When considering which project is a candidate for your first Lean project, carefully consider who will be leading this transformation day-to-day. Whether your enterprise is an owner, builder, or architect keep in mind that the most successful enterprise transformations start with a strong Lean project performance. Some project leaders look at Lean practices such as […]
Pilot Lean Projects – Leadership is Important Read More »
At a minimum teams review make ready needs (using a six-week look ahead and constraint log), learning metrics (such as Percent Plan Complete and Tasks Made Ready), and the Weekly Work Plan (as voiced by last planners). They end the meeting with a Plus-Delta. The best teams also take a few moments to emphasize that
Last Planner Weekly Coordination Meeting Agenda Item Read More »
A reason Lean in design feels difficult is that the industry has a babelesque understanding about the work to be accomplished. In conversations with architects and engineers declarations of completed work are often phrased in terms of 90% schematic design completion, 50% design development completion, or 75% construction document completion. That would be fine if everyone
Lean Design Conversations – A Call for Clarity Read More »
Many teams are using Constraint Logs without obtaining “Promise Dates” by performers. It is important to remember that these logs are not simply lists of things that need to get done. The log is a record of agreements negotiated between Customers and Performers in the project development value stream. A blank “Promise Date” field in
Constraint Logs – Complete the Conversation Read More »
A group of 15 CEOs at a Chief Executive roundtable on “Building a High Performance, Highly Engaged Culture” concluded that the challenge is only getting greater. Their assertion was that the rise of the Millennials, a demographic contingent of 20- and 30-year olds, means that CEOs cannot simply assume that they will embrace corporate ideals.
Lean Leadership and Engaged Cultures Read More »
My daughter’s middle school has been judged #1 in our state based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics and Civil Rights Data Collection. In addition to math and English Language Arts proficiency rates, they looked at school retention, discipline, teacher attendance and experience, and student-teacher ratios. The middle school was ranked #2 in
A Foundation for Lean Achievement Read More »
Every once in awhile someone will ask some variation of this question: If Lean works so well, why doesn’t everyone do it? Here are two similar questions: If a proper nutritional and fitness program keeps people healthy, why aren’t more people on one? If reading books on relationships helps people have better relationships, why don’t
If Lean Works so Well, Why Doesn’t Everyone Do It? Read More »
Having a consistent, deliberate approach to continuous improvement is a vital Lean practice. Be careful to design continuous improvement efforts so that countermeasures can readily be identified, tested and if helpful implemented. At least one presentation on an internal continuous improvement process gave the impression of being hierarchical, with improvements taking a long time to develop
LCI Congress Note – Continuous Improvement Read More »
There were many good project sessions at the Lean Construction Institute Congress earlier this month. The following lessons and insights were offered by the Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital team: Start by having a goal that transcends all other concerns. The team needs to serve a common objective and understand they are working toward the common good.
LCI Congress Notes – Avon Hospital Read More »
In the 1939 Wizard of Oz motion picture we are presented with a clear perspective of two characters’ moral qualities. The witch of the West is wicked, and the witch of the North is good. In the 2003 musical Wicked the same story is told from a different perspective. Both witches present a cocktail of inner beauty and
Wicked Lean – Choosing a Narrative Read More »
