the missing link - insufficient idea generation and creativity management, or the pre-development phase, can lead to the failure of the product.

So, what can you do to avoid product failure?
Requirements Capture is the "front end". It is the processs by which the needs, preferences and requirements of individuals and groups significant to product development are researched and identified. Requirements cature defines:
* Customer, user and market requirements
* Design requirements
* Technical requirements
The requirements capture model constitutes three phases:
* Information gathering
* Information transformation
* Requirements generation

In this book, Margaret Bruce and Rachel Cooper present and explain requirements capture in a step-by-step, practical guide that will enable you to plan and implement the process successfully within your organisation. Whether you produce food products or technically complex products, this book will be an invaluable asset in assisting your product development process.

This title looks at the interface between marketing and design management, with particular focus on product development and corporate communications. It considers such issues as the role of design in the organisation, new product strategies and the effectiveness of the marketing/design relationship. Cases cover retail, services and industrial products in order to assess best practice in design management for marketing.

UK Design lies between the worlds of culture and commerce, between passion and profit. Design is indeed a passion for things, offering methods that enable them to come into being. It follows that design should also aspire to a passion for the people who use these things, for their quality of life, their aspirations: a passion for betterment. The management of design is about fostering that passion and linking it to the fulfilment of corporate goals and profitability. The Design Agenda explains why it is necessary and how it can be done. This clearly written book:

* draws on the best methods to provide practical guidance on effective design management

* contains a unique resource guide to enable further study and research

* contains contemporary examples to illustrate the value of well managed design
In combining practical advice with a theoretical overview the book represents an ideal introductory text for a range of design students and an excellent source of information to middle managers in retail and manufacturing industries.

This handbook pulls together the fundamentals of project management and presents them along side the other business systems and procedures effected by project management. The book is the most comprehensive reference resource for all business managers. It allows readers to understand how project management fits into their organization, and helps them apply this knowledge on the job.

Design is a key driver of the innovation process. It is the creative engine underpinning a new product or service. Quite
often, however, design is treated as the Cinderella of the innovation process and as such can be neglected and not
managed as integral to the innovation process. Using examples from construction and manufacturing sectors, effective
approaches to design management in the extended enterprise are identified. The process protocol has been developed for
construction and, as shown here, can also be adopted for effective design management in manufacturing. Keywords: customer value, design, design management, design
quality, innovation, supply chain management