Are You Creating Space for Roadblocks to Rise?

You tip the water jug straight down. The water pours out. But there’s a gurgling sound caused by friction of air and water fighting for space. It takes eleven seconds to empty. That’s pushing work through as fast as possible. Air blocks water creating splattering and turbulence. Now spin the jug creating a spiral in the water, a flow vortex. The center of the vortex allows air to flow into the bottle at the same time water flows out. Five seconds. Half the time. Best flow of water is developed by coordinating the water in the most optimized manner and by creating space in the center of the vortex for air to rise. Forcing the water through the opening as fast as possible is not effective and causes splattering and turbulence. This is what happens in CPM by pushing construction activities through the network of resources as fast and as soon as possible. The critical path erupts with air bubbles that interrupt flow and increase overall duration. Takt, on the other hand, with its coordinated approach and space given for occurrence of roadblocks or air is similar to the flow vortex. When all parts work together to achieve flow, water moves in steady stream while simultaneously allowing air to rise up through center. This beats the other system every time because it gives space and time for roadblocks to rise and be removed from flow of work.

Here’s what most teams miss. They think speed comes from pushing harder. Working faster. Starting sooner. Compressing schedules. Forcing activities through the network as soon as possible. But that creates the gurgling jug. Air and water fighting for space. Splattering and turbulence. Eleven seconds instead of five. The flow vortex works because it coordinates movement in optimized manner and creates space for air to rise. Takt works the same way. It coordinates work in optimized manner and creates space for roadblocks to rise. Not by pushing through chaos. By creating steady, continuous stream with coordinated pattern and adequate space. When water flows, it runs in relatively consistent and continuous stream down an unobstructed path. When water does not flow, it’s usually due to twists and turns, obstacles, changes in elevation, or other hindrances. Takt removes the hindrances by creating space for them to rise and be removed before they interrupt flow.

The challenge is most teams never learned what Takt actually is. It’s a detailed one-page, one-process flow schedule focusing on throughput, bottlenecks, and creating flow. It’s accompanied by lean practices to be the most effective scheduling tool in the industry because it creates stable construction environments, enables total participation, and provides basis to improve all aspects of construction. In German, Takt means beat, frequency, or regularity with which something gets done. When used with lean, it means standardization, predictability, and heartbeat of the project’s production system. To be a Takt plan by definition, it must be visual schedule clearly showing time and space and how they relate to workflow, trade flow, and logistical flow. It creates geographical, rhythmic flow from area to area making it location-based management system. And it gives space for roadblocks to rise instead of forcing work through creating turbulence.

What Is Takt Planning?

Takt planning is a detailed one-page, one-process flow schedule that focuses on throughput, bottlenecks, and ultimately creating flow. It is accompanied by lean practices to be the most effective scheduling tool in the industry for construction because it creates stable construction environments, enables total participation, and provides the basis upon which to improve all aspects of construction.

In German, the word Takt means beat, frequency, or the regularity with which something gets done. When used with lean, it means standardization, predictability, and the heartbeat of the project’s production system.

To be a Takt plan by definition, it must be a visual schedule that clearly shows time and space and how they relate to workflow, trade flow, and the logistical flow of the project. Takt creates geographical, rhythmic flow from area to area, making it a location-based management system.

It also has to be planned with the right buffer management and one that stabilizes the pace of work with what is called one-process flow that limits work in process. And lastly, it has to have a reasonable overall project duration. These are the basics to meet the definition.

Takt also means cycle time. It symbolizes the need for a responsible rhythm of work in certain production areas, otherwise known as Takt zones, as opposed to the left justifying of activities to their early start dates in CPM’s famous forward and backward paths.

To a builder, Takt communicates the need for flow.

The Water Vortex Explanation of Flow

Consider two gallon jugs of water. The first jug is tipped over and pointed straight down allowing the water to pour out without squeezing the jug. As the water pours out, there is a gurgling sound caused by the friction of the air and water fighting for space as the jug empties in a time span of eleven seconds.

In contrast, the second jug is turned over and the bottle is spun in a circle which creates a spiral in the water or flow vortex. As the water spins, the center of the vortex allows for the air to flow into the bottle at the same time as water flowing out. It only takes five seconds to empty the second jug with the use of the flow vortex.

The best flow of water is developed by coordinating the water in the most optimized manner and by creating space in the center of the vortex for air to rise. Forcing the water through the opening as fast as possible is not effective and causes splattering and turbulence.

This is what happens in CPM by pushing construction activities through the network of resources as fast and as soon as possible. The critical path will erupt with air bubbles that interrupt the flow and increase the overall duration of the project.

Takt, on the other hand, with its coordinated approach and space given for the occurrence of roadblocks or air is similar to the flow vortex. When all parts are working together to achieve flow, the water can move in a steady stream while simultaneously allowing air to rise up through the center of the flow vortex.

This will beat the other system every time because it gives space and time for roadblocks to rise and be removed from the flow of work.

Why Flow Is a Priority for Construction

The ultimate question for any successful schedule system is: Does the system enable a visual and coordinated flow? And does the system bring problems to the surface quickly so they do not interrupt the flow?

Flow is a priority for construction. Why? Because flow enables the very long supply chains upon which we rely in construction by holding to consistent dates. It reduces the material inventory levels and worker counts on a project site at the end of that supply chain by allowing us to bring out materials just in time.

This is important because the reduction of material inventory is essentially the reduction of overproduction in construction which then reduces all other wastes. When overproduction and excess material inventory are reduced, the need for fixing defects, overprocessing, waiting, transportation, and motion are reduced because we are using the genius and capabilities of the team, maintaining a consistent schedule and flow, one process or one Takt process at a time.

The effect that waste, variation, and roadblocks have on the production and the field are widely recognized and accepted, and at a minimum, they culminate in wait times and prevent good flow. If we maintain flow, prepare our work, stabilize our supply chains, and hold our dates according to a good Takt time, we will have a good flow of information, worker counts, and materials because the dates, rhythm, targets, and expectations all remain consistent, steady, and continuous, just like when water flows.

Why Scrum and Last Planner Need Takt

Scrum and the Last Planner System also advocate and support flow, but are not able to maintain it fully when based on a CPM system of milestones because they are not receiving materials on time within the chaotic and non-visible CPM system.

Takt is the best companion to these systems because it can properly identify key milestones within a flowable system. Takt levels the workload to the point that agile systems like Scrum and Last Planner have a fighting chance in the short interval.

You can take the best basketball players in the world and encourage them to make slam dunks after placing the hoops 25 feet in the air, but they will fail in their endeavors. That does not reduce the effectiveness of the players. It means the game itself was impossible.

When CPM puts Scrum and Last Planner into a game with unrealistic end dates, non-contextual and rhythmic milestones, and non-transparent plan visualization, we are setting our hoops 25 feet in the air.

Takt brings us a game where we can win, with rules we can follow, and the autonomy to meet the short interval schedule targets.

The Three Main Considerations in Takt Planning

In Takt planning there are three main considerations:

• Continuity: The flow of work within a Takt train or sequence without interruption or efficiency gaps.
• Rhythm: The repetition of work, specifically Takt trains, in a repeatable time interval. Flow here would mean each process works through Takt zones at the same rate or rhythm.
• Consistency: Consistency means that materials and worker counts are leveled and consistent, allowing for standard work, just-in-time deliveries, and stable crew compositions.

These three considerations create the conditions enabling flow. Continuity prevents stops and starts. Rhythm creates predictability. Consistency stabilizes resources. Together they create the flow vortex enabling work to move while roadblocks rise and get removed.

Key Definitions for Understanding Takt

Understanding Takt requires knowing key terms:

• Takt Time: The measurable beat time, rate time, or heartbeat. The duration of the time scale into which Takt wagons are fit.
• Takt Zone: A production area determined by its repeatability and ability to fit into rhythm with other areas to balance overall production schedule.
• Takt Train: A series of wagons in a Takt zone. Also sometimes called a Takt sequence.
• Takt Wagons: One or more work packages or scopes of work packaged into a single cell in a Takt train.
• Work Packages: Features of work or scopes within a Takt wagon.
• Work Steps: The tasks in the installation process within the work package.
• Flow: When something moves together along a steady, continuous stream with a lack of resistance or turbulence. Three types: workflow, trade flow, and logistical flow.
• Roadblocks: Anything that has the potential to impact work in construction that can be identified ahead of time and can be removed before the work begins.
• Constraints: A condition on or around the project that limits or restricts something or someone. These are typically permanent and cannot be removed.
• Bottlenecks: Any resource whose capacity is equal to or less than the demand placed upon it by the entire system.

The System Failed You

Let’s be clear. When teams don’t understand what Takt actually is, it’s not entirely their fault. The system failed by teaching CPM as standard without explaining that it pushes activities through as fast as possible creating turbulence and air bubbles interrupting flow. Nobody showed the water vortex principle that coordinating work in optimized manner with space for roadblocks to rise beats forcing work through opening as fast as possible. Nobody explained that five seconds beats eleven seconds because flow vortex allows air and water to move simultaneously instead of fighting for space. The system taught push-based scheduling when actually coordinated flow creates speed.

The system also failed by teaching that Scrum and Last Planner work with CPM. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow. But Scrum and Last Planner can’t maintain flow fully when based on CPM system of milestones because they’re not receiving materials on time within chaotic and non-visible CPM system. CPM sets hoops 25 feet in air creating impossible game. Takt brings game we can win with rules we can follow. But teams never taught this keep blaming players when the game itself was impossible.

The system fails by not teaching the three main considerations: continuity, rhythm, and consistency. Continuity prevents stops and starts. Rhythm creates predictability enabling steady stream. Consistency stabilizes resources enabling standard work and just-in-time deliveries. Together they create conditions enabling flow. But teams never taught this wonder why projects struggle when the answer is they lack continuity, rhythm, and consistency creating the foundation for flow.

The Challenge

Here’s your assignment. Stop forcing work through as fast as possible. Start creating space for roadblocks to rise.

Use the water vortex principle. Coordinate work in optimized manner. Create space in center of vortex for air to rise. Don’t fight for space creating turbulence. Allow work and roadblocks to move simultaneously. Five seconds beats eleven seconds every time.

Understand what Takt actually is. Detailed one-page, one-process flow schedule focusing on throughput, bottlenecks, and creating flow. Visual schedule clearly showing time and space relating to workflow, trade flow, logistical flow. Creates geographical, rhythmic flow from area to area. Planned with right buffer management stabilizing pace with one-process flow limiting work in process.

Create the three main considerations. Continuity preventing interruptions. Rhythm creating repeatable time intervals. Consistency leveling materials and worker counts. These create conditions enabling flow instead of fighting flow.

Stop using CPM setting hoops 25 feet in air. Implement Takt creating game we can win with rules we can follow. Give Scrum and Last Planner the fighting chance they need by providing stable foundation enabling them to work.

Recognize that flow enables long supply chains by holding consistent dates. Reduces material inventory and worker counts through just-in-time deliveries. Reduces overproduction reducing all other wastes. Maintains consistent schedule and flow one process at a time. Uses genius and capabilities of team instead of creating chaos preventing their success.

The water vortex beats pushing every time. Create space for roadblocks to rise and be removed from flow of work instead of forcing activities through creating turbulence.

On we go.

FAQ

What is Takt planning?

Detailed one-page, one-process flow schedule focusing on throughput, bottlenecks, and creating flow. Visual schedule clearly showing time and space relating to workflow, trade flow, logistical flow. Creates geographical, rhythmic flow from area to area. Planned with right buffer management stabilizing pace with one-process flow. In German, Takt means beat, frequency, heartbeat of production system.

How does the water vortex explain flow?

Jug tipped straight down: water and air fight for space, gurgling sound, eleven seconds. Jug spun creating vortex: water flows out while air flows in simultaneously, five seconds. Best flow developed by coordinating in optimized manner and creating space for air to rise. Forcing through fast creates turbulence. Same principle in construction with roadblocks.

What are the three main considerations in Takt planning?

Continuity (flow without interruption), rhythm (repetition in repeatable time intervals), and consistency (leveled materials and worker counts enabling standard work and just-in-time deliveries). Together they create conditions enabling flow instead of fighting flow. These three considerations beat chaos every time.

Why do Scrum and Last Planner need Takt?

They advocate and support flow but can’t maintain it fully when based on CPM system because they’re not receiving materials on time within chaotic non-visible CPM system. Takt levels workload giving them fighting chance. CPM sets hoops 25 feet in air creating impossible game. Takt creates game we can win with rules we can follow.

What’s the difference between roadblocks and constraints?

Roadblocks can be identified ahead of time and removed before work begins. Temporary and removable. Examples: missing information, defective parts, coordination issues, procurement issues. Constraints are permanent conditions limiting or restricting something. Cannot be removed. Examples: adjacent geographical features, weather, lack of space, municipal restrictions. Must plan within constraints while removing roadblocks.