BEFORE STABILIZATION

Abstract

Developments within 3D digital modelling are often heralded as a much needed solution to problems of information loss and communication difficulties within the building industry. Despite the abundance of technical possibilities for innovation, however, there is currently no standardized, widely used digital model that solves these problems. Rather, actors in the building industry are assembling technological and other elements in various ways, trying to configure a stable innovation. This article sets out to describe the innovation communication involved in different emerging assemblages by focusing on the articulation of different expectations to their promises. We identify three different sets of expectations, namely visions related to building information modelling, Virtual Worlds and interactive simulation platforms. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate how visions are a crucial part of the communication about innovations in information and communication technology (ICT), and to contribute to an understanding of how different visions promise particular future configurations of workflows, communication processes, politics, economic models and social relations. Hereby, the paper adds to the literature on the relationship between ICTs and organizing, but with a distinct focus on innovation communication and distributed innovation processes taking place before ICTs are stabilized, issues which cannot be captured by studies of diffusion and adaptation of new ICTs within single organizations.

Keywords:

• innovation communication
• expectations
• ICT
• innovation
• non-standardization

Notes

^†This paper is based on research within a collaborative research project on Virtual Worlds, and draws on material, presentations and personal communication from a number of workshops with developers and practitioners. Among others: Virtual Worlds Workshop: Augmenting Reality in the Public Domain, Roskilde University, September 2010, Research Workshop, Making Sense of Virtual Worlds and User Driven Innovation Magleås, June 2010, Virtual Buildings and Cityscapes as communication technologies in the making, Copenhagen Business School April 2010, Project meeting with partners on Innovation, Roskilde University, March 2010, Seminar on Virtual Reconstruction October 2009. The research was funded by the Danish Strategic Research Council (KINO), grant no. 09-063261.

Interview Bengt Kalderén (21 October 2009).

Interview Bengt Kalderén, architect and BIM implementation consultant (21 October 2009).

Interview Bengt Kalderén, architect and BIM implementation consultant (21 October 2009).

Interview with Bo Boje Larsen, CEO of 3XN (4 December 2009).

http://www.detdigitalebyggeri.dk/news/bim-implementering-starter-indefra-%E2%80%93-ny-miniguide-viser-vejen

http://www.detdigitalebyggeri.dk/case/behov-nye-roller-med-bim (23 August 2010).

Interview Bengt Kalderén, architect and BIM implementation consultant (21 October 2009).

Interview Bengt Kalderén, architect and BIM implementation consultant (21 October 2009).

http://www.bimbyen.dk/news/nu-skal-man-maaske-argumentere-tegne-i-revit

Interview Jacob Østergaard, architect and developer (17 December 2009).

http://crescendodesign.com/?cat=8 (29 March 2010).

Interview with David Denton (30 October 2010).

http://www.imagina.mc/2011/content/Architecture/architectureyUK.php (12 September 2010).

http://www.imagina.mc/2011/content/Architecture/architectureyUK.php (12 September 2010).

http://www.ideabuilderhomes.com (12 September 2010), http://www.imagina.mc/2011/content/Architecture/architectureyUK.php (12 September 2010).

http://www.imagina.mc/2011/content/Architecture/architectureyUK.php (12 September 2010).

http://www.ideabuilderhomes.com (12 September 2010).

http://www.ideabuilderhomes.com/index2a.php (12 September 2010).

Interview with Damon Hernandez of IDEAbuilder (8 June 2010).

Interview with Damon Hernandez of IDEAbuilder (8 June 2010).

Interview with Damon Hernandez of IDEAbuilder (8 June 2010).

Interview with Damon Hernandez of IDEAbuilder (8 June 2010).

Interview with Damon Hernandez of IDEAbuilder (8 June 2010).