3.
METHODOLOGY
This chapter is divided into three sections. The first section reviews the overall research design, the second the research instrument and approach, and the third part discusses the tools and techniques developed to analyse data.
3.1
Research Design
BIM is, at its core, an information technology. This technology impacts work practices, which, in turn, influence business outcomes. This study focuses on the latter level and attempts to explore business outcomes directly rather than addressing technical or work practice issues. Because BIM technology has far-reaching implications across the entire project team, the issues are complex and inter-related, and an appropriate research methodology must explore the BIM projects in depth, considering both quantitative and qualitative information from many different perspectives. These factors all lend themselves to a case study methodology for the data collection phase of this research. Since the objective of this research is to contribute to the understanding of the business drivers for BIM for the purpose of helping companies make real business decisions about BIM implementation, this objective is best achieved if the results are presented in a form that mirrors as closely as possible the way that businesses reason about their IT investment decisions – through formal investment business cases. Thus, the analysis results are applied using an industrystandard model for IT investment business cases, the ValIT model (see Enterprise Value, 2006). The case study design is based on Yin 1994. Table 3-1 offers an overview of the overall research design; from the case study to the application of findings. Table 3-1 : Overall research design
CASE STUDY
3.1.1
Report
Research Findings
Business Case
Scenario 1
Case Study 1 Interview 1.1 Case Study 1
Case Study 1
Conclusions 1
Interview 1.n Cross Case Study Discussion
Case Study n Interview n.1 Interview n.2
Case Study n
Case Study n
Conclusions n
Specific company context
Select Cases
Analysis
(Confidential data)
Interview 1.2
Design Protocol
Develop Theory
Transcriptions
Scenario 2 Scenario...
Interview n.n
The Case Study approach
Since BIM technology is in the early stages of adoption by industry – at least in Australia - there is limited data available and any research techniques that require large and accurate data sets, such as statistical approaches, are not possible. However, some recent and on-going instances of BIM implementation do exist within our region, which present an opportunity to gather high-quality data about BIM’s actual impact on business. The case study approach also offers other benefits like Page 16
Aranda-Mena, G., Froese, T., Chevez, A. and Crawford, J. (2007) -2005-033 CRC for Construction Innovation Report: Business Drivers for BIM.