Utilizing Lean Tools

and Methodologies
on Small Projects

Keyan Zandy Jeff Schroder

To Earn CEUs for this Session
Participants must:

1. Check in with attendance proctor at the door.

2. Attend at least 95% of the session.
3. Complete the post-program evaluation.
4. Complete a brief assessment with a score of 75% or greater.

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has been accredited as an Accredited Provider by The
International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). In obtaining this accreditation, AGC has
demonstrated that it complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard which is recognized internationally as a standard of
good practice. As a result of their Accredited Provider status, AGC is authorized to offer IACET CEUs for its
programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standard.
Learning Objectives
By attending this session participants will be able to:

1. List and describe Lean tools, philosophies, and processes, and identify their applications.

2. Develop a cohesive work program so that all project processes are similar, regardless of
project size.

3. Manage their projects more efficiently and effectively, and to the benefit of their internal
and external clients.

4. Differentiate themselves and their companies by leading change on their projects via
employing Lean practices.
Jeff Schroder
Methodist Health System
Assistant Vice President of Planning,
Design and Construction

• Has overseen the design and construction of

more than $500M in projects, ranging from
new builds to major renovations and
specialty projects.
Keyan Zandy
Skiles Group
Director of Operations

• Former Chairman of the Dallas / Fort Worth

Chapter of the Lean Construction Institute

• Industry-recognized leader in Lean

Construction - has spoken both nationally
and internationally on Lean and various
other topics
 MAKING A CASE FOR LEAN ON SMALL PROJECTS
CASE STUDIES FROM FOUR PROJECTS

PART 1 PART 2

• Scope • “Lean” -vs- Lean

• Constraints • Trade partner feedback
• Game Changers • Metrics
• Results
 PART 1

CASE STUDIES FROM

FOUR PROJECTS

• Scope
• Constraints
• Game Changers
• Results
 Cost & Schedule
MRMC CT SUITE RENOVATION 6 Weeks
$350K

Game Changer
Last Planner System™
LAST PLANNER SYSTEM™
LAST PLANNER SYSTEM™
 Cost & Schedule
MRMC GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRIC UNIT 10 Weeks
$1M
Game Changers
Pull planning
Bullet journals / PPC
PULL PLANNING
BULLET JOURNALS
BULLET JOURNALS
 MRMC VIBRA HOSPITAL

Cost & Schedule

4 months
$3M
Game Changers
Score Board
Lean Meeting Minutes
Big Room
Daily Huddles
SCOREBOARD
SCOREBOARD
LEAN MEETING NOTES
LEAN MEETING NOTES
BIG ROOM
DAILY HUDDLES
MRMC PROFESSIONAL OFFICE BLDG. #2

Cost & Schedule

$12M
Game Changers
A3s / CBAs
Cluster Groups
A3
A3
CBA
CLUSTER GROUPS
 PART 2

CASE STUDIES FROM

TWO PROJECTS

• “Lean” -vs- Lean

• Trade partner
feedback
• Metrics
 “LEAN” - vs - LEAN

Mechanical/
Drywall Electrical
Plumbing
 TRADE PARTNER QUOTES

“Lean” Project
• Didn’t seem like the GC truly believed in it – they flew by the seat of their pants.
• Didn’t feel like we had all the information the GC had.
• Didn’t feel like it mattered if we did well financially on the project.
• There wasn’t much follow through from the GC in regards to schedule.

True Lean Project

• We felt our opinions were respected.
• We felt like we were able to hold the GC accountable.
• This project felt proactive - the other project felt reactive.
• Everyone seemed to work better together and the
accountability was high.
Drywall

We had an increase of 4% return on

the true Lean project.
That means that
our labor force was able to be more
productive.
There was more demo on that project, which leads to more
unforeseen conditions.

That should've had a negative impact, but it didn’t

because it was well coordinated.

Drywall and plaster contractor

Mechanical/Plumbing
On the “lean” project, we had 2,000 hours of changes that
resulted in overtime work, adding an additional crew, and
working night shifts, from 5pm-4am, until the final week of
the project.

On the true Lean project, we had 2,500 hours of added

changes, with no delay in schedule, and no overtime.

MEP contractor
Mechanical/Plumbing
On the “lean” project, we had 2,000 hours of changes that
resulted in overtime work, adding an additional crew, and
working night shifts, from 5pm-4am, until the final week of
the project.

On the true Lean project, we had 2,500 hours of added

changes, with no delay in schedule, and no overtime.

Both jobs had close to the same

amount of changes, but due to the
team effort and following an organized
pull-planning process, the true Lean
project was able to maintain schedule,
without overtime, to finish.
MEP contractor
Electrical
I compared our estimated hours w/ changes to actual hours;
estimated labor dollars w/ changes to actual labor dollars; &
estimated production hours w/ changes to actual production.

Electrical contractor
Electrical

As you can see, we were actually

better, production-wise, on the true
Lean project.
This increase is attributed to the way
the project was managed, and to the
scheduling.

Electrical contractor
Q&A