Platform-based process design for industrialised building

Historically, construction has lagged behind manufacturing in terms of productivity growth. This is largely due to the fragmented and one-off nature in traditional building processes that limits collaboration among stakeholders and hinders knowledge continuity over multiple projects. This leads to inaccuracies, project complexities, rework, delays, increased waste and cost overruns. Recent studies suggest that a product platform approach in industrialised building enhances productivity and product quality, incorporating prefabrication, as well as collaboration, supply chain, and market-related aspects. Originating in the manufacturing, product platforms are collections of common components and processes that are shared to produce differentiated end-products. However, IB companies' product platform approaches are criticised for prioritising standardised and repetitive product development, limiting focus on process-orientation and the potential for developing and reusing standardised building processes for increased product variety in the market. This research aims to bridge this gap by examining the value of process orientation in improving IB product platforms. The methodology involves documenting the work processes across the design-to-assembly value chain of a ‘live’ IB project – a timber-built prefabricated multi-family residential building in Australia. By analysing empirical data, this industry-focused research seeks to develop a system of platform-based process design that can allow the structuring of work processes as reusable modules in future projects. This system is expected to contribute to the advancement of platform-based construction processes, leading to increased productivity and product variety in the Australian and global industrialised building industry.