https://doi.org/10.24928/2023/0106

Utilising Design Thinking to Refine Customer Requirements – a Case Study Using the Concrete Supply Chain as an Example

Jan Wolber¹, Diego Cisterna², Özgür Tercan³, Shervin Haghsheno⁴ & Svenja Lauble⁵

¹Research Fellow, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Technology and Management in Construction, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7374-1585
²Research Fellow. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Technology and Management in Construction, 76131 Karlsruhe, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-4282-1141
³Research Fellow, Deutscher Beton- und Bautechnik-Verein E.V.; [email protected]
⁴4 Professor. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Technology and Management in Construction, 76131 Karlsruhe, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-0602-6370
⁵ Research Fellow. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Technology and Management in Construction, 76131 Karlsruhe, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-0376-1791

Abstract

The concrete supply and value chain in Germany is characterised by a large number of project participants and, as a result, numerous interfaces must be regulated continuously in every building project. The industry’s high degree of fragmentation leads to a situation where information must be prepared and transferred from one system to another with a great deal of manual effort. However, initial attempts to establish a continuous information chain using digital technologies did not bring the desired success. It became clear that the past attempts placed an excessive emphasis on technological aspects and neglected the needs of the actual users. This paper describes a human-centred research methodology that puts the human being and therefore the ultimate customer more in the foreground and actively involves the person in the development of solution concepts. The aim is to reduce waste as well as repetitive and unnecessary activities for those involved in the concrete supply chain. For this purpose, the Design Thinking method is used and adapted to the current context. Summarized this paper contributes an exemplary procedure on how to use Design Thinking to refine customer requirements using the concrete supply chain as an example.

Keywords

Collaboration, customisation, logistics, Design Thinking, concrete supply chain.

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Reference

Wolber, J. , Cisterna, D. , Tercan, Ö. , Haghsheno, S. & Lauble, S. 2023. Utilising Design Thinking to Refine Customer Requirements – a Case Study Using the Concrete Supply Chain as an Example, Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31) , 1630-1640. doi.org/10.24928/2023/0106

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