In my article Confessions of a Social Researcher in the Building Industry, I shared the challenges we face in the construction industry because we don’t have a formal research structure. What I have been working on lately is the tie between Lean and equity exploring what is a lean equitable […]
Why Lean and Diversity are Going to Get You the Best Results 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
Going BIG in the Big Room READ MORE
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
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
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
How to Keep Your Workers and Bottom Line Healthy READ MORE
Create a Space to Play In part 3 of my series How to Empower Your Lean Project Team for Success, I am going to share why it is crucial for Lean project success to get all team members on the same page and create a space to play. Please check
How to Empower Your Lean Project Team for Success (Part 3) READ MORE
Where Attention Goes, Energy Flows In my previous post Sharing is Caring – How to Empower Lean Project Teams (Part 1), I wrote about how to overcome the traditional ways of competing agendas in project teams and how we create change by giving people new experiences and embracing their imperfections
How to Empower Your Lean Project Team for Success (Part 2) READ MORE
How HGA Optimizes Productivity Leveraging Lean Practices Sometimes in a service organization, productivity can be like a rollercoaster. There are times when everyone is working on billable projects, and there are times when people have slack periods in the office and bridge unproductive time with tasks that are not billable.
How HGA Optimizes Productivity Leveraging Lean Practices READ MORE
In my previous post What IKEA and Pull Planning in Design Have in Common I shared three strategies to make your pull plan in design a success. Check it out before you keep reading this one. Whatever is happening on a standard project and depending on the length of the
Getting Smart with Pull Planning in Design READ MORE
The Beauty Lies in Simplicity I previously wrote about how a Northern California Hospital leveraged Co-location and Lean Principles for design success. Anyone who has worked on projects of this size will agree that once the construction has started, change requests can quickly add up to dozens. Often enough, change
Change Document Requests in Lean IPD READ MORE
How to Empower Your Lean Project Team for Success (Part 1) Sharing is Caring Imagine you are planning a vacation in Italy in a few months. Do you go to a travel agent to have your trip mapped out meticulously beforehand? Do you plan every step of your time abroad?
How to Empower Lean Project Teams for Success (Part 1) READ MORE
If you are like most people, you bought flat-pack furniture from IKEA at some point in your life. You return home, unpack the pieces and start wondering how on earth this is all going to come together. Luckily, IKEA gives you a picture of the final piece that comes with
What Pull Planning in Design and IKEA Have in Common READ MORE