This article provides the final diagnosis: The Project-Operations Gap exists because we stop at data compliance, ignoring human usability. The MDHR Framework introduces mandatory testing to ensure data is a usable product, not just a contractual asset.
Summary: Closing the Usability Gap
This article, published in Digital Construction Plus, synthesises 3.5 years of industry engagement and research to diagnose the systemic failure at the core of the built environment: the Project-Operations Gap.
The diagnosis is rooted in the simple fact that we confuse Information Management (IM) with Human-Centred Design (HCD). IM ensures data is present (compliance), but HCD ensures it is actionable (usability). Current technical standards are structurally insufficient because they stop at IM, leaving the data far too often unusable for the human operators who need it.
The solution is the Minimum Data Handover Requirement (MDHR) Framework. The MDHR demands a paradigm shift, treating data not as a static deliverable, but as a Testable Product (the MVP). This requires mandatory user testing (e.g., the ‘Blind Technician’ and ‘Phantom Load’ scenarios) during commissioning, ensuring the data system works for the operational team before handover.
This process eliminates significant downstream liability and embeds a form of Digital Soft Landings into the project lifecycle.
Access the Content
- Read the Article: To understand the full diagnosis and the necessity of shifting to a ‘Right-to-Left’ design strategy, read the The usability gap: why compliance is not enough article on Digital Construction Plus.
- View the Full Paper & AI Summaries: For the complete theoretical analysis, detailed MDHR test scripts, and video/audio summaries, see the full discussion The Usability Gap: Treating Data as a Testable Product paper.
If you would like to pilot this MDHR Usability Test approach on your next project, or if you are a forward-thinking professional who would like to join the ongoing dialogue in the Start With Smart Group that helped inform this research, please connect with me on LinkedIn.
