IS OUR RESEARCH INTERESTING: A REFLECTION

Ziga Turk

Abstract:

In recent decades, research in Information Technology in Construction (ITC) has flourished, with growing output across topics such as BIM, automation, AI, and digital twins. However, this growth in quantity has not necessarily been matched by intellectual novelty. This paper critically examines the "interestingness" of ITC research, drawing on theoretical frameworks from Murray Davis, Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, and Gray & Wegner. It argues that while much current work is technically competent, it too often confirms existing assumptions and follows predictable patterns, rarely challenging paradigms or inviting surprises. Drawing from Davis's definition of interesting research as that which denies its audience's assumptions, and Popper's principle of falsifiability, the paper critiques the field's bias toward positive results and safe hypotheses. It then presents Gray and Wegner's six guidelines for interesting research?such as making the hidden visible, resolving paradoxes, and reframing goals?and demonstrates how these can be applied to construction IT. The paper offers actionable recommendations: designing studies that risk failure, embracing negative results, integrating qualitative methods, and aligning research with fundamental industry challenges. Ultimately, it calls for a shift from merely accumulating solutions to cultivating intellectually vibrant, paradigm-aware scholarship. By valuing bold ideas alongside practical rigor, the ITC community can produce work that not only informs practice but also challenges norms, reshapes understanding and becomes more likely to uncover novel paths.