Project Validation: A Set-Based and Concurrent Design Approach to Inform Owner’s Authorization Decision on Complex Projects
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 147, Issue 10
Abstract
Strictly speaking, there is no way to have certainty of the outcomes or the value of decisions made early in a project. However, early decisions set the path to cost and schedule performance and influence life cycle costs. This study explored project validation as a novel set-based and concurrent design practice during the conceptual phase of complex projects. Because the construction literature obviates set-based design, a grounded theory method was leveraged to elicit a theoretical model that gave primacy to contextual and inductive evidence. The emerging theory guided the data collection, which included interviews, three expert workshops, and observations at validation sessions. Project validation aims at proving or disproving with null design whether the team can deliver a project that satisfies the owner’s business case and scope within the owner’s allowable constraints of costs, schedule, and acceptable risks. Also, it defines the basis of design and target costs and informs the owner’s decision to authorize (go) or not to authorize (no-go) the project. As a departure from the existing literature rooted in point-based design and programming approaches, decisions on concurrent sets of cross-functional design alternatives are purposely delayed during project validation. In doing so, the accumulation of additional information will, later on, enable the team to make design decisions with a systems engineering and value-adding perspective that drives innovation. The results of this study contribute to the advancement of design theory methodology and project definition.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code used during the study were provided by third-party organizations. Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider as indicated in the Acknowledgments.
Acknowledgments
The authors want to acknowledge and thank the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) for the sponsorship and support of all the aspects of this research. The authors also want to thank all the subject matter experts that supported this research effort.
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Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 147 • Issue 10 • October 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 21, 2020
Accepted: May 21, 2021
Published online: Aug 11, 2021
Published in print: Oct 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jan 11, 2022
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