Lean Construction and the Last Planner System (R) Lean Construction Institute Travis Barker MPA GCPM http://innovatevancouver.org Consulting@innovatevancouver.org

1. Lean
Construction
Leveraging on the ground knowledge to inform the planning
and execution process

2. T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
The Last Planner System
The 7 Wastes and 5 Pillars of Lean
Continuous Improvement Tools &
Processes
Phased Based Gantt Schedule & Backlog
Team Development with Lean
1
2
3
4
5

3. WHY LEAN CONSTRUCTION?
LEAN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REPRESENTS A SET
OF PROVEN SOLUTIONS TO A SILOED CAPITAL PROJECT
DELIVERY INDUSTRY CHARACTERIZED BY STAGNANT
PRODUCTIVITY, SCHEDULE DELAYS, BUDGET OVERRUNS
AND DISSATISFIED CLIENTS.
LEAN REPRESENTS A PROVEN REMEDY FOR THE
CONFLICT-RIDDEN, HIGH-STRESS ENVIRONMENT OF
PROJECT DELIVERY THAT EXACTS A TREMENDOUS
HUMAN TOLL ON ALL PARTICIPANTS, AND IMPACTS OUR
ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE PEOPLE WE
NEED.
LEAN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IS A
COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF PROCESSES AND
BEHAVIORS THAT RE-INTEGRATES OUR SILOED
INDUSTRY INTO HIGH-PERFORMING SUCCESS-ORIENTED
TEAMS, COMMITTED TO COLLABORATION, INNOVATION,
KNOWLEDGE-SHARING AND INTERPERSONAL RESPECT.
LEAN THINKING AND PROCESSES DELIVER BETTER
EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE, SAFER
WORKSITES, REDUCED PROJECT WASTE, AND GREATER
PROJECT VALUE.
SOURCE:
LEAN CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE. (2021). BROKEN INDUSTRY.
RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://WWW.LEANCONSTRUCTION.ORG/BROKEN-
INDUSTRY/

4. Lean Construction is a methodology
that seeks to simplify processes and
eliminate rework and waste. This
improves teamwork, efficiency, and
makes it easier to deliver on project
goals, specifications, and quality
requirements.
The Last Planner System using a pull
process to make sure no one is
overloaded, coworkers have control
over the workflow, quality is supported
throughout the process, and work is
not considered done or passed on to
another coworker before audited.
Using both systems together can
improve quality, safe costs, reduce
waste, and improve teamwork and
collaboration.
Lean
Construction &
Last Planner
Overview
A H I G H L E V E L R O A D M A P
Weekly
Meeting
Launch
Meeting
Daily
Standup
Meeting
Continuous
Improvement
Approach & Tools
Goals & Scope
Team & Workflow
6 Week Forecast/ Look
Assign Owner,
Strategy, & Deadline
Identify Barriers
& Risks
Lean 7 Wastes and 5S
Standards
Tracking & Reporting
Planned vs. Actual
Thruput.
Conduct Root
Cause Analysis to
Target Source of
Inefficiencies
What was Done
Yesterday
Risks & Barriers that
Need to be Addressed.
Share Lessons Learned
& Best Practices to use
in the Future.
What is Planned
Rest of Date
Milestones &
Dependencies

5. Last
Planner
System
SOURCE:
MOSSMAN, ALAN (2013) LAST PLANNER®: 5 +
1 CRUCIAL &
COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATIONS FOR
PREDICTABLE DESIGN &
CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY.
HTTP://BIT.LY/LPS-5CC (22-APR-13)
Master
SET MILESTONES &
KEY DATES
SPECIFY HANDOFFS
BETWEEN TRADES
MAKE READY AND
RE-PLANNING AS
NEEDED
WORKLOAD FOR
THE WEEK
IDENTIFIED
PhasesLookAheadWeekly
FEEDBACK &
PROGRESS
TRACKING
Learning
THE MASTER SCHEDULE IDENTIFIES THE
WORK PACKAGES AND MILESTONES. THIS
SUPPORTS A PULL SYSTEM TO BE USED
THAT STRENGTHENS OWNERSHIP,
QUALITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
A PHASED BASED SCHEDULE IS ALSO
DEVELOPED WITH CONSIDERATION OF
INTERDEPENDENCIES, THE CRITICAL
PATH, AND HANDOFFS TO OTHER
TRADES.
LOOK AHEAD 6 WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
IDENTIFY BARRIERS, OBSTACLES, AND
ISSUES THAT COULD IMPACT THE
CRITICAL CHAIN.
PLAN A WEEK IN ADVANCE FOR THE WORK THAT
WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED. CHECK IN EVERY DAY TO
SEE IF THE WORK FOR THE DAY WAS COMPLETED.
. IDENTIFY WORK PRODUCTIVITY OVER TIME. USE
FOR FUTURE ESTIMATE & PLANNING.
EVALUATING OF CURRENT ESTIMATES,
PROGRESSES, AND STRATEGIES ARE SUPPORTED
WITH THE USE OF THE DAILY STANDUP, WEEKLY
PLANNING SESSION, AND BI-WEEKLY LESSONS
LEARNED RETROSPECTIVE DISCUSSION.
FREQUENCY: ONSET OF
PROJECT AND ONGOING
FREQUENCY: WEEKLY AND
AT MILESTONES
FREQUENCY: 6 WEEKS IN
ADVANCE (AT WEEKLY MEETING)
FREQUENCY:
WEEK IN
ADVANCE
FREQUENCY: WEEKLY
AND ONGOING

6. Overproduction
Inventory
Lean & the 7
Wastes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_science
The seven wastes of Lean are
an integral part of Lean as
developed and practiced by
Toyota. “Waste” can be
defined as any activity that
does not add value to a
customer.
In the Lean framework,
something can be considered
a value-adding step if the
customer is willing to pay for
it, if the step transforms the
product being produced, and
if it’s done properly the first
time.
Defects Transportation
Waiting
Overprocessing
Motion
Source:
KaiNexus. (n.d.). The 7
Wastes of Lean.
Retrieved January 09,
2021, from
https://www.kainexus.co
m/improvement-
disciplines/lean/7-
wastes-of-lean

7. 5S is a systematic form of visual
management utilizing everything
from floor tape to operations
manuals. It is not just about
cleanliness or organization; it is
also about maximizing efficiency
and profit.
5S is a framework that emphasizes
the use of a specific mindset and
tools to create efficiency and value.
It involves observing, analyzing,
collaborating, and searching for
waste and also involves the
practice of removing waste.
S O R T
S T A N D A R D I Z E
S E T I N
O R D E R
S H I N E
S U S T A I N
G a t h e r d a t a ,
e v a l u a t e , a n d
c o n d u c t o n g o i n g
a u d i t s t o s u s t a i n
a n d i m p r o v e o n
e x i s t i n g 5 S
s t a n d a r d s .
I d e n t i f y i t e m s i n
a w o r k a r e a t h a t
n e e d t o r e m a i n
a n d t h o s e t h a t
c a n b e r e m o v e d .
I d e n t i f y h o w y o u w i l l
m a i n t a i n t h e 5 S s t a n d a r d s
t o h e l p i m p r o v e w o r k f l o w ,
o r g a n i z a t i o n , s a f e t y ,
q u a l i t y , a n d e f f i c i e n c y .
N o w y o u c a n
o r g a n i z e r e m a i n i n g
m a t e r i a l s a n d t o o l s
b a s e d o n f r e q u e n c y
o f u s e , c a t e g o r y ,
a n d s h a r e d
p u r p o s e s .
K e e p y o u r w o r k s p a c e
c l e a n . T h i s w i l l m a k e i t
e a s i e r t o f i n d t o o l s a n d
r e s o u r c e s n e e d e d , a n d
w e l l a s u p p o r t
o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d s a f e t y .
The 5S' of Lean
Source:
Creative Safety Supply. (n.d.). 5S
Training. Retrieved from
https://www.creativesafetysupply.c
om/content/education-
research/5S/index.html

8. PLAN
Continuous Improvement
DO
CHECKACT
APPLY
9. Unclear information
10. Too few operatives
11. No promise to deliver
12. Client/design change
13. Overrated capacity
Late request
Unclear requirement/CoS
Pre-requisite work
Failure to request
CoS not made clear
Rework
Other
Absent operatives
Unplanned work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Plan the Work
Do the Work
Evaluate Results
Identify Areas
for Improvement
Implement the
New Plan
Track frequency of individual wastes and the following issues:

9. team
development Collaboration
Incorporates
Suggestions from
People that do the
Work
DailyStandup
Everyone
15 Minutes
+/- Review
Progress
PullSystem
Plan project high
level
Plan work each
week in advance
Monitor Velocity
Integration
Identify Risks &
Barriers
Mitigation Plan
Focus on Critical Chain
& Leading Indicators
LookAhead
Planning
Master Plan
Weekly Plan
Velocity Evaluation
Continuous
Improvement
In Field
Consultation
Evaluaton
Evaluate against
benchmarks
Process no
person

10. Lean Construction
DECISION TREE
START Business Case
Supports Use
of Lean
Construction
Model
Y
N
Form Team &
Identify Goals &
Metrics
Use Traditional
Top-Down
Approaches
Launch
Meeting
Weekly
Planning
6 Week
Forecast
Daily Standup
Track & Report
Continuous Team
Consultation &
Engagement
Identify Best
Practices
Identify & Manage
Barriers/ Risks
Continuous
Improvement
Pull System
Phase Based
Planning
Emphasize
Milestones
Monitor
Thruput
Celebrate
Successes!
DELIVER
PROJECT

11. Wastes
Identify examples of
waste that interfere with
delivering value
Identify best practices for
stopping wastes from
recurring
Simplify how work is
performed whenever
possible
Share insights with the
team
Improve
Update policies,
procedures, workflows,
strategies, and schedules
to support the ongoing
use of best practices
Collaborate across teams
to strengthen shared
insights, lessons learned,
and simplify the problem
resolution process
Learn
Formalize knowledge, iadd
to new team training, and
identify the metrics and
data needed to continue
evaluating performance
Never stop asking
questions, using the 5-why's
to better understand the
root cause of issues that
continue to occur
Lean
Leverage the knowledge
of the team to simplify
and streamline how work
is performed
Plan the week's workload
in advance. Compare
actual output against
planned expectations.
Identify the root cause of
barriers to performance
Next Steps

12. Contact us to help on
your next project!
Innovate Vancouver
Travis Barker, MPA GCPM
http://innovatevancouver.org
Consulting@innovatevancouver.org