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Research Theme: Design & Building

Built environment scholarship at the scales of the interior space to the building

Applying implementation science to evaluate participatory ergonomics program for continuous improvement: A case study in the construction industry

Zhang, Z., & Lin, K.-Y. (2023). Applying implementation science to evaluate participatory ergonomics program for continuous improvement: A case study in the construction industry. Applied Ergonomics, 115, 104181–104181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2023.104181

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Abstract

While participatory ergonomics (PE) presents numerous benefits, its empirical effectiveness remains elusive due to the lack of transparency in implementation contexts and processes. This hinders our ability to discern the reasons behind a program's success or failure and to determine optimization and adaptation strategies. To unravel this "black box," we present a case study using implementation science to evaluate a PE program and illuminate the mechanisms linking process to outcome. The study examines a 4.5-year PE program at a construction company, targeting musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from material-cart handling. Using the RE-AIM framework and Implementation Causal Pathway Model, we evaluated implementation process and catalogued contextual factors through worker surveys (n = 106), safety document review (27 training sessions and 7 construction projects), and key informant observations. We assessed the program's impact using a 42-worker survey and an analysis of 8-year injury data, and determined the return-on-investment (ROI) by monetizing the collected data. The program achieved significant impact: Workers' ergonomic knowledge improved from 73% in baseline to 86% in follow-up; 97% of workers reported at least one positive change in their crews; and no cart handling injuries occurred after the first program change, resulting in a ROI rate of 1.99. Implementation process evaluation revealed that seamless integration, tailored intervention, and ongoing adjustments contributed to the success. Five organizational factors necessary for the effective functioning of these three strategies were identified, along with three moderators that amplified their influence. Finally, this case study demonstrates that implementation science offers a coherent structure for evaluating PE programs, uncovering mechanisms of change, and informing future improvements and adaptations. Our research facilitates knowledge transfer from implementation science to ergonomics, eventually leading to more cost-effective PE programs that are faithfully implemented across various industrial settings to prevent MSDs.
• This case study employs implementation science to assess a participatory ergonomics program within the construction industry.
• The evaluation encompasses the implementation process and context, program outcomes, and the return on investment.
• We delve into the mechanisms of change, establishing a link between the process and its intervention outcomes.
• We identify critical implementation strategies, including their preconditions and moderating factors.
• Through the lens of implementation science, we provide a structured framework for evaluating the execution of ergonomic intervention, thereby guiding improvements and future adaptations

Keywords

Case study; Implementation science; Participatory ergonomics

Livable City Year

Livable City Year

Many communities lack the capacity to fully address livability goals. UW is a powerhouse of research and innovation on all aspects of livability, but this knowledge isn’t always available to communities. Through Livable City Year, UW faculty and students from multiple disciplines work on high-priority projects identified by our community partners, creating benefits for all involved.

For more information, email uwlcy@uw.edu.

15. Integrated Studio: Trade-offs as a Mechanism for Collaboration

Borys, A.M., & Dossick, C.S. (2023). 15. Integrated Studio: Trade-offs as a Mechanism for Collaboration. In Kim, J. (Ed.), Interdisciplinary Design Thinking in Architecture Education. Routledge. ISBN 9781032283241.

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Abstract

This book explores the creative potential for architecture curricula to integrate solid interdisciplinary thinking in design studio education.

Annotated case studies, both from academic institutions and from professional practices, provide examples of interdisciplinary engagement in creative design work, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of this approach. Cases are from a diverse selection of international collaborators, featuring projects from the United States, Australia, Mexico, Germany, and Italy, and cover a range of project types and scales. Chapters by invited experts offer speculations on current and future models, situating examples within the broader context, and encouraging dialogue between practice and pedagogy. The collection of voices in this book offers critical and provocative lenses, learning from history while forging inventive and creative roles for the architect as practitioner, entrepreneur, strategist, choreographer, activist, facilitator, leader, and teacher.

Interdisciplinary Design Thinking provides insights into the potential of interdisciplinary engagement at the level of foundational undergraduate education, making it ideal for faculty in architecture schools. It will also be of interest to design professionals concerned with interdisciplinary collaboration and how to incorporate similar efforts in their own practices.

Carrie Sturts Dossick featured on Freakonomics Radio episode

Associate Dean for Research and P.D. Koon Professor of Construction Management Carrie Sturts Dossick was interviewed and featured in a NPR Freakonomics Radio episode entitled “566. Why Is It So Hard (and Expensive) to Build Anything in America?” View the College of Built Environments LinkedIn post about this podcast feature. Episode description: “Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can you say … “prefab”?) RESOURCES: “The Strange and…

Can ChatGPT Evaluate Plans?

Xinyu Fu, Ruoniu Wang & Chaosu Li (2023). Can ChatGPT Evaluate Plans?, Journal of the American Planning Association, DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2023.2271893

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Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings
Large language models, such as ChatGPT, have recently risen to prominence in producing human-like conversation and assisting with various tasks, particularly for analyzing high-dimensional textual materials. Because planning researchers and practitioners often need to evaluate planning documents that are long and complex, a first-ever possible question has emerged: Can ChatGPT evaluate plans? In this study we addressed this question by leveraging ChatGPT to evaluate the quality of plans and compare the results with those conducted by human coders. Through the evaluation of 10 climate change plans, we discovered that ChatGPT’s evaluation results coincided reasonably well (with an average of 68%) with those from the traditional content analysis approach. We further scrutinized the differences by conducting a more in-depth analysis of the results from ChatGPT and manual evaluation to uncover what might have contributed to the variance in results. Our findings indicate that ChatGPT struggled to comprehend planning-specific jargon, yet it could reduce human errors by capturing details in complex planning documents. Finally, we provide insights into leveraging this cutting-edge technology in future planning research and practice.
Takeaway for practice
ChatGPT cannot be used to replace humans in plan quality evaluation yet. However, it is an effective tool to complement human coders to minimize human errors by identifying discrepancies and fact-checking machine-generated responses. ChatGPT generally cannot understand planning jargon, so planners wanting to use this tool should use extra caution when planning terminologies are present in their prompts. Creating effective prompts for ChatGPT is an iterative process that requires specific instructions.

Keywords

ChatGPT; large language model; natural language processing; plan evaluation; plan quality

Color as metaphor in architectural design

Minah, G. (2023). Color as metaphor in architectural design. Color Research and Application, 48(5), 536–542. https://doi.org/10.1002/col.22872

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Abstract

In the early stage of a building design, forming a design concept is the first step. The architect must assimilate and organize information involving spatial needs, engineering, building codes, and budget considerations. They must also consider its visual appearance, how the building fits into its physical context, and, most importantly, how to conceive of the building holistically as both functional and aesthetic. A process for accomplishing this will use a methodology associated with intuition and imagination. A metaphor is used that gives form to the building through an analogy that imitates its activities and function and serves as a device for conceiving of the building as a whole. Making a design diagram that defines the concept using the metaphor and showing the relationship of the critical parts of the building is the biggest challenge in this stage. A new approach is to assign color to these parts in the design diagram. With the metaphor as guide, the hierarchical status of the parts will be shown by the perceptual weight of the colors in juxtaposition to one another by contrasts in hue, value, and chroma. The results show that the addition of color increases the clarity and comprehension of the design concept in the eyes of the designer, in visual presentations to faculty in academic settings, and to clients in the profession. The color decisions latter in the process may differ from those used in the diagram, but these decisions will adhere to the established hierarchies of the building parts as foreground or background colors. This methodology is intended to be a tool for students in architecture as well as professional architects.

Neighborhood greenspace and neighborhood income associated with white matter grade worsening: Cardiovascular Health Study

Besser, L. M., Lovasi, G. S., Zambrano, J. J., Camacho, S., Dhanekula, D., Michael, Y. L., Garg, P., Hirsch, J. A., Siscovick, D., Hurvitz, P. M., Biggs, M. L., Galvin, J. E., Bartz, T. M., & Longstreth, W. T. (2023). Neighborhood greenspace and neighborhood income associated with white matter grade worsening: Cardiovascular Health Study. Alzheimer’s & Dementia : Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 15(4), e12484–e12484. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12484

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION
We examined whether a combined measure of neighborhood greenspace and neighborhood median income was associated with white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and ventricle size changes.

METHODS
The sample included 1260 cognitively normal ≥ 65‐year‐olds with two magnetic resonance images (MRI; ≈ 5 years apart). WMH and ventricular size were graded from 0 (least) to 9 (most) abnormal (worsening = increase of ≥1 grade from initial to follow‐up MRI scans). The four‐category neighborhood greenspace–income measure was based on median neighborhood greenspace and income values at initial MRI. Multivariable logistic regression tested associations between neighborhood greenspace–income and MRI measures (worsening vs. not).

RESULTS
White matter grade worsening was more likely for those in lower greenspace–lower income neighborhoods than higher greenspace–higher income neighborhoods (odds ratio = 1.73; 95% confidence interval = 1.19–2.51).

DISCUSSION
The combination of lower neighborhood income and lower greenspace may be a risk factor for worsening white matter grade on MRI. However, findings need to be replicated in more diverse cohorts.

HIGHLIGHTS
Population‐based cohort of older adults (≥ 65 years) with greenspace and MRI data
Combined measure of neighborhood greenspace and neighborhood income at initial MRI
MRI outcomes included white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and ventricular size
Longitudinal change in MRI outcomes measured approximately 5 years apart
Worsening WMH over time more likely for lower greenspace‐lower income neighborhoods

Keywords

built environment; green space; magnetic resonance imaging; neighborhood; socioeconomic status

Decoding the dynamics of BIM use practice in construction projects

Hu, Y., & Dossick, C. S. (2023). Decoding the dynamics of BIM use practice in construction projects. Construction Management and Economics, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/01446193.2023.2277925

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Abstract

Over the past two decades, thought leaders positioned Building Information Modeling (BIM) as a driver to change the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. However, instances of unexpected BIM use have surfaced, with projects often shifting from BIM to hybrid or even solely 2D practices midway. What technology use conditions cause these practice-based rejections of BIM use and how these happen have not been fully explored and make BIM cannot fully play its role in a project. To fill this gap, we use structuration theory as a theoretical lens to analyze the interactions between BIM and project teams and explore how three technology use conditions, (interpretive, technological, and institutional), impact the interactions, which finally shape technology use practices. Specifically, a case study method has been selected. The research team attended a project for two years, collected meeting observations, and conducted surveys and interviews to track the emergent and situated BIM use practice in an integrated project setting with technology use conditions that changed over the course of the project. We analyzed how the three technology use conditions impacted the interactions between BIM and project teams in different ways and how these impacted change in different project phases. We conclude that the sustained use of BIM requires the alignment of project organizations with BIM features and alignment with both top-down and bottom-up investment in practice change, which includes motivation for senior management investment in a sustained project team, in individual capability training, and in early planning.

Keywords

Building information modeling; structuration theory; technology-in-practice; practice lens

Developing a multi-criteria prioritization tool to catalyze TOD on publicly owned land areas

Cai, M., Acolin, A., Moudon, A. V., & Shen, Q. (2023). Developing a multi-criteria prioritization tool to catalyze TOD on publicly owned land areas. Cities, 143, 104606-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104606

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Abstract

Public agencies can take a leading role in catalyzing TOD by making land available to developers (selling or leasing land, potentially below market prices). In particular, park-and-ride areas that are publicly owned can be leveraged to support TOD uses, such as affordable housing, office space, small businesses, and mixed-use buildings given their convenient access to transit systems and often large land areas. However, few previous studies have discussed the use of publicly owned park-and-rides, which are an important component of publicly owned land, as a catalyst for TOD. To fill the gap in the literature and effectively support TOD planning, this research developed a multi-criteria prioritization tool to identify the most promising locations for TOD and tested it at three park-and-ride sites owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The tool was developed through the Delphi process, which is an effective and inexpensive approach to evaluate relevant indicators by synthesizing the opinions of experts from various backgrounds. Five categories with a total of 14 TOD indicators, including transit supportive land-use zoning, job accessibility, land price, land-use mix, and household income, were selected as measures of TOD suitability. The importance of these indicators varied with three different TOD scenarios: (1) emphasis on affordable housing, (2) emphasis on market-rate housing, and (3) emphasis on mixed-use development. Using the calculated suitability scores, this tool can prioritize potential TOD sites for further review.

Keywords

TOD; Delphi method; Multi-criteria planning tool; Multi-sources geospatial data; Publicly owned land