http://leanconstructionblog.com/ en-us The Lean Construction Blog is an educational blog with a mission to advance and promote Lean Construction around the world. All Rights Reserved, Lean Construction Blog 2015-2021 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leanconstructionblog.com/rss-logo.png http://leanconstructionblog.com/ https://leanconstructionblog.com/The-History-of-Lean-Construction-Part-1.html It was hot, humid, and downright unbearable that afternoon in the Southeast Asia jungle. But despite the stickiness and frayed nerves, the construction battalion’s work needed to get done, and that required everyone to cram into the planning tent and sit around the long table that took up most of the room. https://leanconstructionblog.com/The-History-of-Lean-Construction-Part-1.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Constructive-Leadership-Vs-Destructive-Leadership.html A teacher of art and painting once said to me that to draw a tree, one does not draw the outline of the tree and leaves, one draws the empty spaces between them. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Constructive-Leadership-Vs-Destructive-Leadership.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Using-indoor-positioning-to-analyze-operations-flow.html Flow in construction can be divided to process flow, operations flow and portfolio flow (Sacks, 2016). Various metrics have been proposed to measure flow but they are typically based on completing assigned or promised tasks. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Using-indoor-positioning-to-analyze-operations-flow.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/multi-lean-systems-how-to-use-them-for-complex-construction-projects.html Why is a large construction project handled differently than a small project such as a family home? The answer is simple: it is much more complex. Therefore, for large projects, a single project management system or a lean system such as Glenn Ballard's Last Planner® System (LPS) is not enough. https://leanconstructionblog.com/multi-lean-systems-how-to-use-them-for-complex-construction-projects.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Are-You-Doing-the-Right-Work-to-be-Successful-with-the-Last-Planner-System.html People familiar with the Last Planner System think it’s a brilliant way to increase work production reliability on a project. However, more than a few people attempting to implement achieve less than front-page results. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Are-You-Doing-the-Right-Work-to-be-Successful-with-the-Last-Planner-System.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Digital-Lean-Optimizing-Jobsite-Communications.html If 2020 and the first half of 2021 has taught us anything, it’s that adaptation is critical for progress. From COVID-19 to exorbitant lumber prices to supply chain disruptions — construction professionals are dealing with significant challenges and uncertainty. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Digital-Lean-Optimizing-Jobsite-Communications.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/15-Skills-and-Practices-Conducive-to-High-Performance-Lean-Teams.html In the last segment we focused on some of the mental and psychological approaches and mindsets to be instilled and fostered in the leaders and members of successful high performance Lean team engagements. https://leanconstructionblog.com/15-Skills-and-Practices-Conducive-to-High-Performance-Lean-Teams.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Either-We-Heal-as-a-Team-or-We-Will-Die-as-Individuals.html Even though I don't follow NFL football and every time I see it I have to go over the rules, it becomes an entertaining sport because of how highly tactical and systematic it is. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Either-We-Heal-as-a-Team-or-We-Will-Die-as-Individuals.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Defining-Lean-Construction-And-Why-It-Matters.html Deliver value to the customer with the least waste by flow efficiency and do it better and better. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Defining-Lean-Construction-And-Why-It-Matters.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Winning-in-Preconstruction.html We do not win on the project - we win in pre-construction. The greatest generals in history would win the war before going to battle. This was one of the major concepts presented in the book, The Art of War, by Sun Tzu. It can be helpful to look at construction like war at times. People on construction sites are at war every day. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Winning-in-Preconstruction.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Thoughts-on-Lean-Design-The-12-Fundamentals.html The application of Lean in the design and engineering of capital projects lags behind Lean applications maturing in both construction fabrication and site assembly processes. There is still much that we can learn from the world consumer product development that has yet to be applied to Lean capital project delivery. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Thoughts-on-Lean-Design-The-12-Fundamentals.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/what-is-the-secret-to-creating-a-culture-of-learning.html We often focus on the tools and the visible elements of what makes a lean organization successful, but fundamentally the essence of lean is not about tools or projects. It’s about creating a culture of learning by putting people first and focusing on principes about how to learn more effectively and solve problems more quickly. https://leanconstructionblog.com/what-is-the-secret-to-creating-a-culture-of-learning.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/9-Lean-Leadership-Practices-To-Get-The-Best-Performance-Out-Of-Your-Team.html Steve Jobs said “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” Often when teaching classes in Lean engagement and Lean methodologies, I post two banners on the wall with the following quotes. https://leanconstructionblog.com/9-Lean-Leadership-Practices-To-Get-The-Best-Performance-Out-Of-Your-Team.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Many-Designers-Dislike-Schedules-But-Welcome-Pull-Planning.html That's the phrase I most often hear when architects and engineers respond to how long some design deliverable will take to complete. When pushed, you may get a response, but it won't be accurate. Contractors have a go-to answer, too, "about two weeks." https://leanconstructionblog.com/Many-Designers-Dislike-Schedules-But-Welcome-Pull-Planning.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/How-to-Facilitate-Collaboration-in-Target-Value-Delivery.html Target Value Delivery (TVD) is a management practice that views the client’s values and constraints as an input to design aiming to minimise waste and maximise value [1]. In comparison to common design practice, TVD is a proactive approach that requires the following shift in paradigm. https://leanconstructionblog.com/How-to-Facilitate-Collaboration-in-Target-Value-Delivery.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Psychological-Safety-The-Most-Important-Element-of-Any-Successful-Team.html Although many people who might read this article may be familiar with David Marquette‘s YouTube video entitled “Greatness”, please allow me to suggest that before reading further, you watch it again, or for the first time. His brief video is based on his book, Turn the Ship Around. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Psychological-Safety-The-Most-Important-Element-of-Any-Successful-Team.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Art-of-The-Builder-How-to-Elevate-Construction-Superintendents.html Imagine you just came back from an LCI Congress, or a Lean Construction Blog Conference, or some other lean training. You are excited, energetic, and hopeful for the future. Finally, you will be able to take that next step, improve your project, and reduce waste. Nothing can stop you now. https://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Art-of-The-Builder-How-to-Elevate-Construction-Superintendents.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/What-is-the-Takt-Production-Model.html In recent years, Takt Production has received a lot of interest in the construction and we are seeing more and more implementations around the industry. Takt Production comes from the aeronautical industry and its purpose is to stabilize and maintain rhythm of production. The construction industry has needs and works differently than most industries. https://leanconstructionblog.com/What-is-the-Takt-Production-Model.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Introduction-to-CCDC30-Canadian-Integrated-Project-Delivery-Contract.html For all project stakeholders, there has been a growing interest to see more collaboration and fewer conflicts in the design and construction process. As part of this interest, new methodologies have begun to emerge, including the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) methodology. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Introduction-to-CCDC30-Canadian-Integrated-Project-Delivery-Contract.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Prevention-Through-Design-How-Lean-Design-And-Lean-Construction-Can-Partner-For-The-Best-Results.html Between January 2012 and early 2014, more than 500 Indian migrant workers and 382 Nepalese died in Qatar performing construction work connected to the 2022 World Cup. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Prevention-Through-Design-How-Lean-Design-And-Lean-Construction-Can-Partner-For-The-Best-Results.html https://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Lean-Techniques-to-Hurricane-Planning-and-Preparation.html Our company applied Lean techniques to hurricane planning and preparation in advance of the 2017 hurricane season, which turned out to be one of the most active and destructive hurricane seasons of all time. The teams involved followed a Lean process: plan, do, check, adjust. The result was a host of lessons learned that were applied to planning efforts for the 2018 hurricane season. https://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Lean-Techniques-to-Hurricane-Planning-and-Preparation.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Breaking-Through-the-Variation-Barrier.html Have you been on a project where workers are standing around with nothing to do or areas on your project ready to go with nobody around and all you hear are crickets chirping? This is caused by variation in production which simply means you have inconsistent processes, and you will always end up with inconsistent results. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Breaking-Through-the-Variation-Barrier.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/IPD-Lean-a-marriage-made-in-heaven.html A recently completed research report studies ten projects that all used multiparty agreements and Lean practices. The conclusion? Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) motivates teams to collaborate and Lean provides the means to achieve it. IPD is sometimes seen as onerous and complex because it demands that owners and project teams negotiate contract terms such as the shared risk/reward pool and terms of fiscal transparency. http://leanconstructionblog.com/IPD-Lean-a-marriage-made-in-heaven.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/6-Ways-to-Go-Lean-and-Beat-the-Competition-with-Construction-Technology.html The Lean Movement is gaining popularity in the construction world, and with good reason–it's about cutting out waste and increasing value-added activities. Who wouldn't want that? Among a myriad of other benefits, removing waste from the process drives greater profits, reduces risk, improves safety, shortens schedules, and improves relationships. http://leanconstructionblog.com/6-Ways-to-Go-Lean-and-Beat-the-Competition-with-Construction-Technology.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Matter-of-Metrics.html When company leaders are confronted with the prospect of changing to a Lean Project Delivery approach they will undoubtedly say, “Show me the data.” The implication is that if the data is there to support the implementation of Lean then they will get behind the change. However, this is rarely the case as I will address later, so hold that thought to the end of this installment. Until then let’s assume that your senior executives DO get the Lean/IPD value proposition. Big assumption, but humor me for now. What these leaders are really asking is, which metrics indicate that their decision to support Lean was a good one and which metrics shows that true progress is being made. With that in mind, let’s consider which metrics to use and which to avoid in starting the journey. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Matter-of-Metrics.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Secret-Sauce-How-to-Make-all-of-Your-Lean-Projects-Successful.html The big buzz phrase in the construction industry is Integrated Project Delivery or IPD. Disney has a concept called ILPD or Integrated Lean Project Delivery. This uses not only a collaborative approach to projects, but also uses the Last Planner System and Lean concepts to eliminate waste, focus on adding value, and continuously improving. Everyone on the project signs an integrated form of agreement that commits to shared risk and reward and cooperation throughout the project. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Secret-Sauce-How-to-Make-all-of-Your-Lean-Projects-Successful.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/On-the-Advocate-Health-Care-Front-How-Project-Success-moved-from-IPDish-to-IFOA.html Advocate Health Care, one of the largest health systems in Illinois treats more pediatric, heart and cancer patients than any other hospital, operates more than 400 sites of care, 12 acute-care hospitals, a children’s hospital with two campuses, and the state’s largest integrated children’s network – all serving 3.4 million patients. Given its extensive real estate and capital investments, Advocate is constantly seeking the most efficient and innovative project delivery methods possible. http://leanconstructionblog.com/On-the-Advocate-Health-Care-Front-How-Project-Success-moved-from-IPDish-to-IFOA.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/10-Easy-Ways-to-Run-a-Lean-Meeting.html I try to apply “lean thinking” into all aspects of life, not just to work and certainly not just to construction projects (if you ever meet me in person, ask me to tell you how I manage my family’s weekly grocery list). When trying to inspire lean thinking in others, I encourage them to pick something that bugs them – it doesn’t matter what it is – and work their way backwards from there. The goal is to make life easier by reducing waste and/or add value; finding ways to simplify the process by speeding up or eliminating steps and handoffs wherever possible. http://leanconstructionblog.com/10-Easy-Ways-to-Run-a-Lean-Meeting.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Owner-Criteria-for-Lean-Provider-Selection.html A popularly quoted and important concept is that "Lean Transformation is a journey, not a destination". At the 2016 International Congress on Lean Construction, people at all stages of the journey were on display: beginners, in-progress implementers, advanced practitioners, etc. How can an Owner distinguish between the levels of Lean and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) experience when selecting AEC team members for a project? As an "ILPD" Coach, here are 5 questions that I recommend my clients to ask when selecting their Lean service providers. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Owner-Criteria-for-Lean-Provider-Selection.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-ratio-of-value-vs-waste-in-Brazilian-infrastructure-projects.html Brazil’s public and private infrastructure sector is investing in processes improvement and kaizen implementation. Included in this investment is a study of the of ratio of value added vs. non-value added activities on site. The main goal of this initial diagnostic step, is to understand the processes involved to provide a basis for future improvements. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-ratio-of-value-vs-waste-in-Brazilian-infrastructure-projects.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-public-sector-is-seduced-by-Lean-Construction-LIPS-2016.html Lean Construction is an approach to improving quality, economy, and compliance with project schedules in the construction sector. Lean In the Public Sector (LIPS) is a conference about Lean in public construction projects. LIPS focuses on practical applications and has traditionally been focused on results and the path to getting them. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-public-sector-is-seduced-by-Lean-Construction-LIPS-2016.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Implementing-Lean-to-improve-BIM-processes.html Virtual construction is becoming an essential part of any construction projects. Even in low-level BIM maturity projects building developers are demanding BIM in the design and construction phase. Lean tools have been developed and applied successfully in the construction industry around the world. Such tools can generate benefits as they improve the company’s organization, its development, and competitiveness http://leanconstructionblog.com/Implementing-Lean-to-improve-BIM-processes.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/A-deeper-look-into-LBMS-controlling-system-preventing-cascading-delays.html In my previous post about LBMS, I mentioned that cascading delays can cause project duration increases of 10% or more. This blog article digs a bit deeper and explains what cascading delays are, why they happen in construction projects and how LBMS controlling can help to prevent them. http://leanconstructionblog.com/A-deeper-look-into-LBMS-controlling-system-preventing-cascading-delays.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Lean-Thinking-to-Improve-Safety-Performance-in-Construction.html The construction industry remains one of the most hazardous industries in the United States in terms of the number of occupational fatal and non-fatal injuries. In 2014, 874 fatal work-related injuries were reported in the U.S. construction industry. Even though construction workers historically account for only about 5% of the overall U.S. workforce, the construction industry accounts for approximately 20% of the total occupational fatal and non-fatal injuries. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Lean-Thinking-to-Improve-Safety-Performance-in-Construction.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Lean-Card-Gamification-An-easy-way-to-teach-Lean-Concepts.html On November 20th 2012, we carried out one of the largest lean gamification in the world. In total we had 630 attendees and 35 support staff. The game helped us deeply understand the concepts of Lean Construction and enabled us to grow in our experience, thinking, and behaviour with respect to the Lean philosophy. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Lean-Card-Gamification-An-easy-way-to-teach-Lean-Concepts.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/building-information-modeling.html Exchange of Dies, refers to a method in the Lean Production System that is used for quick, simplified and efficient production set-up and changeover from one product/process to another, which often constitute the major causes of production downtime (non-productive time/stoppages). It is one of the foundational blocks of a continuous, improved production flow. http://leanconstructionblog.com/building-information-modeling.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/4-Tips-To-Improve-Your-Next-Pull-Planning-Session.html I find myself going through similar motions in the beginning stages of project planning. Our team has submitted CPM schedules per owner’s requirements and have moved on to selecting contractors. This is starting off as the typical construction process so far. To break the cycle, our team has committed to implementing the Last Planner System on this project. http://leanconstructionblog.com/4-Tips-To-Improve-Your-Next-Pull-Planning-Session.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-ways-to-keep-employees-engaged-when-working-in-remote.html The rise in information technology, changing market and working conditions has meant the workplace environment for some design and construction workers has evolved significantly. More companies are moving away from the traditional workplace settings where they have daily face-to-face contact with their manager and team. It is now more common to work remotely, outsource to other organisations, or work online and from home. http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-ways-to-keep-employees-engaged-when-working-in-remote.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Miracle-in-Kazakhstan-Creating-a-Lean-Culture-in-18-Months.html It is hard to believe that I am on my fifth book "Miracle in Kazakhstan." In January 2015, I accepted an invitation to come to Kazakhstan’s largest construction company - BI Group - to speak about “2 Second Lean”. My job was simple; build a lean culture in a company through interpreters, in a language that is as foreign to me as painting a Van Gough would be. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Miracle-in-Kazakhstan-Creating-a-Lean-Culture-in-18-Months.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/LeanBIM-Unleash-BIM-possibilities.html The main goal of implementing Lean Construction is to generate value and to minimize waste. This value can be maximized by implementing BIM alongside with Lean Construction. Lean provides the framework for understanding waste, while BIM enables the project team from different disciplines to work together in order to achieve the lean ideal of removing it. http://leanconstructionblog.com/LeanBIM-Unleash-BIM-possibilities.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Single-Minute-Exchange-of-Dies-A-Neglected-Method-in-Lean-Construction.html Exchange of Dies, refers to a method in the Lean Production System that is used for quick, simplified and efficient production set-up and changeover from one product/process to another, which often constitute the major causes of production downtime (non-productive time/stoppages). It is one of the foundational blocks of a continuous, improved production flow. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Single-Minute-Exchange-of-Dies-A-Neglected-Method-in-Lean-Construction.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/IGLC-Boston-2016-On-the-Brink-of-a-Lean-Revolution-Part-1.html The 24th Annual International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) Conference and Research Summer School took place between July 18 and 24 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It was a very busy week of learning (and some social activities!) which was attended by over 250 academics and practitioners. This blog (Part 1) will cherry pick some of my key takeaways and highlights from the first two days of the week long industry and research programme. http://leanconstructionblog.com/IGLC-Boston-2016-On-the-Brink-of-a-Lean-Revolution-Part-1.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Lean-Construction-Last-Planner-System.html Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell developed the Last Planner System of Production Control throughout the 90s. At the same time, Lauri Koskela was working on developing a theory of production which provided the theoretical framework for the LPS. The LPS has been successfully implemented and is becoming an important part construction management. However, the transition from theory to practice has not been easy. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Lean-Construction-Last-Planner-System.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Kanban-at-a-Small-HVAC-Company.html This blog post is a continuation of our series on the application of Lean Construction methods in a small HVAC Company. The goal of this post is to show how a small company applied Kanban to manage their work processes. We will look at Kanban from three perspectives: 1) managing inventory, 2) managing customer inquiries, and 3) managing RFIs. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Kanban-at-a-Small-HVAC-Company.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Implementing-Lean-Construction-The-Major-Pitfalls.html Implementing the Lean Production philosophy in the construction industry has been discussed since the early 1990s. With an increasing attention to the subject, a growing body of research and many successful implementations by the industry, “Lean” construction has stood the test of time and avoided becoming another management fad. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Implementing-Lean-Construction-The-Major-Pitfalls.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/lean-construction-resources.html As our construction industry becomes more open to adopting collaborative and lean practices, we are going to see more requests for knowledge and training on the subjects of target value delivery, last planner system, choosing by advantage, A3 thinking etc. http://leanconstructionblog.com/lean-construction-resources.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-importance-of-the-owner-for-lean-project-success.html In Germany, there is a tendency that construction companies are the first stakeholders of the whole project process who apply lean principles or at least - lean tools. Working as an owner, I often ask myself, how much leaner can a project/construction site become if the lean principles are only executed inside the processes of the contractor. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-importance-of-the-owner-for-lean-project-success.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-Project-Delivery-System-and-ISO-21500.html Lean Project Delivery System (LPDS) is an organized implementation of the Lean Principles and Tools, combined to allow a team to operate in unison. The LPDS was developed as a philosophy, a set of interdependent functions, rules for decision making, procedures for execution of functions, and as implementation aids and tools, including software when appropriate; the domain for the LPDS is defined by the intersection of projects and production systems. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-Project-Delivery-System-and-ISO-21500.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Lean-Construction-Pull-And-Flow.html According to Tommelein et al. (1998), workflow can be characterized in several different ways. In manufacturing, it is defined by stationary machines with partially completed products being transported from one to the next. In construction, the products being built tend to be stationary, whereas crews of various trades move from location to location and complete work that is prerequisite to starting work by the following crew. - See more at: http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Lean-Construction-Pull-And-Flow.html#sthash.GrjvRG6O.dpuf http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Lean-Construction-Pull-And-Flow.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/When-the-Wheels-Fall-Off-and-They-Will.html You’ve studied the Toyota Production System, you’ve attended webinars, you’ve read all the books. You’ve even learned a little Japanese in the process. Your team has been prepped and schooled in lean theory and seems enthusiastic about embracing something new. You’re ready to lead your team to the promised land of lean and your world is soon to be filled with joyous customers, happy employees, and record profits! http://leanconstructionblog.com/When-the-Wheels-Fall-Off-and-They-Will.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/A-Self-Professed-Lean-Simpleton.html When I was in college I studied abroad in Germany for one semester. I studied German language, history, and literature. One of the books that I read was called The Adventures of a Simpleton. As I remember, it was a story of a servant class young man. He was looking out into the world of kings and queens through the eyes of a very naïve man who had little exposure to the things of the world, let alone nobility. After I read that book I walked away with the notion that being a simpleton was not a good thing. http://leanconstructionblog.com/A-Self-Professed-Lean-Simpleton.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-History-of-The-Development-of-the-Last-Planner-System.html According to Glenn Ballard, one of the inventors of the Last Planner System (LPS), an earlier study on Crew Planning in the 1980s was a precursor to its development. At that time, Glenn was the Productivity Improvement Manager for Brown and Root’s Construction in the US. Some key LPS principles such as ‘make ready’ and ‘shielding workers from bad assignments’ were practiced then. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-History-of-The-Development-of-the-Last-Planner-System.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-Big-Ideas-behind-Lean-Design-and-Construction.html Back in Spring 2004, Sutter Health held a conference for the design and construction companies that they had worked with to build their facilities. Lean Project Consulting facilitated the event and presented a manifesto to guide Sutter’s future capital program. It was called: “Five Big Ideas That Are Reshaping the Design and Delivery of Capital Projects”. http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-Big-Ideas-behind-Lean-Design-and-Construction.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-The-Last-Planner-In-A-Small-HVAC-Company.html According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 6.5 million people working in the US construction industry in 2016. The average construction worker is statistically more likely to work in a small or medium business than a large multi-billion company. Despite this statistic, many of the research and implementation case studies in Lean Construction have been on large multi-million or multi-billion projects. The goal of this blog post to present a case study of an application of the Last Planner System within a small 20-person company. Some of the following misconceptions are also addressed: 1) The Last Planner only works with large companies or on large projects, and 2) the Last Planner does not apply for short duration projects. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-The-Last-Planner-In-A-Small-HVAC-Company.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Control-The-Last-Planner-System-Using-Visual-Management.html In line with the famous saying “no battle plan survives contact with the enemy”, construction production systems need solid mechanisms to control their projects on site. The Last Planner System and Takt Time Planning offer a collaborative and balanced method for planning in lean construction. However, plans are pretty much pointless unless they are controlled and modified effectively. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Control-The-Last-Planner-System-Using-Visual-Management.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-Construction-Maturity.html Lean Construction (LC), a management philosophy, is known in the industry to enable organisations to achieve major improvement in terms of productivity and levels of innovation through more collaborative approaches. However, implementing LC is not an easy task for organisations and often requires fundamental changes at both – the strategic and operational level. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-Construction-Maturity.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/An-A3-Template-for-Lean-Research.html In Lean Construction, we recognize that there are inherent wastes in every production system. Our objective is often to identify and reduce the wastes. Just as construction and design have been conceptualized as production systems, it can be argued that research is also a production system. Instead of producing a design or creating a product, the output of research is new knowledge. If research is truly a production system, then could we apply the same Lean methods and tools to drive out waste and improve its efficiency? http://leanconstructionblog.com/An-A3-Template-for-Lean-Research.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Keys-and-Tips-to-Implement-the-5S-Methodology.html The 5S methodology was born at Toyota in the 60s under an industrial environment to achieve better organized, tidier, and cleaner workplaces to increase productivity and to obtain a better working environment. The 5S methodology has been widely spread, and many companies and organizations are implementing it worldwide. Although it is conceptually simple and does not require a complex training or experts with sophisticated knowledge, it is essential to implement it through a rigorous and disciplined fashion. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Keys-and-Tips-to-Implement-the-5S-Methodology.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Pull-Planning-Using-Origami-Gamification.html The Last Planner® System (LPS) is a production planning system designed to produce predictable work flow and rapid learning in programming, design, construction and commissioning of projects. LPS was developed by Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell and has five elements. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Teaching-Pull-Planning-Using-Origami-Gamification.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Location-Based-Management-System-CPM-on-steroids-combined-with-flowline-visualization.html System (LBMS) builds on decades of work on location-based scheduling methods. The first recorded utilization of location-based methods in vertical construction was in the Empire State Building. More systematic approaches followed. Line-of-Balance was based on optimizing production of identical locations. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Location-Based-Management-System-CPM-on-steroids-combined-with-flowline-visualization.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/project-managers-are-last-planners.html We often identify “last planners” as the people responsible for performing the work on a construction site. Although project managers do not perform any of the work on a construction site, they do have more responsibility to the project other than just organizing the next golf trip! This blog takes a look at how project managers can use the the Last Planner® System (LPS) to help the project team deliver their promises. http://leanconstructionblog.com/project-managers-are-last-planners.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Effective-leadership-underpins-successful-lean-implementation.html Creating a workplace culture where people hold a mindset of continuous improvement, proactivity and seek better ways of doing things is of substantial interest to the lean community. This mindset is needed to enable successful implementation of lean principles. So how do we create a culture where we get buy in from employees to adopt this way of thinking? http://leanconstructionblog.com/Effective-leadership-underpins-successful-lean-implementation.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Using-Lewin-Change-Model-To-Understand-Continuous-Improvement.html When we are talking about Lean, we are talking about continuous improvement. Continuous improvement requires a system, process, organizational structure, and cultural change. It is necessary that involved parties understand the change process in order to initiate change. The change process itself can be easily explained with Lewin's change model. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Using-Lewin-Change-Model-To-Understand-Continuous-Improvement.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-with-Cloud-and-Mobile-Technologies.html In many ways, lean construction is about ensuring the right people receive the right information at the right time. Cloud and mobile technologies can greatly facilitate these goals. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-with-Cloud-and-Mobile-Technologies.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Creating-a-lean-culture-communicating-with-HeaRT.html Creating a lean culture sometimes requires participating in difficult conversations. Perhaps someone is not meeting their commitments, or maybe they're not fully present in meetings where their input is critical to the success of the project. How do you communicate with them in a way that doesn't tear them down yet gets results? http://leanconstructionblog.com/Creating-a-lean-culture-communicating-with-HeaRT.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-Steps-To-Takt-Time-Planning.html As a foreword to the post, I think there are many ways one can execute Takt time planning (TTP). The fact that there isn’t much research on the topic in construction means that it is definitely an open question. Through some iteration and research, the five step method below is the best practice to Takt time planning so far. http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-Steps-To-Takt-Time-Planning.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Concept-of-Waste-as-Understood-in-Lean-Construction.html The construction industry is seen, by researchers, as a slowly progressing industry that is suffering from low productivity and poor performance compared to other industries. Over the past 60 years the UK industry has commissioned several reports with the aim of reviewing its performance and suggesting means of improvement. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-Concept-of-Waste-as-Understood-in-Lean-Construction.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-Tips-to-developing-your-organisation-culture-and-move-towards-peak-business-performance.html The current economic climate is posing real threats and challenges to many organizations’ longevity. The applicability and sustainability of organizations across the world is being questioned, resulting in many organizations wondering how to effectively respond. http://leanconstructionblog.com/5-Tips-to-developing-your-organisation-culture-and-move-towards-peak-business-performance.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-step-we-often-overlook-when-implementing-the-Last-Planner-System.html As a superintendent, I take pride in the fact that projects I am part of finish on time. I take pride in a safe job site. I take pride in a clean job site. I was brought up in the industry to put work in place and not lose money doing it. http://leanconstructionblog.com/The-step-we-often-overlook-when-implementing-the-Last-Planner-System.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Top-Ten-Synergies-between-Lean-Construction-and-BIM.html Lean Construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are important transformation drivers for the construction industry. Recent research shows that there are considerable synergies between the two. The synergies extend from the design phase to the construction and facilities management phase. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Top-Ten-Synergies-between-Lean-Construction-and-BIM.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/7-ways-to-make-shared-risk-and-reward-sustainable.html Around the world, shared risk and reward contracts are becoming more prevalent. In the United States several forms of agreements for construction projects including: Sutter Health’s Integrated Form of Agreement (IFOA), the ConsensusDocs 300, and American Institute of Architects (AIA) contracts have provisions for sharing the profit and the losses of a construction project between the owner, contractor, architect, specialty trade contractors, and other service providers. http://leanconstructionblog.com/7-ways-to-make-shared-risk-and-reward-sustainable.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/How-4D-Scheduling-Creates-Synergies-Between-BIM-and-Lean.html With new tools come new methods. There are numerous examples of this when it comes to Lean Construction and BIM, where new BIM tools require new processes that very often encompass several lean principles. http://leanconstructionblog.com/How-4D-Scheduling-Creates-Synergies-Between-BIM-and-Lean.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/A-Brief-History-of-Location-Based-Scheduling-and-Takt-Time-Planning.html Location-based scheduling methods are not new. In some countries such as Finland, the adoption of line of balance schedules is widespread and used for decades. However, in the United States these schedules have remained unpopular. http://leanconstructionblog.com/A-Brief-History-of-Location-Based-Scheduling-and-Takt-Time-Planning.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/First-Run-Video-Studies-Plan-Do-Check-Adjust.html Plan-Do-Check-Adjust (PDCA) is an improvement cycle based on a scientific method of proposing a change, implementing the change, measuring the results, and adjusting as needed. It is also known as the Deming Cycle after W. Edwards Deming who introduced the concept in Japan in the 1950s. http://leanconstructionblog.com/First-Run-Video-Studies-Plan-Do-Check-Adjust.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Three-Reasons-Why-the-Last-Planner-System-is-Essential-for-Efficient-Design-Management.html The design and construction process is usually complex, uncertain, and requires the input and decisions from many stakeholders in multiple organizations to produce the final asset that is “ready for operation”. Often, stakeholders are engaged late in the process... http://leanconstructionblog.com/Three-Reasons-Why-the-Last-Planner-System-is-Essential-for-Efficient-Design-Management.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/applying-choosing-by-advantages-step-by-step.html Choosing by Advantages (CBA) is a collaborative and transparent decision making system developed by Jim Suhr, which comprises of multiple methods. CBA includes methods for virtually all types of decisions, from very simple to very complex (Suhr 1999). http://leanconstructionblog.com/applying-choosing-by-advantages-step-by-step.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-Construction-is-gaining-traction-in-Germany.html Lean Construction is starting to gain traction in Germany. The German Lean Construction Institute (GLCI) established on 15th of July 2014, held the first conference in Frankfurt on October 15, 2015. 211 participants including construction companies, subcontractors, consultants, private owners, and researchers, exchanged information and discussed their Lean journey. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Lean-Construction-is-gaining-traction-in-Germany.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Introduction-to-Conventional-Visual-Management.html Visual Management is a visual (sensory) communication strategy that is frequently used to realize Lean Construction goals at the operational level (i.e construction field, design office, facilities etc.). Visual Management emphasizes consciously employing simple yet effective cognitive concepts and artefacts such as color coding, shadowing, the Gestalt Law or simple cards, tokens and boards to attain the operational targets of a production system. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Introduction-to-Conventional-Visual-Management.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Understanding-the-difference-between-cooperation-and-collaboration.html Practically, the terms cooperation and collaboration are interpreted differently or used synonymously. Using the terms interchangeable to express “working together” can result in misunderstandings between project participants as the concepts behind cooperation and collaboration are different. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Understanding-the-difference-between-cooperation-and-collaboration.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/How-Target-Value-Design-Works.html Research on Target Value Design (TVD) has found that TVD projects are delivered 15% to 20% below market price. Additionally, TVD projects are more likely to achieve predictable cost performance outcomes while carry less contingency than projects that do not use TVD. This post introduces a theoretical model to explain these results. http://leanconstructionblog.com/How-Target-Value-Design-Works.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Are-You-Curious-to-Learn-Lean.html The construction industry is an interesting animal. I say that, not just as an observer, but as someone who has been involved with construction my entire life. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Are-You-Curious-to-Learn-Lean.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/What-is-the-lean-project-delivery-system.html The Lean Project Delivery System (LPDS) was first introduced by Glenn Ballard in 2000. LPDS is a philosophy, but also a delivery system in which the project team help customers to decide what they want, not only realize decisions and perform activities. http://leanconstructionblog.com/What-is-the-lean-project-delivery-system.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Global-Problems-Global-Solutions.html This month I want to share my highlights and takeaways from last month’s International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) 23rd Annual Conference in Perth, Australia. The IGLC was founded in 1993, and makes up a network of professionals and researchers in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). http://leanconstructionblog.com/Global-Problems-Global-Solutions.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Introduction-to-Takt-time-planning.html Takt time planning is a work structuring method. Let’s decouple that a little bit. ‘Takt time’ is a term used in manufacturing to describe pacing work to match the customer’s demand rate. ‘Work structuring’ is the practice of scheduling out work and is a part of designing a production system. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Introduction-to-Takt-time-planning.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Lean-Thinking-to-the-Design-Process.html By nature, the design process is complex; it often involves thousands of decisions, sometimes over a period of many years, with numerous interdependencies, and under a highly uncertain environment. Design can involve a large number of participants and decisions makers, trade-offs between multiple competing design criteria with inadequate information, and intense budget and schedule constraints. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Applying-Lean-Thinking-to-the-Design-Process.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/Using%20Target%20Costing%20as%20a%20Competitive%20Advantage.html Today, quality is no longer a competitive advantage, but rather a prerequisite. Cost and time remains a big differentials in a competitive environment. As the competition in the construction industry becomes increasingly intense, a lower cost structure is critical for a company's survival. http://leanconstructionblog.com/Using%20Target%20Costing%20as%20a%20Competitive%20Advantage.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/why-decision-making-methods-matter.html Have you ever thought about which method you use for making decisions? Probably not, but you probably have asked yourself whether or not you made a good decision. Well, the two questions are related. We can never be 100% sure we have made a good decision, but we can make sure that we follow a good decision-making method and do the best with the available information. http://leanconstructionblog.com/why-decision-making-methods-matter.html http://leanconstructionblog.com/different-types-of-decision-making-methods-in-the-AEC-industry.html Organizations make multiple types of decisions on a daily basis, such as: hiring people, selecting technologies, designing operations, etc. It is logical to think that different types of decisions will require different types of decision-making methods. Roy (1974) made a classification of decisions types. These can be summarized as follows. http://leanconstructionblog.com/different-types-of-decision-making-methods-in-the-AEC-industry.html