How do you use lean construction to increase efficiency in your project?

1 What is lean construction?

Lean construction is a way of thinking and managing construction projects that focuses on eliminating waste and maximizing value. Waste can be anything that does not add value to the customer, such as defects, delays, overproduction, excess inventory, unnecessary motion, or overprocessing. Value is what the customer wants and is willing to pay for, such as quality, functionality, aesthetics, or sustainability. Lean construction aims to deliver value to the customer faster, cheaper, and better by applying the principles of continuous improvement, pull planning, value stream mapping, and last planner system.

2 How to apply continuous improvement?

Continuous improvement is the core principle of lean construction. It means that you should always look for ways to improve your processes and activities, and learn from your mistakes and successes. Continuous improvement involves four steps: plan, do, check, and act. Plan what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Do the work according to the plan. Check the results and compare them to the plan. Act on the feedback and make adjustments if needed. Repeat the cycle until you reach your goal.

4 How to create a value stream map?

A value stream map is a tool that helps you to analyze and optimize the flow of materials, information, and people in your project. It shows the current state of your processes and activities, and how they add or reduce value to the customer. A value stream map helps you to identify the sources of waste and inefficiency, such as waiting, rework, or duplication, and to propose solutions to eliminate or minimize them. A value stream map also helps you to design the future state of your processes and activities, and how they will deliver more value to the customer.

5 How to implement the last planner system?

The last planner system is a method that helps you to control and coordinate the execution of your project. It involves the participation and collaboration of all the project team members, especially the ones who are directly involved in the work. The last planner system consists of five elements: master plan, phase plan, look-ahead plan, weekly work plan, and learning. The master plan defines the overall scope, objectives, and milestones of the project. The phase plan breaks down the master plan into smaller chunks of work that can be managed by the team. The look-ahead plan identifies the work that can be done in the next few weeks, and the prerequisites and resources needed for it. The weekly work plan specifies the work that will be done in the next week, and the commitments and expectations of each team member. The learning element involves reviewing the performance and progress of the project, and identifying the reasons for any deviations or failures.