Developing Industry 4.0 applications: A social construction of technology approach

The design and development of Industry 4.0 applications requires focused research work and close collaboration with the industry. Such an approach requires a balance between technical work and social interactions with industry partners: a social construction of technology (SCOT) perspective providing a lens for understanding how joint optimisation of the technical with the social dimension may be achieved. This chapter explores work conducted on the BIM risk library project: a successful three-year research collaboration to develop and launch a new BIM digital tool to assist designers with their health and safety work. Describing the activities undertaken, including ontology creation, industry workshops, software development and piloting of a digital tool, the technical and social interrelatedness is noted as critical to success. Application of concepts from the social construction of technology – technological frames, social groups, problems/solutions, closure/stabilisation – and wider context further clarify the evolution of the digital tool from conceptual idea to prize-winning application. The aim is to reinforce the importance of a social constructivist approach to technology development for the construction industry; the insights and reflections of the chapter, including the identification of SCOT optimisation triggers, are useful for Industry 4.0 technology developers and researchers active in the field.