Building Information Modelling in the Production Process: A Holistic Case Study of Routine Changes in the Norwegian Construction Industry

Abstract

In response to the lack of research on, and the calls to advance researchers’ understanding of, the application of Building Information Modelling (BIM) at the construction site, this thesis aims to identify how the implementation of BIM in the production process has changed the routines in construction projects. The research question is explored through a holistic case study of two construction projects at Veidekke, Norway’s largest construction and contractor company, which applied the BIM software to different degrees at the construction site. The theoretical basis for this study is organizational change, routine change, and sociomateriality. The findings indicate several routine changes and improved efficiency on-site as a consequence of the implementation of BIM in the production process. Further, the study identified the emergence of change agents in the organization, who plays a vital role in implementing and promoting the BIM software. The implementation of BIM enables change agents to educate the workers in applying the software and to develop new solutions which create a shift in the routines. Further, this thesis proposes on-site BIM as a boundary object that works as a platform for discussion, also enabling actors to apply their common interpretation of the data presented and thereby changing their routines. Summarized, this thesis discusses the consequences of implementing BIM software in the production process at the construction site. The practical and theoretical implications are discussed.