Collaborative Virtual Reality as an Adaptable Boundary Object in the Design Phase of Facility Life Cycle

Abstract

Although the large majority of costs of buildings incur in the later operation and maintenance phase, major decisions affecting these costs are made in the early design and construction phases. Virtual Reality (VR) and Collaborative Virtual Reality (CVR) have been noticed to have significant potential in involving the expertise and needs of various stakeholders into the early design phases, increasing the quality of building designs and reducing related costs. Boundary Object Theory has been noticed useful in better understanding and improving the knowledge transfer of actors with different backgrounds and expertise. VR and CVR remain yet little studied as boundary objects. We will address this research gap in this study by aiming to understand how CVR can act as an adaptable boundary object in the building design phase of the facility life cycle. We have made use of a qualitative approach, consisting of a multiple case study approach and semi-structured interviews in Finnish AEC industry companies and organisations. We contribute to academic research by providing a deeper understanding of how CVR functions as a boundary object, which enhances the transfer of knowledge in new ways between various stakeholders in the building design phase.

Boundary objects, trading zones, and stigmergy: the social and the cognitive in science

“…Finally I should mention that these ideas, though perhaps not in this form, are familiar in some of the literature in technology studies which is perhaps another natural habitat for stigmergic systems (see for example Lepola et al, 2020;Rambusch et al, 2004;Sellberg and Susi, 2014;Sismondo, 2012;Susi, 2006;Wickman, 2015) 7 .…”

Evaluating the Benefits of Collaborative VR Review for Maintenance Documentation and Risk Assessment

“…Due to the increased feel of presence and immersion together with the ability to communicate verbally and non-verbally, collaboration in VR is understood as more efficient and flexible than the collaboration via traditional conferencing tools. Evidence has shown that VR is capable of positively affecting the elements of remote communication, such as the clarity and richness of communicated information, and enhance the quality of discussion and knowledge transfer due to shared context and awareness of others [22][23][24].…”