34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) - Singapore, Singapore - 2026

https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0168

A boundary-spanning playbook for digital construction innovation

Diana Salhab1, Farook Hamzeh2, Yasser Mohamed3 & Simaan AbouRizk4

1Postdoctoral Fellow, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Alberta (UofA), Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-0307-6193
2Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, UofA, Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-3986-9534
3Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, UofA, Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0001-9170-9557
4Distinguished Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, UofA, Edmonton, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-4788-9121

Abstract

Beyond the prevailing gap between academic research and industry practice, construction enterprises often lack the mechanisms to systematically identify and develop digital innovation opportunities embedded in their everyday operations. In practice, many operational challenges are recognized informally but are not consistently translated into digital tools, data-driven processes, or automation initiatives that can scale across the organization. Hence, this paper introduces the Boundary-Spanner Playbook as a structured framework that supports construction enterprises in systematically identifying and developing their internal innovation potential while institutionalizing collaboration with academia. The methodology adopts a Design Science Research approach and comprises six phases: Elicitation, Coding and Normalization, Prioritization, Mapping to Academic and Research Projects, Governance Setup, and Portfolio Replication. It operationalizes the boundary-spanning role as a repeatable process that translates operational challenges into digital tool-enabled innovation opportunities, integrating organizational learning and research translation. The framework is implemented within a large Canadian construction enterprise. Results demonstrate that the Playbook allows rapid identification and prioritization of digitally mediated innovation opportunities and embeds research collaboration within corporate decision-making structures.

Keywords

Boundary spanning, digital innovation, industry-academia collaboration, research translation.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Salhab, D., Hamzeh, F., Mohamed, Y. & AbouRizk, S.. (2026). A boundary-spanning playbook for digital construction innovation. In Hamzeh, F., Poshdar, M., & Garcia-Lopez,, N. P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) (pp. 38–49). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0168

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Salhab, D., Hamzeh, F., Mohamed, Y. & AbouRizk, S.. (2026). A boundary-spanning playbook for digital construction innovation. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0168

 

Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.

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