July 25, 2024

July 25, 2024

Explore more can’t-miss program features and make your plans to join us in sunny California this fall!

Quick Tip: Register for the Core Program (Wednesday/Thursday), then you’ll have the option to add on the Golf Tournament (Monday), Learning Day (Tuesday), and Gemba Day (Friday).

Contact Joan Piccariello with questions on the Congress program.

Contact Ilene Goldberg with questions on sponsor or exhibitor packages.

What hurdles did you encounter when implementing Lean on a project (in your company), and how did you tackle them?

Implementing Lean on a project may always have its obstacles, most importantly of which may be true engagement of the process. Whether it’s A3/CBA or Last Planner System^® (LPS^®), if open collaboration is not present, it simply doesn’t work. Respect and trust amongst the team is vital and can be challenging to initiate. I handle Lean much like safety, “start strong, maintain consistency.” I role model appropriate behavior and leave my ego at the door.

Secondly, we do not have a “one-size-fits-all” approach – our projects and teams are quite diverse. We may increase milestone planning techniques, ramp up constraint log management, or implement weekly LPS – we modulate our approach to best align with resources and value add to our teams.

What stories can you share about a successful Lean project (Lean implementation effort) you were involved in and what do you think made it work?

First, we wrote language within our contracts with all partners, from architects and consultants to subcontractor trade partners – there were no questions as to what was expected. Secondly, with consistency brought action. We found our flow and were able to get in front of constraints well in advance, leaving my teams on “fire watch” rather than “firefighting.” Folks saw that their obstacles were being removed in front of them, which made them double-down on their efforts and engagement. Without reciprocal effort and action, it can feel like an uphill battle.

In your opinion, what are the biggest benefits of applying Lean and how have they impacted your projects, your teams, or your organization?

Simply put our teams have become more fluent in collaboration. The traditional construction standard of, “doing things the way they’ve always been done” has always been hard to overcome. We have grown in understanding that working in silos doesn’t offer the best value to our clients – and partnership is key to a better schedule, budget, and project.

Increased use of constraint logs throughout the organization has propelled our teams to get out in front of obstacles earlier than usual. Daily huddles have been a positive change to increase the socialization of the immediate needs, and our teams are working to make them more effective.

How do you assess if your Lean game is strong; are there metrics or techniques you rely on and can share?

Hard numbers are great, Percent Plan Complete (PPC) tracking is an excellent tool to put numbers to the sometimes hard to define.

Other ways I can see if our teams are engaging in the process is through meetings and a walkthrough of the working space(s). In meetings, I may assess how many folks are asking questions, bringing up issues, identifying constraints and are open to problem solving. Is it just my team lead speaking about schedule and to-do lists, or is this a meeting where all voices are heard and valued?

Walking sites and offices, I am looking for clean, clear spaces – material laydown in appropriate locations, centralized stores for equipment and stations, prefabricated assemblies, prepped carts for repetitive work, clearly identified access and safe working environments. Frankly, we all know within minutes whether folks on that site or office respect where they work – is it clean, well-lit and folks buzzing around, or is it messy and frantic, and you cannot wait to get out?

If someone’s just dipping their toes into Lean, what advice would you offer from lessons you’ve learned?

If you are looking for something to get started on tomorrow, without any additional resources, Daily Huddle is what you’re looking for. A 15–20-minute standing meeting with all work leads with a focused attention on today. The questions are, where are you working today, what are you working on today, and what obstacles are in your way today? Creating a consistent cadence of these will reap benefits for the team in the long run. My more seasoned superintendents have noted, “if you do nothing else, do your Daily Huddles!”

Secondly, visualize and intensify your milestones – create interim milestones or “mini milestone” as we call them. I want to see more than Watertight and TCO milestones, I want to see interim milestones such as “1st floor above ceiling complete”, “rough framing level 3 complete”, and so on. Setting mini milestones to highlight the next goalpost monthly, helps the team track and hold one another accountable more frequently. We are then able to make smaller adjustments and redirect to get back on track.

• Lean Work Experience: You have at least three years of hands-on experience applying Lean methodologies and tools in real-life project settings.
• Professional References: You have at least two professional references who can attest to your applied Lean experience.
• Test Your Knowledge: Take the Certification Practice Quiz to familiarize yourself with the types of questions you will encounter on the Knowledge Assessment.
• Review the Candidate Handbooks: These handbooks provide comprehensive information on eligibility, the application process, the Knowledge Assessment, the Capabilities Assessment, and more!
  • Candidate handbooks can be found here.

For more information to determine if you’re ready for LCI’s Certification, join us at our webinar “Is LCI Right for You?” on August 8th.

Curated Content: Curated Content: What is Target Value Delivery?

Target Value Delivery (TVD) is a disciplined management practice that ensures a project meets the operational needs and values of its users while staying within the allowable budget. By promoting innovation throughout the process, TVD aims to increase value and eliminate waste—whether it be time, money, or human effort. This approach not only focuses on delivering a facility that aligns with user expectations but also emphasizes efficient and effective project execution from start to finish.

Learn more about Target Value Delivery by clicking the curated content banner above.