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Last Planner in Lean Construction

Presented By:
Afshan Barshan
General Outline

• Overview
• Production Management Process
• The Skender Journey
• Panel Discussion
• Plus / Delta & Questions
Lean Project Delivery System
Operation PROJECT
USE
Alteration
Maintenance DEFINITION
Purposes
Decomm.

Design
Commiss- Criteria
ioning
Work Structuring Design
Production Control Concepts
Installation
LEAN
PRODUCTION Process LEAN
Procurement
Design DESIGN
Logistics Detailed Product
Scopes/ Design
Engineering

LEAN
SUPPLY Ballard, 2000 adapted by Afshan Barshan
The Last Planner

Last Planner ™ System

Work Structuring
Production Control
Lean Construction – Definition

“A way to design production systems to minimize waste

of materials, time, and effort in order to generate the
maximum possible amount of value.”
Koskela, L., Howell, G., Ballard, G., and Tommelein, I. (2002)
Forms of Waste
• Rework/Corrections – Redo designs, task work
• Transportation – Material handling, information ‘hand-offs’
• Motion – Looking for, obtaining items such as prints, tools,
materials
• Waiting – For materials, instructions, email, phone call
• Inventory – Raw, work-in-process, finished
• Overproduction – Producing more than the client ordered
• Overprocessing – More than what the customer is willing to pay

• Underutilized Human Resources - Lack of workforce

involvement
Production Management
Master Phase
Schedule` Schedule
GC Project Team GC &Trade
 Contract Schedule  Lean / Pull Schedule
 Pull challenge duration
 Key Trades input
sequence & logistics
 Not very detailed
 1st Step in Building
Reliability
Lookahead
Schedule
Last Planners
 Minimum 6 weeks
 Superintendent & Trade
Foremen
 Constraint Analysis
 Quality Milestones
 Daily Monitoring and
Updating
 Accountability
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule

Master Schedule
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule

Master Schedule
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule

Master Schedule Checklist

 Project promise met

 Key Milestones identified
 Developed by Project Team
 Weather Contingency considered
 Phase Schedule development
 Procurement Activities
 Detail of Schedule
 Changes to Schedule
 Owner Confidence
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule

Phase Schedule
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule
The Process
• Working meetings with Last
Planners

• Typical Phases:
• Preconstruction
• Site
• Substructure
• Shell/Core/Rough/Skin
• Finishes
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule
The Process
• Challenging in an open forum:
• Durations
• Sequencing
• Coordination
• Confirmation of milestones
• Constraints

• Input into the Master Schedule

and Lookahead Schedules
Network of Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule
Commitments
• Encourage input/opinions
• Work backwards - PULL
• ‘Ideal’ schedule
• Plan agreed by ‘team’
• Commitments to execute
the plan by ‘team’
• Decide as a team how to
spend ‘float’
• Use information to
generate Lookahead
Phase Scheduling Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Issues Schedule Schedule

• Defining the phase

• Getting the ‘right’ people
• Meeting preparation
• Getting them in action
• The “Strong” Facilitator
• The PULL concept
• Setting time for the next
phase event
• Training participants on
Production System
• Is one Phase meeting
enough?
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Schedule Schedule

Lookahead Schedule
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Goal of Lookahead Schedule Schedule

• Maximize reliability
• Shape work flow and rate
• Match work flow and capacity
• Get it right the first time (quality)
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
How to Achieve Schedule Schedule

• Drive Accountability
• Focus on task hands-off – quality/ready/clean/safe
• Screen for constraints
• Develop detailed plans for work to be done
• Maintain backlog of ready work
• Team approach to managing short term coordination
• Use strategic buffers
• Can be done vs. Will be done
Lookahead Schedule

Work Flow
Filter

Issue Log

Milestone

Quality
Milestone

Daily Constraints
Tasks
Accountability builds Reliability
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
How to Measure Schedule Schedule

Performance Measurements

• Monitor – DAILY

• Update – WEEKLY

• Measure Success-Planned Percent Complete (PPC)

 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Measuring Success Schedule Schedule

PPC
• Monitors all planned activities
• “On schedule” does not mean 100% PPC
• Track parties responsible for variances, some of
which could lead to delays – and quickly correct
them .before they become larger issues
• Hold parties accountable to their commitment
 PPC

0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
5/30/11

10 12
6/6/11

6
6/13/11

9
6/20/11
6/27/11

23 23
7/4/11
7/11/11

34 35
7/18/11

38
7/25/11
8/1/11

31 31
8/8/11

40
8/15/11

50
8/22/11
Measuring Success

55
8/29/11
70

9/5/11

Weeks
65

9/12/11
Activities

9/19/11
74 77

9/26/11
65

10/3/11
10/10/11
74 73

10/17/11
PPC

94

10/24/11
10/31/11
141

11/7/11
11/14/11
11/21/11
11/28/11
12/5/11
Weighted Average

12/12/11
12/19/11
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160

Activities
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Measuring Success Schedule Schedule

• Record weekly PPC

• Track major impacts on
productivity
• Patterns emerge
• Future budgeting strategies
• Incentive programs for
subcontractor “buy-in” to improve
production
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Benefits of Lookahead Schedule Schedule

• Improved response time

• Increased notification time by trades for future delays
• Fewer “extras”
• Controlled schedule variances
• Better pricing on future projects
• Improved safety
• Quality assurance
 Phase Lookahead
Master Schedule
Lookahead Process Schedule Schedule

• Explode scheduled activities into assignment-level detail

that can be measured daily
• Screen the constraints on each assigned task within the
lookahead window
• Make assigned tasks ready by removing constraints
• Balance load and capacity by providing uniform
workflow for productivity and profitability
• Update phase or master schedules as needed
• Learn: measure and improve performance
Production Management Process
To Succeed

• Commitment
• Culture – Improvement = Change
• Partnership
• Educating Clients
• Attitude - If better is possible good is not
enough!!
The Skender Journey
Panel Discussion
Project Background

• Scope
• ICU Refurbishment
• Inpatient Unit Refresh
• Project Team
• NMH
• Gensler
• SCC
• Trades
• Contract - GMP
Project Challenges
• Aggressive Schedule

• Logistics

• Communication

• Evolving Scopes
Project Phasing
Lookahead Schedule Preconstruction
Lookahead Schedule Construction
 PPC

82%
84%
86%
88%
90%
92%
94%
96%
98%
100%

19
10/10/11

77
10/17/11

100%

97%
10/24/11

135
95%
10/31/11

141

89%
11/7/11 168

92%
Project PPC

11/14/11

11/21/11

11/28/11

12/5/11

12/12/11

12/19/11

Weeks
12/26/11

1/2/12

1/9/12
Activities

1/16/12

1/23/12
PPC

1/30/12

2/6/12

2/13/12

2/20/12
Weighted Average

2/27/12
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180

Activities
 Plus/Delta & Questions

Planning and thinking is “Actual Work”

and not “Non Value Added”