Implementing Lean in the Field

BACKGROUND

A local builder learned about lean construction and wanted to implement tools that would help them improve field operations and become more competitive in the Front Range market of Colorado.

OBSTACLE

The superintendents were hungry to learn from each other, but struggled to successfully share lessons across projects. The company was concerned about how to share learning, gain buy-in on successful methods, and then to spread learning across projects and across the organization.

APPROACH

We began with a baseline level set of lean knowledge before shifting to custom support of individual project superintendents working on various project types. The lean level set workshop served to describe current conditions in the lean landscape. For pre-work, we asked each stakeholder to read The Lean Builder and to come prepared with an assessment of their current project.

As part of the session, we led discussion and asked the superintendents to answer the following questions:

• What struggles do we share on our job sites?
• What problem(s) are we trying to solve?
• What elements from The Lean Builder might help?
• How can we become more effective?
• What is our plan going forward?

As the next phase of the plan, we went to gemba at multiple?job sites and helped implement aspects of The Lean Builder:

• Pull planning phases with trade partners on a school project
• Set up visual management tools for look-ahead work planning, constraints, and deliveries on a government project
• Developed strategy for on-boarding trades as the superintendent prepared to mobilize for a tech project

RESULT

The superintendents appreciated the opportunity to assemble and share their struggles as a team, especially noting that all were “sharing the struggle.” All were quick to request follow-on support back at their projects and subsequently implemented sustained improvements on their respective projects.

LESSONS LEARNED

All organizations have vast knowledge available to them internally, but unlocking that knowledge can be a challenge

Take time to ask the right question: What problem are we trying to solve?

Working on job sites as a superintendent can be very rough with little day-to-day support from others. Bringing folks together on a regular cadence to share frankly and honestly can help folks feel supported and identify common challenges facing the group.

RECOMMENDATION: Bring stakeholders together and help them to have candid discussion in a room without rank

Carefully determine what steps to take: How can we be more effective?

Once people feel heard and trust that their perspective matters, they will become a font of ideas. However, this must be balanced with a strategic effort aimed at incremental improvement across the organization

RECOMMENDATION: Focus improvement on small, effective improvements that can be sustained