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Long abstract:

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector is undergoing transformation as new technologies (e.g., software tools, artificial intelligence, robotics) enter the industry and change the organization of work. The environmental and economic effects of these new technologies are already investigated, and there is a general awareness of their transformative impact. However, their social effects – from augmenting human work to full automation – remain largely unexamined. Following the argument that “new technologies should be conceived as social experiments” [1], we combine socio-technical work design theories [2] with value-sensitive design principles [3] to build a social impact assessment tool which accounts for previously overlooked sustainability factors such as worker well-being, required skill sets, and job quality. Inspired by the real-world laboratory (RWL) method [4], we bring developers, implementers, and end-users of AEC technologies together in a transdisciplinary experimental set-up to develop the assessment tool. Design and construction projects by planning firms and general contractors are used as fields of action. Our instruments include workshops where stakeholders co-create and co-evaluate prototypes of the assessment tool, as well as surveys and interviews that generate feedback on the tool's applicability, acceptability, and effectiveness. The study identifies and answers to a real-world problem and provides insights into inter- and transdisciplinary research processes in an AEC context. Additionally, it contributes to the science and technology studies literature by applying the RWL method at the organizational or field level directly intervening and potentially transforming collaborative work.