Lean Methods to Improve End User Satisfaction in Higher Education Buildings

Abstract

End user satisfaction is one of the major indices that attest to the success of a project in terms of adding value to the client. Therefore, in order to rate the overall functions of a facility, the fulfilment of end users' needs is to be taken into consideration during the whole project phase (i.e. design through operation). Many clients believe that allocating more resources to the project automatically guarantees the success of the project. What they fail to realize is that in most cases, success, which should be translated in end user satisfaction, relies more on how the project was thought of, planned, constructed and delivered. This paper presents the case study of a high-budget engineering complex. In this study, different end users of the facility were prompted to fill a comprehensive survey about the overall quality of the complex. Interviews were also conducted with the client representative and other parties who were involved during the design/construction phases. After results were analysed and compared, an evident contradiction was detected: end user satisfaction rates were relatively low whereas client's representative overall satisfaction was optimistically high. Lean methods and tools were suggested that could be used to improve the design and delivery of similar facilities and establish a higher end user satisfaction rate.

Development of design quality indicators for public school facilities

“…It also causes anxiety, disruption in focus as well as in concentration. Besides, noise works to confuse and impair students' understanding during the learning process (Hatoum et al , 2018). In school buildings, noise could erupt from various gadgets, including: air conditioning system, lighting system, human noise in corridors or the traffic noise outside the classrooms.…”

“…School buildings are sometimes designed to include separate washroom facilities for various groups of students, teaching staff and management staff. The quality of architectural finishes including the installation of utilities, equipment, anti-slip flooring and tiling should be ensured (Hatoum et al , 2018). Furthermore, special consideration should be given to users with special needs (Edleim, 2019).…”

“…Indicators RII 1st 2nd 3rd Mustafa, 2017;Yu et al, 2017;Al-Hinai et al, 2018;El-Feki and Saleh, 2018;Hatoum et al, 2018;Parvez et al, 2018;Scott-Webber et al, 2018;Abisuga et al, 2019;Clinton and Wilson, 2019;Demir-Yildiz and Tatik, 2019;Hameen et al, 2020;Korsavi et al, 2020;Leitner et al, 2020;APS, 2021] 2. Quality and maintainability of chairs and tables in the classroom 2017;Mustafa, 2017;El-Feki and Saleh, 2018;Hatoum et al, 2018;Hameen et al, 2020;APS, 2021] 14.…”

An Approach to Capture Design and Construction Lessons Learned From Facility Managers

“…Nonetheless, Preiser (2001) argued that the end-user might have a technologically superior building, but a dysfunctional environment for people. This potential gap suggests that facilities are not necessarily achieving end-user satisfaction (Bou Hatoum et al 2018).…”

Qualitative Analysis of Lean Tools in the Construction Sector in Colombia

“…However, the most representative countries are Germany (Dlouhy, et al, 2017), Brazil (Franco and Picchi, 2016), Chile (Salvatierra, et al, 2015;Matta, et al, 2018), United States (Smith and Ngo, 2017;Alves, Azambuja and Arnous, 2016), India (Patel, Karia and Pandit, 2018), England (Tezel, et al, 2016) and Norway (Torp, Knudsen and Ronneberg, 2018). Other authors consulted came from Australia (Shou, et al, 2017), Ecuador (Martínes, Tommelein and Alvear, 2017), Estonia (Leonova, Ballard and Gehbauer, 2017), Finland (Singh, 2018), Ireland (Kemmer, et al, 2016), Lebanon (Hatoum, et al, 2018), Morocco (Hicham, Taoufiq and Aziz, 2016), Mexico (Dlouhy, et al, 2018), New Zealand (Hunt and Gonzalez, 2018), Netherlands (Vrijhoef, Dijkstra and Koutamanis, 2018), Peru (Murguía, Brioso and Pimentel, 2016), Palestine (Enshassi and Abu Zaiter, 2014), South Africa (Monyane, Emuze and Crafford, 2018) and Pakistan (Memon, et al, 2018). Nearly 6% of the authors consulted are Colombians (Forero, et al, 2015, Mejía, et al, 2016, Cortés, et al, 2018, Porras, Sánchez and Galvis, 2014, Guevara, et al, 2011.…”