Learning from Breakdowns in the Last Planner System®

Learning from Breakdowns in the Last Planner System®

2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.60164/92f2d2c8h

Authors: Bruce Wilkinson, Tony Lowe, Mauricio Pereira

Citation:

Wilkinson, B., Lowe, T., & Pereira, M. (2020). Learning from Breakdowns in the Last Planner System®. In Lean Construction Journal pp. 141-153.

Abstract:

The Last Planner System® (LPS® ) Process Benchmark 2020 initiative was launched to develop improvements in the Last Planner System® . Five improvement focus areas were selected, and task teams formed for each. The task of the team presented herein, was to extend the LPS to address how to learn from breakdowns in planning. Breakdowns are defined as situations where the planning system is not working which leads to an unplanned outcome. Some breakdowns result from failures in the planning system (e.g. failure to remove a constraint), while others result from a failure to improve the situation when a failure is identified. Planning systems aren’t expected to be perfect, but it is expected that every opportunity to improve planning system performance is taken. Core to this premise of learning from breakdowns is the concept of psychological safety. Individuals must feel safe to surface and share breakdowns to address them and make improvements. This research also pinpointed the concept that learning from breakdowns should not be restricted to projects alone. Breakdowns occurring in the home office functions such as Human Resources, accounting, finance, etc. could also benefit from these concepts.