Use of work structuring to increase performance of project-based production systems

Work Structuring is a fundamental form of planning. It determines what work must be done on a project, who would be best-suited to execute it, and when they should be doing it. This dissertation seeks to apply a framework for studying Work Structuring. Although the Work Structuring concept is not new---practitioners have been "structuring work" for as long as construction projects have existed---we need a formal framework so that practitioners and researchers will have a common language for structuring practice, research, and teaching. We used case studies to examine Work Structuring because case studies help us understand phenomena and facilitate theory building. We intentionally structured our case studies to focus on different project phases and systems to demonstrate the applicability of the Work Structuring concept. Our first case study, the Hollow Metal Door Frames case study (i.e. , "Case 1") discusses how project participants failed to adopt a systems-oriented perspective, working instead within a purchasing mentality. Case 1 investigates standard practice and helps formulate an initial framework for Work Structuring research. Our second case study, the Steel Indirect Light Fixtures case study (i.e. , "Case 2") explains how efforts in product development and supply chain management allowed the fabricator to introduce a competitive new product for lighting delivery. Case 2 highlights effective Work Structuring practice and provides feedback on the initial framework. Our third case study, the Stone on Truss Curtain Wall case study (i.e. , "Case 3") investigates missed opportunities for global optimization during design collaboration meetings. Case 3 presents a methodology to help project participants manage the relationship between design and production and experiments with methods to make Work Structuring issues transparent. Through our case studies, we clarified and experimented with the Work Structuring concept and highlighted how Work Structuring might be used to reveal additional opportunities for value generation. Our case studies provided insight into Work Structuring practice, and we identified methods to overcome the constraints of contracts, trade regulations, and traditional work methods. Thus, the framework we applied provides the AEC industry with a new way of managing the relationship between design, fabrication, and installation.