Addressing design management challenges through the development of a web-based platform

Construction Design Management (DM) involves the coordination of design process and activity to ensure quality project design, yet it involves many challenges. This work reports on a collaborative Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) with a Case Study Organisation (CSO) that - in the spirit of the 'Building Back Wiser' ARCOM 38 call - innovatively tackles existing DM challenges. In doing so, selected DM processes were digitalised to improve efficiency, and productivity. Mixed research strategies were employed. Qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with purposively identified design managers uncovered real world concerns around design coordination, and designer performance monitoring. Then, through design science research (DSR), a web-based design management prototype platform was developed. This uses typical project data to aid design coordination activity and facilitate DM task prioritisation and reporting functionalities. Its visual reporting capability enables design production to be monitored; trends in designer performance to be assessed and focus to be retained on technical queries (TQs) and requests for information (RFIs). Construction productivity and effectiveness can therefore be enhanced if supported by appropriate digital platforms.