starting point: 

What factors in the AEC work environment help and hinder knowledge flows and digital innovation within and between teams and projects?

This topic may include: an examination of tools that impact knowledge flows and innovation; an investigation of multi-team systems; and an exploration of how systems thinking and strategic foresight research might be integrated to create a comprehensive framework for retaining and transferring knowledge between projects.

project summary: 

Problem 

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector, by comparison with other sectors, has been historically slow to adopt and implement digital technologies to drive design practice and business innovation. Past research in other sectors has identified that it’s not the actual technology that drives change, knowledge flow and digital innovation, it’s the people using the technology (Parker et al., 2025). This suggests interventions that start by empowering employees to collaborate and learn across different professional expertise and organisational hierarchy will assist to build knowledge flows and digital innovation. 

Gap 

As digital technologies become more deeply integrated into both design practice and the business of architecture, further research is required into leadership’s role in digital transformation. In other sectors research has shown the value of distributed leadership and reverse mentoring in digital transition (Li et al., 2024; Marcinkus Murphy, 2012). With a dearth of research in the architecture industry, the aim is to further knowledge in these areas of leadership. 

Distributed leadership shifts hierarchical leadership to a more collective practice, “emphasising shared responsibilities, and the dynamic interplay between leaders, followers, and context” (Zaghmout and Harrison, 2025). It affords team members at all levels the opportunity to adopt a leadership role when their skills and knowledge are most relevant to the task at hand. 

A reverse mentoring relationship involves a junior member of an organisation mentoring a more senior member. In this relationship the knowledge exchange and insights emanate from junior to senior. With the discourse typically focussed on digital literacy and related areas of knowledge. Whilst the emphasis is on developing the digital literacy of the mentees, the knowledge exchange can be nurtured in both directions. (Garg and Singh, 2020) 

Progress 

Accordingly, this research investigates the role leadership plays in fostering digital skills, knowledge sharing and innovation in the architecture industry. The research contributes to new industry knowledge by introducing a leadership intervention in the form of a reverse mentoring program. 

Whilst reverse mentoring has been shown to contribute to bridging knowledge gaps, improving knowledge of emerging technologies, and promoting organisational learning, the majority of past research has been in non-AEC sectors – including in organisations such as General Motors, PwC and Microsoft (Garg and Singh, 2020). The aim of this research is to therefore assess reverse mentoring in the architecture industry. Evaluating its potential to enhance knowledge flow and in digital transition. 

Reverse mentoring 

The research includes an intervention with partner organisations, establishing a reverse mentoring program case study. As described in the diagram. 

A commitment to a reverse mentoring program will involve: 

• Commencement survey: 30 minutes 

• Workshop (inc. formal CPD): 2 hours 

• Mentoring program: 1 hour weekly meetings over 8 weeks 

• Assessment survey: 30 minutes 

• Total: 11 hours 

Note: Use this text instead if the reverse mentoring diagram following is not included on page. 

Reverse mentoring 

The research includes an intervention with partner organisations, establishing a reverse mentoring program case study. A commitment to a reverse mentoring program involves: 

1. Commencement survey: Survey to assess baseline capabilities. Questions to understand and identify existing conditions, behaviours, digital knowledge and individual impressions. [30 minutes – month 1] 

2. Workshop (inc. formal CPD): Setting up reverse mentoring pairings for success. Best practices and expert coaching on mentoring eg communication, empathy etc. Useful tools eg mentoring agreement, digital transformation tools, etc [2 hours – month 1] 

3. Mentoring program: Run for 2 months, meeting weekly. Includes support for the pairs. Assisting in addressing challenges faced, providing guidance or answering questions. [1 hour/week for 8 weeks – months 2-4] 

4. Assessment survey: Survey to assess changes. Questions to understand and identify what might have changed in behaviours, digital knowledge and the participants’ impressions of the program, as well as its individual and organisational impact. [30 minutes – month 5] 

• Total Commitment: 11 hours 

Potential Mentor Outcomes 

• Leadership development in communication and recognition 

• Knowledge on running an architecture practice 

• Developed understanding of organisational culture 

Potential Mentee Outcomes 

• Visionary leadership development 

• Development of supportive leadership 

• Knowledge of industry digital platforms, literacy and skills 

Potential Combined Outcomes 

• Improved knowledge flows between hierarchies 

• Self- and team- efficacy 

• Digital transformation comprehension and commendation 

Potential Organisational Outcomes 

• Developed performance management 

• Organisational climate for collaboration 

• Growth of organisational relationships