Professor Jennifer Whyte
Jennifer Whyte is Reader in Innovation and Design in the School of Construction Management and Engineering. Her work involves close collaboration with industrial partners to understand innovation and design practices within organizations. She has a particular interest in the role of digital technologies in the governance of large projects. These are being explored through the current ICRC project: Infrastructure through Life: Technology use in global projects.
Jennifer's previous research on design has had both practical and academic impact. She provided advice to George Cox and co-authored a 'think-piece' for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (with Profs John Bessant and Andrew Neely) that informed the UK government's Cox Report on Design and Creativity. She was the keynote speaker at the Audi Design Foundation's 10th Annual Dinner in January 2007, based on her work on 'Skills for Innovation in the Design Industries.' She also provided research input into the development of the Construction Industry Council's Design Quality Indicators (DQIs), which are now widely used across the UK construction industry, and she sits on their Development Board. Her deep interests in technologies and complex organizing, visual practices and visualization, simulation and prototyping tools led to publications in international journals, including Building Research and Information, Construction Management and Economics, Design Studies, Long Range Planning, Organization Studies and Strategic Organization.
Jennifer acts as a consultant to industry in the areas of digital technologies and organizing. She joined the University of Reading in 2007 and was previously a Senior Research Fellow at the Tanaka Business School in Imperial College London. She works with a range of industrial partners including ARUP, Laing O'Rourke, BAA, Mott Macdonald, IDEO, Edward Cullinan Architects, Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners, Audi Design Foundation, Construction Industry Council and Institute of Structural Engineers.
Jennifer leads the Design Innovation Research Centre (DIRC), founded in January 2010 with £1m EPSRC funding.
Visit Jennifer's personal page at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/~kcs07jw/
E-mail Dr Jennifer Whyte at: j.whyte@reading.ac.uk
Publications list:
Article
Zhou, W., Whyte, J. and Sacks, R. (2012) Construction safety and digital design: a review. Automation in Construction, 22. pp. 102-111. ISSN 0926-5805 doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2011.07.005
Whyte, J. (2011) Managing digital coordination of design: emerging hybrid practices in an institutionalized project setting. Engineering Project Organization Journal, 1 (3). pp. 159-168. ISSN 2157-3735 doi: 10.1080/21573727.2011.597743
Whyte, J. and Sexton, M. (2011) Motivations for innovation in the built environment: new directions for research. Building Research and Information, 39 (5). pp. 473-482. ISSN 1466-4321 doi: 10.1080/09613218.2011.592268
Whyte, J. and Lobo, S. (2010) Coordination and control in project-based work: digital objects and infrastructures for delivery. Construction Management and Economics, 28 (6). pp. 557-567. ISSN 0144-6193 doi: 10.1080/01446193.2010.486838
Harty, C. and Whyte, J. (2010) Emerging hybrid practices in construction design work: role of mixed media. Journal of Construction and Engineering Management, 136 (4). pp. 468-476. ISSN 0733-9364 doi: 10.1061/ASCECO.1943-7862.0000146
Whyte, J. and Cardellino, P. (2010) Learning by design: Visual practices and organizational transformation in schools. Design Issues, 26 (2). pp. 59-69. ISSN 0747-9360 doi: 10.1162/DESI_a_00005
Whyte, J. (2010) Taking time to understand: articulating relationships between technologies and organizations. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 29. pp. 217-236. ISSN 0733-558X doi: 10.1108/S0733-558X(2010)0000029016
Ewenstein, B. and Whyte, J. (2009) Knowledge practices in design: The role of visual representations as 'epistemic objects'. Organization Studies, 30 (1). pp. 7-30. ISSN 0170-8406 doi: 10.1177/0170840608083014
Whyte, J., Ewenstein, B., Hales, M. and Tidd, J. (2008) Visualizing knowledge in project-based work. Long Range Planning, 41 (1). pp. 74-92. ISSN 0024-6301 doi: 10.1016/j.lrp.2007.10.006
Ewenstein, B. and Whyte, J. (2007) Beyond words: Aesthetic knowledge and knowing in design. Organization Studies, 28 (5). pp. 689-708. ISSN 0170-8406 doi: 10.1177/0170840607078080
Whyte, J.K. (2007) Book review: The Oxford handbook of innovation management edited by Jan Fagerberg, David C. Mowery and Richard R. Nelson. Organization Studies, 28 (4). pp. 589-593.
Whyte, J. (2007) Evolutionary theories and design practices. Design Issues, 23 (2). pp. 46-54. ISSN 0747-9360 doi: 10.1162/desi.2007.23.2.46
Whyte, J.K., Ewenstein, B., Hales, M. and Tidd, J. (2007) Visual practices and the objects of design. Building Research and Information, 35 (1 Special Issue: Visual Practices: Images of Knowledge Work ). pp. 18-27. ISSN 0961-3218 doi: 10.1080/09613210601036697
Ewenstein, B. and Whyte, J. K. (2007) Visual representations as 'artifacts of knowing'. Building Research and Information, 35 (1 (Special Issue: Visual Practices: Images of Knowledge Work)). pp. 81-89. ISSN 0961-3218 doi: 10.1080/09613210600950377
Steen, J., Coopmans, C. and Whyte, J. (2006) Structure and agency? Actor-network theory and strategic organization. Strategic Organization, 4 (3). pp. 303-312. ISSN 1741-315X doi: 10.1177/1476127006067033
Soutter, J. K. and Whyte, J. K. (2005) Making sense of it all: implementing an emerging KM technology within the organization. International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 4 (3). pp. 308-320. ISSN 1741-5179 doi: 10.1504/IJITM.2005.006787
Bouchlaghem, D., Shang, H., Whyte, J. and Ganah, A. (2005) Visualisation in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). Automation in Construction, 14 (3). pp. 287-295. ISSN 0926-5805 doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2004.08.012
Whyte, J., Davies, A., Salter, A. and Gann, D. (2003) Designing to compete: lessons from Millennium Product winners. Design Studies, 24 (5). pp. 395-409. ISSN 0142-694X doi: 10.1016/S0142-694X(02)00050-9
Whyte, J., Gann, D. and Salter, A. (2003) Design quality indicator as a tool for thinking. Building Research and Information, 31 (5). pp. 318-333. ISSN 0961-3218 doi: 10.1080/0961321032000107564
Whyte, J. and Gann, D. (2003) Design quality indicators: work in progress. Building Research & Information, 31 (5). pp. 387-398. ISSN 0961-3218 doi: 10.1080/0961321032000107537
Whyte, J. (2003) Innovation and users: virtual reality in the construction sector. Construction Management and Economics, 21 (6). pp. 565-572. ISSN 1466-433X doi: 10.1080/0144619032000113690 (special issue 'Innovation in the built environment')
Whyte, J., Bouchlaghem, D. and Thorpe, T. (2002) IT implementation in the construction organization. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 9 (5-6). pp. 371-379. ISSN 0969-9988 doi: 10.1108/eb021231
Whyte, J. (2002) Implementation of VR systems: a comparison between the early adoption of CAD and current uptake of VR. Construction Innovation: Information, Process, Management, 2 (1). pp. 3-13. ISSN 1471-4175 doi: 10.1108/14714170210814658
Whyte, J. (2001) Virtual reality as a visualisation tool: benefits and constraints. International Journal of IT in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (IT-AEC), 2 (4). pp. 216-224. (special issue 'Visualisation in architecture, engineering and construction')
Whyte, J., Bouchlaghem, N. and Thorpe, A. (2000) From CAD to virtual reality: modelling approaches, data exchange and interactive 3D building design tools. Automation in Construction, 10 (1). pp. 43-55. ISSN 0926-5805 doi: 10.1016/S0926-5805(99)00012-6
Whyte, J., Duke, A., Anumba, C. J. and Bouchlaghem, N. M. (2000) Perspectives on an integrated construction project model. International Journal of Cooperative Information Systems, 9 (3). pp. 283-313. ISSN 0218-8430 doi: 10.1142/S0218843000000107
Whyte, J., Bouchlaghem, N., Thorpe, A. and McCaffer, R. (1999) A survey of CAD and virtual reality within the house building industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 6 (4). pp. 371-379. ISSN 0969-9988 doi: 10.1108/eb021125
Book or Report Section
Whyte, J. and Levitt, R. (2011) Information management and the management of projects. In: Morris, P. W. G., Pinto, J. K. and Söderlund, J. (eds.) The Oxford handbook of project management. Oxford University Press, UK, pp. 365-388. ISBN 9780199563142
Tombesi, P. and Whyte, J. (2011) Challenges of design management in construction. In: Cooper , R., Junginger, S. and Lockwood, T. (eds.) The handbook of design management. Berg, London, UK. ISBN 9781847884886
Whyte, J., Lobo , S., Neller, M. and Bowden, S. (2010) Digital infrastructure and changing practices in engineering design. In: Arup Research Review. Arup Research Review, 2010 (2010). Arup, London, pp. 50-53.
Whyte, J., Ewenstein, B.E., Hales, M. and Tidd, J. (2008) Managing knowledge representation in design. In: Scarbrough, H. (ed.) Evolution of Business Knowledge. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 189-214. ISBN 9780199229604
Whyte, J. K. (2008) Reaching for the skies: Time and turbulence in digital technologies and practices. In: Zavadskas, E. K., Kaklauskas, A. and Skibniewski, M. J. (eds.) 25th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction - Isarc-2008. Vilnius Gediminas Technical Univ Press, Technika, Vilnius-40, pp. 836-847. ISBN 9789955283041
Whyte, J. (2008) Visualization and the design of services. In: Kimbell, L. and Seidel, V.P. (eds.) Designing for services - Multidisciplinary perspectives. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 47-50. ISBN 9780953252121
Report
Cardellino, P., Whyte, J. and Clements-Croome, D. (2009) Research on design quality at Reading. CIBSE Schools Design Group. CIBSE
Conference or Workshop Item
Lindkvist, C., Hassan Ibrahim, N. and Whyte, J. (2011) Disjointed memory: forgetting within and across firms. In: "Organizational Memory" Seventeenth Organization Science Winter Conference (OSWC XVII), 10-13 Feb 2011, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA.
Whyte, J. and Tryggestad , K. (2011) The visual in strategy practices: management, design and changing technologies of presentation. In: 2nd Workshop on Imagining Business, 19-20 May 2011, Segovia, Spain.
Whyte, J. (2010) Strategic organization in projects and firms through software integration. In: Engineering Project Organization Conference (EPOC), November 4-6 2010, Stanford Sierra, Lake Tahoe, CA.
Whyte, J. (2010) Software integration: complex products and project-based innovation in the digital economy. In: British Academy of Management, 13-16 Sept 2010, Sheffield.
Whyte, J. (2010) Coordination and control: digital objects as infrastructure in organizational settings. In: Academy of Management, 6-10 Aug 2010, Montreal, Canada.
Whyte, J. (2010) Cultures of coordination and control: integrated software solutions and new forms of organizing. In: European Group for Organization Studies (EGOS), 1-3 July 2010, Lisbon, Portugal.
Whyte, J. (2010) Digital infrastructure, management practices and the design organization. In: Proceedings: TG65 and W065 - Special Track. 18th CIB World Building Congress, 10-13 May 2010, Salford, UK, pp. 288-300.
Whyte, J. and Lobo, S. (2010) Digital objects and management practices on engineering design projects. In: Construction Matters, 5-7 May 2010, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Whyte, J. (2008) Model risk, digital innovation and complex organizations, digital challenges in innovation research. In: NSF Workshop, Philadelphia, USA.
Whyte, J. and Berente, N. (2008) Professional pluralism and institutional change: appropriation and elaboration of new logics. In: Conference on Managing the Building Process, Copenhagen Business School.
Whyte, J. and Harty, C. (2008) What is the object? Coordinating design work across a large construction project. In: Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA.
Harty, C. and Whyte, J. (2008) The role of media in construction design work and ecologies of practice. In: LEAD Leadership in Construction, Lake Tahoe, California, USA.
Whyte, J.K., Ewenstein, B.E., Hales, M. and Tidd, J. (2007) Knowledge and innovation through visual practices. In: EGOS 2007: Dances of Individuals and Organization, Vienna, Austria.
Whyte, J. and Hargadon, A. (2007) Technological change as a process of inquiry: re-imagining glass as a structural material. In: Managing the Construction of Buildings, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Täube, F.A. and Whyte, J.K. (2007) Technology sourcing, knowledge management and governance in international inter-organizational innovation networks. In: DRUID - Summer Conference 2007 on appropriability, proximity, routines and innovation.
Whyte, J., Ewenstein, B.E., Hales, M. and Tidd, J. (2007) Visual practices in two contrasting design settings. In: Managing the Construction of Buildings, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Book
Whyte, J. (2002) Virtual reality and the built environment. Architectural Press, Oxford, pp165. ISBN 0750653728