https://doi.org/10.24928/2018/0537

The Dual Nature of Design Management

Ergo Pikas¹, Lauri Koskela², Niels Tredal³, Vegard Knotten⁴ & Trond Bølviken⁵

¹Technical University of Denmark, DTU Management Engineering, [email protected], Tallinn University of Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering
²University of Huddersfield, School of Art, Design and Architecture
³NCC Denmark, Denmark
⁴Veidekke Entreprenør AS, Norway
⁵Veidekke Entreprenør AS, Norway. Also The University of Agder, Norway

Abstract

Design management profession has probably got the least attention in the construction industry. One reason could be the lack of explicit conceptualizations about its nature, subject matter and principles. In this article, a conceptual design management framework is proposed on the premise that design management is the management of a structured system of object and subject-oriented, technical and social design activities. Additionally, an example of a mediating visual model is proposed to facilitate the discussions about design activities and design management in academia and practice. The two major premises of this research are 1) as design management is the management of design activity, it is dependent on the way design is conceptualized; and 2) design is a human activity, but not a thing (e.g., representation) or an event (e.g., decision-making).

Keywords

Design management, activity theory, design activity, design system, shared mental models

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Reference

Pikas, E. , Koskela, L. , Tredal, N. , Knotten, V. & Bølviken, T. 2018. The Dual Nature of Design Management, 26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction , 647-657. doi.org/10.24928/2018/0537

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