Analytic Modelling, Diagnostic and Change-Engineering Tools for Use by Management to Foster Learning in Construction Design Organisations

摘要

The findings of our recent study LEAF 1(Learning from Experience- Applying systematic Feedback to improve the briefing process in construction) confirm that the construction industry faces a difficult task in order to overcome the pervasive, persistent and prevalent culture of resistance to learning from experience. Crucially even in those organisations where top management are committed to promoting a culture of learning as a key driver to making continuous improvements in business and constructional performance they are hampered by a lack of relevant and appropriate tools or mechanisms and the nature of learning contexts. This together with the need to disseminate the messages emanating from LEAF was instrumental in us developing a set of dedicated tools for use by management in order to engineer change and to foster learning from experience. rnThese tools build on the findings from LEAF, which confirm much of modern educational theory that procedures or instructions do not necessarily engineer change and there is need to emphasize learning rather than instructing activities. What is important is to deliver the message through settings such as seminars where participants are encouraged and helped to learn the message themselves. LEAF allowed us to develop an abstract generic model, which provides an analytical basis to assist organisations in understanding their particular situation. The model distinguishes what we describe as the three fundamental elements of learning – (IPA) ‘Intentions’, ‘Practices’ and ‘Aspirations’. ‘Intentions’ define ‘what the project teams are supposed to be doing?’ whereas an organisation’s actual ‘Practices’ are represented by ‘what the project teams are actually doing?’ The model links or contrasts intentions and practices from ‘Aspirations’ denoting ‘what the project teams would like to be doing?’