Processes, maps and protocols: Understanding the shape of the construction process

Process mapping and benchmarking are becoming widely recognized as important management tools for understanding how value is delivered for customers, and their use in the construction industry is growing rapidly. Influenced by research on design project management, and the requirements of developing inter-firm IT systems, this work has focused renewed attention on the role of process protocols. The aim of this paper is to explore empirically the use of process maps and protocols within one retail client with a large programme of retail development projects.