Learning Lean, Building Lean at Laketown Elementary School
Some things cannot be learned in a classroom. Lean Construction is one example.
After changing manufacturing through principles focused on maximizing value and minimizing waste, Lean practices have steadily gained traction in construction. The approach reframes project delivery through production-management methods that support performance, schedule, quality, safety, productivity and the worker experience.
KA project professionals participate in Lean Leadership Groups, informal discussion groups, workshops and coursework offered by the Lean Construction Institute, Associated General Contractors of America and KA University. However, the most effective way to learn Lean is through application.
Project Superintendent Randy Haram, Project Manager Jason Peterson and Project Engineer Eric Kivisto applied Lean principles on the Waconia Laketown Elementary project, a two-story, 85,000-square-foot elementary school scheduled to open that fall. The project was part of a $75 million bond referendum that included improvements throughout the district.
The team implemented pull planning as part of its project-planning process. KA Lean Champion Kyle Woody interviewed the team about applying Lean principles in the field.
Why Did the Team Revisit Pull Planning?
Woody: Jason, you used pull planning on a previous project. What prompted you to try it again, and what did you learn?
Project Manager Jason Peterson: About four years earlier, I was skeptical. I thought I understood pull planning. We brought everyone into a room and tried to plan the entire project at once. When it did not work, I became frustrated.
After that experience, I thought a strong three-week look-ahead plan was more effective and required less time and effort than pull planning.
Then I attended Lean training through KA University and realized how little I understood. The major mistake we made four years earlier was trying to do too much at once. Planning is an ongoing conversation that continues until a project is complete. Pull planning is one component of the Last Planner System.
That understanding gave me the confidence to try again. We also need to deliver projects faster than we did four years ago to remain competitive. The workforce is changing. People want to collaborate, engage and have a positive influence on the project.
What Surprised the Team During Pull Planning?
Peterson: I was surprised by how many trade partners had already used it and by how positive they were about it. Four years earlier, I did not get that reaction.
They arrived prepared, were engaged and wanted to participate in planning. It showed me that the industry is changing faster than I had realized. We often hear that construction is changing, but this experience made it clear that we need to think differently.
I am no longer skeptical. The approach benefited my projects, and the team has seen results. Now, we want to continue learning.
What Advice Would You Give to Someone Considering Lean Construction?
Peterson: Do not delay. Start applying Lean now. Engage in the process, commit to action and sign up for KA University Lean training. Schedule the first planning session, then follow through.
I have learned more through action than I would have learned through reading or even classroom training. We have a strong support system in Kyle and the Lean Leadership Group, and our team wants to support other project teams. It is rewarding to share what we have learned.
What Sparked Interest in Lean Construction?
Woody: Randy, what triggered your interest in Lean Construction?
Project Superintendent Randy Haram: I had heard that Lean Construction would be part of the future of construction. I have more than a decade left in the field and wanted to engage fully. If this is the future, I wanted to understand it. The best way to learn is to try it.
What Did the Team Learn From Its First Pull Schedule?
Haram: As we started the first pull schedule, we learned that most of the trade partners were familiar with the process and about half had used it before.
One subcontractor project manager had been saying that nothing would work from the start of the project. Once he was asked for his perspective, he offered positive input and ideas for completing specific tasks.
When all parties are involved and the work is laid out clearly, the process can reduce anxiety. Breaking work into sequences helps trade partners understand how their scopes connect.
What Would the Team Change Next Time?
Haram: All trade partners need to be involved. We divided the work into small, specific milestones, beginning with exterior site work.
During the meeting, we learned sidewalks and a walking path along the drive lane needed to be in place for irrigation to be installed correctly and for the work to be complete. The sidewalks and paved trail were part of the next milestone, inner site work, so those trade partners were not invited to the first meeting. Next time, we would account for those connections earlier.
Waconia Laketown Elementary project, May 16th, 2016
What Was the Project Engineer’s Role?
Woody: Eric, as a project engineer, what was your role in the pull-planning process?
Project Engineer Eric Kivisto: The objective of a project engineer role is to build experience and grow toward becoming a project manager. As a recent construction management graduate, pull planning was valuable because it increased my understanding of construction processes.
My role was to schedule meetings and invite all subcontractors involved in the specific pull schedule. The first session focused on exterior site work. To prepare, I reviewed the plans and carefully considered who had work in that area. That required me to study the plans and think through the work sequence so no required trade partner was overlooked.
During the meeting, I listened as subcontractors discussed their scopes of work. It gave me an opportunity to follow the exterior site-work process and understand why some activities need to happen before others. I also began to understand the duration of different activities.
Kivisto: Overall, the pull-planning meeting was very different from what I expected. I assumed Lean meetings would involve everyone on-site, planning the entire building from the ground up, and would take three or four hours.
Instead, the team focused pull-planning meetings on specific areas. The exterior site-work pull schedule involved five subcontractors and took about an hour and a half. It was also notable how quickly the subcontractors became involved and began communicating with other trade partners to coordinate their work.
Learn more about Kraus-Anderson’s Lean journey, Lean Construction and front-line safety engagement, KA University leadership development and K-12 construction.
CATEGORY: Construction