Aligning Complex Construction Projects for Success
Are you one of those people who think that Scrum is for a bunch of software nerds who sit around programming all day? Maybe it’s time to shift your perspective. Yes, Scrum originally took hold in the Software industry as companies realized how Scrum allowed them to adopt and react …
The Secret to Gaining Market Advantage in the Construction Industry READ MORE
We have all seen Big Rooms. Some are dynamic and exciting. There is open discussion and healthy conflict. By contrast, others are Big Room in space only. People from companies congregate together, instead of cross-functionally. Information is hidden from fear of consequences and lost reputation. Interaction is formal and trust …
Building complex capital projects with Lean Integrated Project Delivery has many advantages. Choosing the best contract to encourage a collaborative team right from the start is crucial for a successful outcome. How can you go about this? How can you ensure that the owner, design partners, and builders are collaborating …
IFOA and the Advantages of Bringing People Together Faster READ MORE
Since the popularization of quality circles in the 1960s, companies around the globe continue engaging front line employees to improve their work using variations of PDCA, a scientific method for problem-solving using four steps: Plan a change or test aimed at improvement. Do carry out the experiment. Check (study) the …
A3 Thinking for Powerful PDCA to Improve Project Delivery READ MORE
Humans are generally resistant to change. Change requires courage, trust, and faith. We tend to stick to long-formed habits even when we realize that they are hindering progress or create pain. Forming and establishing new habits requires effort and commitment. Sometimes, painful experiences. How does this relate to Lean construction …
Lean Construction: Improving Your Team Performance One Habit at a Time READ MORE
Everything is connected. This first Law of Ecology “reflects the existence of the elaborate network of interconnections in the ecosphere: among different living organisms, and between populations, species, and individual organisms and their physicochemical surroundings.” Similar to our ecosystem, small changes ripple across companies and organizations with unintended consequences. Decisions …
The Impact of Decisions in Lean Construction Projects READ MORE
In many presentations, I have asked these questions: “How many of you consider yourselves to be effective collaborators?” (Most people raise their hands) “How many of you have worked with someone who wasn’t an effective collaborator? (Everyone raises their hands) “And if those people were in the room today, …
Are You Collaborating or Muddling Through Your Construction Projects? READ MORE
Leaving Green Footprints® is the sustainability mission at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. As the national Director of Lean Construction for McCarthy, I often work with projects pursuing sustainability goals like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification across the United States. Many of our project leadership teams are certified …
Teams utilizing Scrum most often double their output in the first couple of Sprints because they become more efficient and effective. Equally impressive is that they sustain their gains and that they continue improving their teamwork and work product. As a result, they optimize customer value. So, why would design …
What Every Lean Project Team Should Know About Scrum READ MORE
What does Takt Planning & Scheduling have to do with Covid-19? Takt is a German word that refers to the rhythm or the beat of the music. Takt Planning & Scheduling is a method to structure work around a set pace and could, therefore, be one of the most important …