https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0318

Pitfalls in value optimisation: corridor decisions in a Norwegian hospital

Frode Drevland¹

Abstract

While the construction industry increasingly prioritises value delivery over the traditional Iron Triangle of cost, time, and scope, the practical mechanisms for optimising value remain under-explored. This paper investigates the decision-making process in a major Norwegian hospital project, specifically examining a contested choice between single- and double-corridor solutions. Through a single-case study comprising document analysis and 19 semi-structured interviews, this research analyses why the project discarded a solution favoured by clinical staff in favour of one that reduced investment costs. The study identifies that the failure to substantiate the decision as value-optimal stemmed not from a lack of intent but from a lack of methodological capability. An abductively derived framework of three principal pitfalls is proposed: 1) Failure of Identification and Omission (missing factors), 2) Failure of Assessment (the lack of objective quantification leading to subjective bias), and 3) Failure of Weighing (the reliance on unstructured heuristics over formal methods). Using a mechanical analogy, the paper suggests that without quantifying the “Mass” (Attribute Magnitude) of operational factors – whether through empirical data, benchmarking, or simulation – decision-makers cannot correctly assign “Gravity” (Importance). This inevitably leads to precise investment costs dominating the outcome over fuzzy operational considerations.

Keywords

Value optimisation, lean construction, decision-making, hospital design, CBA.

Files

Full Text

 

Reference

Download: BibTeX | RIS Format

Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Drevland, F.. (2026). Pitfalls in value optimisation: corridor decisions in a Norwegian hospital. 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. 1475–1486). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0318

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Drevland, F.. (2026). Pitfalls in value optimisation: corridor decisions in a Norwegian hospital. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0318