Frequently Asked Questions

What is this story catalogue for?

This catalogue collects together the stories of over 90 investments that have adopted manufacturing approaches, robotic technology, digital and data-driven processes, and active energy solutions.

We’ve curated these stories in one place to inspire the construction industry to transform the way we build. You can search for common challenges or shared goals to learn how others have approached them.

We also hope that you share these stories with others in the construction industry, to give them the confidence that change is not only possible, but that it is happening now.

How has it been put together?

Project leads were asked to provide information before each story was drafted by the Transforming Construction Challenge and Stronger Stories. Where required this has been supplemented with desk research.

Before each story was published in the catalogue the project lead was asked to approve the copy and visuals used.

How do I search for a story?

You can search the stories in the catalogue in several ways:

  • Use the search bar on the top left of the catalogue page to look for stories containing specific words.
  • Use the filters on the left-hand side of the catalogue page to look for stories about different types of innovation such as digital, energy or kit of parts, featuring different types of organisation such as government clients, housebuilders or supply chains, or by location, e.g. East Midlands, North West, or Wales. You can narrow your search down by selecting several filters at the same time whether that is multiple innovation types; or an innovation type, an organisation type and a location.
  • Use the Benefits view found in the top right of the catalogue page to see the stories that delivered certain benefits, such as assurance, health, or productivity.
  • Use a combination of the above three searches: for example, a key word, an innovation type, and a benefit.

Selecting summary from the Story Building Blocks view will enable you to see a short summary of each story returned by your search.

Why have the stories been written in building blocks?

All compelling stories describe a journey of change. To help to inspire the construction industry to transform the way we build, the Transforming Construction Challenge wanted to collate and share not just the innovations produced, but the innovation journey of each investment.

These journeys have been broken down into 17 story building blocks:

  1. Project Pioneers – The people who set off on this innovation journey.
  2. The Problem – The frustrations with current practice this project set out to address.
  3. Vision – How the construction industry, buildings and the lives of the people that use them could be improved by this innovation.
  4. Key Insight – The inspiration or prompt for this project.
  5. First Step – How the project pioneers committed to doing things differently.
  6. Barrier – The thing that has stood in the way of improvement in the past.
  7. Process InnovationIf applicable, how this project drew on manufacturing approaches.
  8. Digital Innovation – If applicable, how this project used digital technology or data-driven processes.
  9. Whole Life Innovation – If applicable, how this project shifted the focus towards building with whole-life value.
  10. Collaborators – Other partners who contributed towards this innovation journey.
  11. Lead Support – Organisations who provided important guidance to this project.
  12. Long Term Vision – Information that will appeal to those who have a preference for visions of the future and overarching concepts.
  13. Human Stories – Information that will appeal to those who have a preference for understanding the human impacts of innovation.
  14. Powerful Process – Information that will appeal to those who have a preference for understanding the processes that power an innovation.
  15. Fascinating Facts – Information that will appeal to those who have a preference for facts and statistics.
  16. Benefits – The benefits this project delivered, such as assurance, health, or productivity.
  17. Story Mentions – Links to other places this story has been shared.

It isn’t necessary to use all of these building blocks every time you share a story but by providing you with them, we hope that you can better learn from and share the innovation journeys these projects went on, rather than just describing the innovation they produced.

What do I do if I need to update information in a story?

To update or correct the information in a story, please contact will@strongerstories.org and we will try to ensure these changes get made within a reasonable time.

How can I use these stories to help transform the industry?

We’ve curated these stories in one place to inspire the construction industry to transform the way we build. You can search for common challenges or shared goals to learn how others have approached them.

We also hope that you share these stories with others in the construction industry, to give them the confidence that change is not only possible, but that it is happening now.

Where do I go if I need more information?

If you would like more information about a specific project, we’ve tried to provide the name of an Innovation Lead and a website link for each story in the catalogue. Many of the stories also provide links to the organisation involved in them.

If you would like further information about the Transforming Construction Challenge, please contact Hannah.Gibson@iuk.ukri.org