Contact Information
info@leanconstructionblog.com
Related Webinars
all webinars
Pause and Reflect | How Developing Capabilities and Critical Thinking Impacts Productivity
The construction industry reminds me very much of today’s school system! Both are broken and there doesn’t seem to be much attention on building learning capability.
The Future of Construction and Digital Lean
The modern jobsite is in a constant state of refinement and innovation. Even pre-pandemic, the industry was starting to rethink our current methods of development and embrace change.
Using Indoor Positioning to Analyze Operations Flow
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.
Are You Curious to Learn Lean?
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. I started off building guitars for Taylor Guitars, then, I went on to restore beautiful homes in Pasadena, California. Following this, I opened up my own general contracting business where I did a lot of restoration work and remodelling.
Lean Lessons Learned: 10 Steps to Success
My Lean thinking has gradually evolved since beginning my journey in 2000. You'd think I’d have figured it all out by now, right?... Not a chance. I was recently asked a very good question: What would you do differently if you had all the Lean knowledge and experience you have today?1 Below are 10 thoughts to this question.
Organizational Transformation and Lean Thinking: In Perfect Harmony
Change in an organization is inevitable and necessary. This shouldn’t be earth-shattering to anyone. The people, processes, space and technology must constantly evolve. When we are satisfied with being on a plateau inescapably something will disrupt our steady movement and change the course.
Applying Lean Thinking to Improve Safety Performance in Construction
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.
Using Lewin’s Change Model to Understand Continuous Improvement
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.
Understanding The Difference Between Cooperation And Collaboration
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.
Looking at Categories for Improvement
We in design and construction tend to break down opportunities for improvement into three general categories - schedule, cost, and quality. I’m excepting safety here because it should always be the number one focus for improvement.
Rocks in the Road - A Group-Oriented Tool to Leverage Success and Identify Obstacles
Our team was stuck as if we’d been walking through cartoon quicksand. We were individual high performers, but for some reason, our IPD team could not get on the same page when it came to the project schedule.
The Art and Philosophy of Lean Construction
Get the free ebook on the Art and Philosophy of Lean Construction. The book includes: 1) Why Start With Lean Construction Philosophy. 2) The Difference Between Philosophy, Principles, Methods, Tools and Implementation. 3) Lean Construction Methods Explained In Plain English.
The Paradox of Lean Construction and the Case for Ambidexterity
This post aims to introduce the ambidextrous characteristics of lean construction (LC). Some studies have shown the rigid and flexible features in LC. However, these achievements cannot fully explain the whole nature of LC.
What Is Slack In Construction And Why Is It Needed?
Slack is a means to deal with uncertainty and variability in a planned or opportunistic way by using different types of resources. Slack does not only imply the use of extra or idle resources.
Mastering the Art of Mindset: Academic vs Practitioner Approaches
During the authors’ time together in graduate school, they stumbled upon two mindsets with which they and their peers sought knowledge and expertise in different fields of work. The two mindsets being that of a practitioner and an academic person.