A service-based innovation process for improving cooperative practices in AEC

Abstract

The design of software services to support activities in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) has been largely addressed in the “IT for Construction” research community. Nowadays prospective research efforts focus on Building Information Modelling approach and its capability to significantly improve the working practices in the future. Starting from “day-to-day” practitioners’ requirements the research presented in this paper targets the issue of cooperation support in AEC projects. The methodology aims to closely involve researchers and practitioners from Luxembourg in the design of business services fitting their precise requirements. A generic Sustainable Service Innovation Process (S2IP) is applied to the issue of documents sharing in construction projects. The processes related to “service value” identification and to “service design” are described through 1) identifying best working practices with practitioners, 2) monitoring the end-users appropriation factors and 3) applying a model-driven engineering for developing business services aligned to AEC specific context. The paper presents a set of cooperative working practices related to document management, which have been mutually agreed between practitioners. The related business services are implemented in a software prototype, which is under experiment at present. The results are finally discussed in a perspective of business services appropriation by their future end-users.