12th International Workshop When Social Sciences meets Lean and Digital Technologies

19-23 May 2025, Purdue University, USA

Over the years, the workshop has consistently explored the adoption and integration of Lean principles and digital technologies in construction, with an emphasis on the crucial role that social dynamics play in these transformations.

At the heart of this workshop is the recognition that the interplay between Lean and digital technologies cannot be fully understood without considering the social context in which they operate. Human factors, team dynamics, organisational culture, and stakeholder engagement are essential to the success of these innovations. The workshop, therefore, highlights the importance of considering social dimensions alongside technological and process-driven advancements.

This workshop is designed as an open forum where researchers can come together to exchange ongoing research ideas, discuss current challenges, and shape the future of research in these areas. Participants are encouraged to engage in thought-provoking discussions, sparking the fertilisation of ideas across disciplines.

Building upon a decade of successful workshops, we extend a warm invitation to researchers to submit short papers that explore the evolving intersections of Lean, Social Sciences, and Digital Technologies. We welcome submissions of ongoing research that:

• Reflects on existing research at the intersection of Lean, Social Sciences and Digital Technologies
• Investigates the synergies and tensions between Lean principles, digitalisation, and social factors and
• Offers fresh insights into emerging research needs, trends, and future directions

Join us at this international forum to engage in meaningful discussions, expand your network, and contribute to the future of Lean, Digitalisation, and Social Science research in construction and beyond. We look forward to your participation in this thought-provoking and dynamic event.

Workshop themes

Participants are kindly requested to align their short papers to at least one of the broad themes below:

• Theory Building
• Sustainability and Net Zero
• Circular Economy
• Industry 4.0 and 5.0
• Lean and BIM Implementation
• Design Management
• Collaboration and Participatory approaches
• Integrated Project Delivery
• Digitalisation and Automation in design and construction
• Digital twins
• Production Planning and Control
• Prefabrication and Modular Construction
• Health and Safety

Important Dates

Call for short papers: 1^st November 2024

Short paper submission deadline: 31^st January 2025

Short paper acceptance notification: 10^th February 2025

Confirmation of attendance: 10^th of March 2025

Workshop final programme available: 20^th of March 2025

Short Paper submission:

Short papers need to be submitted by authors that would like to present their work at the Workshop. Short papers should have a minimum of three pages and a maximum of four pages (plus references). The short papers should be developed according to the provided template. (add a link to download the template)

Please submit your paper through email to patricia.tzortzopoulos@ntu.ac.uk

Organising Committee:

• Prof Patricia Tzortzopoulos, Nottingham Trent University, UK
• Prof Carlos Formoso, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
• Dr Saeed Talebi, Birmingham City University, UK
• Prof Ivanka Iordanova, Ecole de Technologie Superieure, Canada

The workshop is designed to create an environment for rich, cross-disciplinary dialogue. The program will feature keynote addresses, alongside presentations of short research papers. Each session will be followed by interactive Q&A and discussions, encouraging active participation from all attendees. This collaborative structure aims to spark new ideas, challenge existing paradigms, and inspire future research directions.

Keynote speakers:

Professor Ghassan Aouad
Presentation titled: The future of design and construction through scenario planning

Professor Aouad is Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University and previously President of Applied Science University in Bahrain and Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at University of Salford. He has served as President and Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

Professor Vicente Gonzalez

Vicente Gonzalez is a Professor of Construction Engineering and Management within the world-renowned Hole School of Construction Engineering at the University of Alberta. He is also a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Digital Lean Construction, which is one of Canada’s most prestigious academic honours. He holds an Honorary Academic position at The University of Auckland (New Zealand). Vicente has published extensively at the intersection of Lean Construction and Computer Science, authoring/editing one book (Lean Construction 4.0: Driving a Digital Revolution of Production Management in the AEC Industry), two book chapters, 97 journal papers, and 84 peer-reviewed conference papers to date. He has secured CAN$64 million in research and teaching grants, and the largest "single" corporate sponsorship in the history of the University of Auckland. Vicente also curated six conference proceedings and two journal special issues over his career. He is an associate editor and member of editorial boards (e.g., Advanced Engineering Informatics, Lean Construction Journal), a member of international construction engineering and management organizations (e.g., International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction - Board of Directors, former General Secretary of the International Group for Lean Construction, ASCE CRC), a board member of not-for-profit's local construction organizations promoting the transformation of the Canadian Construction Industry (e.g., Founding Board of Directors for Lean Construction Australia and New Zealand and Lean Design and Construction Canada), and a board member of Bent Arrow, a not-for-profit's society serving indigenous children, youth and families in Edmonton. He has supervised to completion over a hundred undergraduate and graduate students including 15 PhD students. Vicente still plays football “competitively” and is an amateur musician.