Agile Design Management – the Application of Scrum in the Design Phase of Construction Projects

Design phases of construction projects are usually planned and executed using the waterfall model. This type of planning technique is appropriate for checking the feasibility of a project, but not necessarily for managing the work. A dynamic environment requires an iterative management system based on short cycles and rapid feedback loops in order to continuously arrive at the perfect solution. This requirement has resulted in the development of Agile Design Management, which is the adaptation of the Scrum approach into the design phase of construction projects. The goal of Agile Design Management is to increase coordination, interface management, collaboration and transparency throughout all design phases. This paper is an implementation report, also covering theoretical background. Case study data of five projects – as well as images and workshop findings – will be presented and discussed. The success achieved as well as the challenges still remaining will also be examined.