An identifiable chunk of work with recognized prerequisite requirements to begin and a recognized state of completion – or conditions of satisfaction. Another way to look at an activity – establish the hand-offs for each chunk of work thus defining the activity. (see also “task”)
As a verb: “to isolate one activity from the next.” A mechanism for deadening the force of reality unfolding in a manner that is contrary to what was anticipated in the plan. For example, a capacity buffer is created by committing to complete less work than what would be achieved according to the planned capacity of the resource. If production falls behind schedule, there is capacity available for catching up. (Lean production/construction generally prefers capacity buffers to inventory buffers.)
System for project production planning and control, aimed at creating a workflow that achieves reliable execution, developed by Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell, with documentation by Ballard in 2000. LPS is the collaborative, commitment-based planning system that integrates should-can-will-did planning: pull planning, make-ready look- ahead planning with constraint analysis, weekly work planning based upon reliable promises, and learning based upon analysis of PPC and Reasons for Variance.
The person or group that makes assignments to direct workers. Project Architect and ‘discipline lead’ are common names for last planners in design processes. ‘Superintendent’ or ‘foremen’ are common names for last planners in construction processes.
A short interval plan, based on the pull/phase plan, that identifies all the activities to be performed in the next 6 (or other) weeks. The 6W Look-ahead Schedule (LAS) is updated each week – always identifying new activities coming 6 weeks out so that the project management team can make appropriate arrangements to assure that the work will be ready to be performed in the week indicated.
The portion of the Last Planner System that focuses on making work ready – assuring that work that should be done, can be done, by identifying and removing constraints in advance of need.
The duration associated with Look Ahead Planning. Typically look ahead windows extend from 3 to 12 weeks into the future, with six weeks preferred on most projects.
To “make ready” is to take actions needed to remove constraints from assignments to ensure the work can be done as planned.
A schedule that identifies major events or milestones in a project (start- up, turn-over to client, order long delivery components, mobilize in field, complete design, government reviews, etc.) and their timing. It is often the basis for contractual agreements between the owner and other team members. It is seen as a way to identify long lead items, the feasibility of completing the project as currently required, the basis for defining milestones and phases – but not always as a way to “control” the project.
An item on the Master Schedule that defines the end or beginning of a phase or a contractually required event.
A basic measure of how well the planning system is working – calculated as the “number of promises/activities completed on the day stated” divided by the “total number of promises/activities made/planned for the week”. It measures the percentage of assignments that are 100% complete as planned.
A period of the project where a specific group of activities is scheduled to be accomplished such as building design, completion of foundations, erection of exterior walls, building dry-in, etc. A phase can be either a time period or a group of activities leading to the accomplishment of a defined goal/milestone
A plan for executing a specific phase of a project using a pull technique to determine hand-offs. It is prepared by the team actually responsible for doing the work through conversation. Work is planned at the “request” of a downstream “customer”.
The extent to which a plan is an accurate forecast of future events, measured by Percent Plan Complete (PPC).
The act of conversation that leads to well-coordinated action.
To be effective, production management systems must tell us what we should do and what we can do, so that we can decide what we will do, then compare with what we did to improve our planning.
The commitment-level (“will”) planning step of LPS identifying the promised task completions agreed upon by the Performers. The WWP is used to determine the success of the planning effort and to determine what factors limit performance. It is a more detailed level than the Look-ahead and is the basis of measuring PPC (Percent Plan Complete).
The process by which the Last Planner establishes the plan for the coming period.
The movement of information and materials through networks of interdependent specialists.
Designing the production system to determine who does what, when, where and how, usually by breaking work into pieces, where pieces will likely be different from one production unit to the next. The purpose of work structuring is to promote flow and optimize system throughput by focusing on handoffs and opportunities for moving smaller batches of work though the production system.
An activity or assignment that is ready to be performed, but is not assigned to be performed during the active week in the WWP. If the team agrees that performance of this activity will not hinder other work then it can be placed on the list of Workable Backlog as part of the WWP. Completion or non-completion of these activities are not recorded or counted in calculation of PPC.
