June 13, 2024
Thank You Sustaining Sponsors!
Who Should Pursue LCI-CPC or LCI-CPD Certifications?
A question we frequently receive is: “Who should pursue the LCI-CPC or LCI-CPD certifications?” The answer is straightforward: anyone who has 3+ years of hands-on experience in implementing Lean principles, methods and tools on design and/or construction projects are eligible.
LCI Certifications are designed for professionals across the design and construction industry who have a proven track record in successful Lean implementation on projects. This includes:
- Owners
- Executives
- Project Managers
- Designers
- Architects
- Foremen
- Field Leaders
- Project Engineers
- Process Managers
- And more!
If you have been at the forefront of Lean design or construction, these certifications are an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and stand out in your field.
The Congress Program Is Ready to Go!
Congress registration opens this upcoming Monday, June 17, and we’re getting ready to make a splash with this year’s program. Review this high-level overview and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. Start making your plans to attend the 26th Annual LCI Congress, October 22-25 in San Diego—you may want to add a couple days (or more) to enjoy this year’s destination setting!
Registration includes the Core Program (Wednesday/Thursday). You may choose to add onto your core program ticket for an additional fee. The add-on options are:
- Golf Tournament (Monday)
- Learning Day (Tuesday)
- Gemba Day (Friday)
Questions on the program? Contact Joan Piccariello.
Want to sponsor/exhibit at the 2024 LCI Congress?
Contact Ilene Goldberg, Manager, Strategic Partnerships at (703) 785-9087.
Upcoming Webinars
June 20, 2024
11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET
Intro to Industrialized Construction – More than Prefab
July 11, 2024
11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET
How to Build a Culture of Planning and Purpose
July 25, 2024
11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET
Introduction to Choosing By Advantages
Participate In The 2024 Lean Design & Construction Benchmarking Survey!
Every two years, the Lean Construction Institute partners with Dodge Construction Network to study the national utilization of Lean in design and construction. The survey helps obtain important benchmarking data we can track to determine the progress of Lean use throughout our industry and serves as the basis for generating new initiatives to expand that use.
As an active participant in LCI and a member of the Lean community, your input is critical to our success. We invite you to participate in the 12-15-minute survey via the link below.
This research helps us determine the degree to which the design and construction industry is aware of and utilizing the specific Lean practices that most frequently correlate to better project outcomes. It will provide the comparative data we need to understand trends based on previous years’ studies and compare our Lean community vs. a panel representing the broader industry.
Participants need to be familiar with project outcomes (budget compliance, schedule compliance, etc.) and contracting methods, as well as the processes in which project teams engage. Owners, architects, interior designers, engineers and contractors with experience with all types of building projects, from commercial to industrial to infrastructure, are eligible.
To thank you for your participation, upon completing the survey, you will be eligible to receive a copy of the findings of this study and our Lean Deployment Guide.
Please note that your participation will be completely confidential – results will be analyzed and reported to the industry in aggregate only. Individual replies will only be made available to the survey participants.
Membership Connections
Jeremy Atkinson, LCI-CPC
Process Improvement & Project Manager
Landis Construction
This week’s 5 Questions With… features Jeremy Atkinson, LCI-CPC. Jeremy is a Process Improvement & Project Manager at Landis Construction. Along with the many insights he shares, learn his secret for engaging Trades in the process. Spoiler alert – food is involved!
If you are interested in sharing your Lean journey with LCI Weekly readers, reach out to Maryann Fiala.
What hurdles did you encounter when implementing Lean on a project, and how did you tackle them?
The hurdles I’ve encountered when introducing Lean on a project can be broken down into three categories:
- Resistance to Change:
- Solution: Going slowly and taking the time to understand their perspective. Then I work to show how Lean makes their lives easier by having plans in place and creating a culture where people are honoring their commitments. As people experience this first-hand, they begin to see the light.
- Reluctance to Plan:
- Solution: I encourage them to focus on planning. As they do, they begin to reap the benefit of less firefighting. This has helped with buy-in.
- Aversion to Meetings (True Daily Huddles):
- Solution: The best way to cure aversion to meetings is to ensure meetings are purposeful and valuable. Meetings are used to create action items and gain future commitments. By respecting their time, canceling meetings that are not fruitful, and only involving necessary participants, people begin to find value in meetings. I also space out longer planning sessions and use meetings in-between the sessions to provide updates.
What stories can you share about a successful Lean project you participated in and what made it work?
On a recent Lean project, we finished a month early despite a three-month material delay and came in under budget. The key to our success was building trust and unit cohesion with the Trades. We fostered this by regularly sharing meals and getting to know each other as people. This enabled us to build the trust needed for honesty and mutual commitment. When one team fell behind, others helped them catch up.
What are the biggest benefits of applying Lean, and how have they impacted your projects and teams?
Applying Lean has led to projects coming in under budget and on time without requiring long hours or weekends. The impact on our company is profound. By improving the quality of life and reducing stress for our team members we offer a better workplace for employees, which in turn can lead to higher employee retention and greater job satisfaction.
How do you assess if your Lean game is strong? Are there metrics or techniques you rely on?
Our Lean game is strong if:
- The work follows the plan and our Last Planner Schedule beats contractual milestones.
- When the Trade Partners are helping each other out without being forced.
- When the Trade leaders know each other’s first names and hobbies.
- When after the morning huddle officially ended the leaders still stuck around for a second to chat over coffee.
- When Trade leaders have finished their work and moved off but still come and have lunch with the team while the project progresses.
- When a Trade leader can honestly state why he didn’t get something done as planned and the other Trade leaders try and work together to get that Trade back on track.
What advice would you offer to someone new to Lean from lessons you’ve learned?
Take it slow, start small, and understand that people fear change. Address their concerns first and remember that perception is reality; changing their reality will change their perception.
The St. Louis CoP hosts Industry Event: Real Talk – Last Planner System® in Action Forum
On May 10, the LCI St. Louis Community of Practice hosted an event to dig into the practical application of the Last Planner System®. McCarthy Building Companies hosted the event facilitated by Brian Crawford (Alberici), Nate Elting (McCarthy), and Josh Kreitler (McCarthy) who are all members of the St. Louis CoP core group leadership. Nearly 40 industry professionals attended representing owners, specialty trade partners, and construction managers. The group took part in an active discussion of LPS® and engaged in a hands-on simulation to reinforce concepts.
Many thanks to the dedicated CoP leadership, facilitators and host for offering this learning opportunity for the St. Louis Lean community!
The LCI Events Calendar is your go-to resource for all regional CoP event offerings – in-person, hybrid and virtual. Be sure to bookmark and check back frequently!
Upcoming CoP Events
The Intelligence Revolution: AI Through the Lean Lens
Toyota Production System Dojo - Lean Learning Lab
Curated Content: Boost Your Projects by Focusing on Flow
Industrialized construction brings the efficiency and innovation of manufacturing to the building industry. By adopting manufacturing techniques such as product development, engineering, production, and materials management, this approach enhances construction processes. It also incorporates the successful cultural aspects of manufacturing, leading to more streamlined, cost-effective, and high-quality building projects.
Click the curated content banner above to learn more.
Lean Assessments
How strong is your Lean knowledge? Take a Lean assessment to determine your current state so you have a baseline for improvement. Lean assessments are available for individuals, teams, and organizations alike. Whether you’re new to Lean or are an experienced Lean practitioner, Lean assessments are a great way to get started at LCI!
TAKE ASSESSMENT2024 Congress Sponsors
Upcoming National Events
