Innovation with creative collaborative practices

Abstract

Lean is about solving problems related to reducing waste while maximizing value. The project team of the construction project Bispevika in Norway is working on how creative collaborative practices can be performed in problem-solving processes. This paper considers following research questions: Which creative collaborative practices are implemented in Bispevika? What are the experiences of these practices? How to improve these practices in future projects? In addition to observations on site within design and procurement, interviews of the project managers as well as a document study based on received project material is carried out to identify creative collaborative practices. A literature study on trust in collaboration, creative processes and creativity and innovation in lean is also presented. The engagement of an innovation manager as a facilitator combined with his own research on creative practices contributes to the overall vision of being an innovative project. The executed method is based on a four-phased process leading to the choice of best solution to a case. By using a strategy of creating winning teams and focusing on trust in these collaborations, the project is aiming at innovating the way projects are managed in the future. Identified creative collaborative practices with proposed adjustments are presented.