Prof Jennifer Whyte
Professor in Innovation and Design
School of Construction Management and Engineering
University of Reading, UK
Email address: J.Whyte [at] reading.ac.uk
Fellowship in Management Practices
I was awarded an Advanced Institute of Management (AIM) mid-career Fellow in Management Practices. The related research, conducted between October 2009 and December 2011, focused on 'Management Practices in Project-Based Design Environments' and focused around a) management practices in design environments; and b) the changing nature of management practices in the digital economy. Summary details of the fellowship are below, and there is also an associated blog: http://www.managingdesigning.blogspot.com/
This research builds on my interests in design innovation. For over a decade I have been studying the use of digital technologies in changing design and co-ordination of complex projects in construction (and related sectors). Recently I have focused on design and digital technologies in major projects and programmes. I have been looking in particular at the organization of major infrastructure projects. In the academic literatures I have recently been theorizing and writing about hybrid digital and physical practices; visual practices; skills for innovation in design; technological change and the role of digital technologies in design, co-ordination and governance. The work also has practical implications, and based on my work on digital technology use on the new terminal at Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5). I have given consultancy advice to the London 2012 Olympics based on my research.
Following a review of internationally leading research in this area, my ongoing research seeks new ways to relate management practices to indicators of performance through empirical work in major programmes; and to understand barriers to sustained improvement through a study of management practices in the digital economy based on fieldwork in UK and USA infrastructure projects.
Design Innovation Research Centre
The Design Innovation Research Centre is a new kind of engineering laboratory that conducts research alongside engineers working on major projects, bringing technical and organizational problems back into the laboratory to develop novel engineering solutions. The focus is on digital design interfaces, and work in the laboratory involves clusters of PhD and post-doc projects within 2 research themes; and a third workstream around the open laboratory and its engagement.
Theme 1: Science of design The aim of Theme 1 is to transform understanding of design innovation on major engineering projects and programmes. The team is developing a repository to capture international best-practice, collating case studies of how major international building and infrastructure projects use advanced digital tools and processes.
Theme 2: Engineering solutions The aim of Theme 2 is to develop hybrid digital and physical engineering solutions and trial these tools and processes in hypothetical and real-life engineering contexts. Rapid developments in 3D visual interfaces are harnessed to enable intuitive visualisation of digital models in physical design environments, focusing designers' attention and allowing them to engage creatively.
Theme 3: Open laboratory and its engagement The aim of Theme 3, is to bring together and motivate researchers from engineering, management and information technology to explore new questions about digital design and innovation, across the core members and wider network of industrial partners and international associates. All members of the Centre are involved in work use the digital and physical infrastructure to validate findings through wider participation; develop skills of the team; and enthuse younger members of society through hands-on activities. Get involved.