First Planner System®️ – 20 – Implement These As A System

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 5 min

From “Who Eats the Cake” to “How We Make the Cake”

This is going to be a short blog, serving as a transition from the trade partner preparation process “who eats the cake” to “how we make the cake.”

Now your foremen have the preparation, support, and systems they need through the buyout meeting, pre-mode meeting, pre-con meeting, first in place inspection, follow-up inspection, final inspection, and the right meetings.

The rest of the IPCS (Integrated Production Control System) will be described in our next book, Takt Steering and Control. It will detail takt steering, last planner implementation, holding trades accountable in a positive way, ensuring quality, continuous improvement, tracking KPIs, and more.

At this point, I hope you understand the system I encourage you to implement. It works every time and everywhere we’ve done it, increasing profit, decreasing project durations, and improving the experience for people. That’s not an exaggeration.

Here’s the challenge:

Average all final component scores.
If you score above 80%, you’ll see the rewards.
If you’re below 80%, you’ll know exactly where to focus.

Lean works best as a complete system, not as isolated pieces. Implement it as holistically as possible.

So far, we’ve covered:

Why projects fail
The components of the first planner system
How they synchronize together
The trade partner preparation process

Now, we’re shifting to how to actually plan the project in pre-construction and how to make the cake. The next blog will walk you step-by-step through creating this plan and the overall timeline. By the time you’re done, you’ll know exactly what to do so your superintendent isn’t stuck behind closed doors with a set of plans, disconnected from the process. You’ll have the framework you need to get the system built the right way.

The next topic will dive into designing and implementing your production system starting with project proposals as the first component.

If you want deeper guidance, you can find our three main system books on Amazon:

Takt Planning
Elevating Pre-construction Planning
Takt Steering and Control

These resources will guide you through using all the systems together to elevate your construction experience.

Key Takeaway

A well-implemented production system is not a collection of isolated tools, it’s a synchronized, holistic framework. When executed properly, it works every time, driving profits, shortening schedules, and improving the construction experience for everyone.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

First Planner System®️ – 21 – The Proposal & Interview

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

The “How” of Pre-construction From Vision to Winning Proposals

In this blog, I’m continuing the reading of Elevating Preconstruction Planning and getting right into the design and pre-construction portion.

This is part three. This is how to plan the project. It’s the recipe and the ingredients for “making the cake”: preheating the oven, gathering and measuring ingredients, mixing them properly, baking the cake, cooling, assembling, and decorating it. In construction terms, it’s all done in pre-construction: designing and implementing your production system.

This includes:

Project proposal
Building the design team
Enabling design
Builder planning
Starting strong

Defining Success Before You Begin

I plan a project so it can finish well measured by safety, culture, rave reviews from owners and designers, a high-functioning and happy team, quality builds, successful trade partners, hitting or exceeding profit targets, and helping people meet their career goals.

When we understand the goals, we simply reverse-engineer the process to find the standards and actions we should use. That means starting right-to-left beginning with the end in mind.

The Proposal & Interview Process

Whether you’re responding to an RFQ or RFP, the steps are clear:

Go/No-Go Decision: Work with leadership to decide if you want the project.
Notify & Kick Off: Share RFP/RFQ documents, set meetings, and appoint the OPER (One Person Ultimately Responsible).
Create the Vision: A single message or theme, like the “hero’s journey,” where the client is the hero, you’re the guide, and success is the destination.
Assignments & Breakouts: Every team member knows their role and deliverables.
Collaborative Development: Use a synchronized platform to build the proposal together.

Builder’s Role in Proposals

As a builder, you will:

Align with the OPER
Develop macro-level attack plans, zone maps, logistics plans, and 3D visuals
Ensure VDC requests are sent early (modeling is not instant)
Showcase your ability to solve three major client problems clearly

The 10 Key Assignments in Proposal Prep

Identify Conditions of Satisfaction: Understand exactly what the client wants.
Research the Project: Dig into drawings, constraints, and opportunities.
Work Density Analysis: Identify phases and zones for the project.
Sketch Macro Phases: Visualize sequencing, buffers, and logic ties.
Create a Macro-Level Takt Plan: Build a high-level schedule.
Make Zone Maps: Show how the work will flow.
Logistics Plan: Plan access, material flow, and production.
Create Model Views: Use visuals to tell the story.
Review the Plan: Ensure risks are addressed and acceleration options exist.
Showcase 3 Major Solutions: Make it easy for the client to see why you’re the best choice.

Why This Matters

By properly preparing your proposal and interview content, you take the first step in the First Planner System, positioning yourself to win the project and keep momentum into planning and execution.

The next blog will focus on building the design team and setting parameters.

Key Takeaway

Winning work in construction isn’t just about price, it’s about vision, preparation, and showing the client exactly how you’ll solve their biggest problems. Start with the end in mind, plan right-to-left, and use every proposal and interview as your opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the build.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Hustle Culture

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

Why Hustle Culture is Hurting Us (and What to Do Instead)

In this blog, I want to have an honest conversation about hustle culture, what it is, why it’s harmful, and how we can replace it with something healthier and smarter.

The inspiration came after I saw a post criticizing hustle culture, which made me reflect on my own career. Early on, I was the definition of “hustle” working 90+ hours a week, convinced that hard work was the only way to prove my worth and earn respect.

I also come from a background where order, discipline, and relentless work were valued. But I’ve also learned the importance of protecting people, our workers, foremen, job site teams, and ourselves. And that’s where hustle culture falls apart.

What Hustle Culture Really Is

Hustle culture glorifies constant work, long hours, and relentless ambition, often at the expense of rest, health, relationships, and personal well-being.
It’s the belief that your value is tied to your productivity, and success only comes from outworking everyone else.

The symptoms are easy to spot:

Long work hours worn as a badge of honor (“sleep when you’re dead”)
Being overbooked equals being important
Work becomes your identity
Health and relationships take a back seat
Strategy, rest, and collaboration are replaced by endless “grinding”

Why It’s a Problem

Burnout, anxiety, and depression become inevitable.
It devalues creativity, rest, and balance.
It creates toxic work environments and unrealistic expectations.
It equates value with output rather than who you are.

This mentality shows up in tech startups, influencer culture, and certain entrepreneur communities. But it’s also alive and well in construction, and it’s hurting our people.

The Alternative: Flow Productivity

Instead of hustle culture, we should focus on:

Sustainable work rhythms
Quality over quantity
Healthy boundaries
Purpose-driven work
Collaboration over competition

As Helen Lewis writes in The Genius Myth, genius is rarely a solo act, real success comes from teams. That aligns perfectly with Lean and Toyota’s approach: respect for people, continuous improvement, and win-win solutions.

The Song That Made It Click

At a boot camp, someone suggested a song called Working. While catchy, its lyrics celebrated many harmful hustle culture ideals: hurting yourself physically, neglecting family, and defining worth solely by grinding harder than anyone else.

That’s not toughness, it’s self-destruction. I deleted the song, and I don’t miss it.

The Lean Way Forward

Yes, we should work hard at work, but also play hard at home, rest fully on vacation, and be present in each part of our lives. As Derek Kirkland said, life is like a multi-layered chessboard: wherever you are, play that board.

Lean thinking helps us win at work, win for our families, win for our health, and win for the example we set. Hustle culture doesn’t do that, it’s a tool used by others to get more out of us at our own expense. Let’s choose something better.

Key Takeaway
Hustle culture is not a badge of honor, it’s a trap. True success comes from working smart, protecting your health and relationships, and building environments where people can thrive long-term.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Trades Won’t Do It – BS

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 7 min

“The Trades Won’t Do It” Why That’s BS

Welcome to blog number 1395. We’re 105 blogs away from 1500, a milestone I’ve had my eye on for a long time. If I keep going for the next 15 years, I could hit 5,000. That’s kind of fun to think about, especially knowing my grandkids could one day read these posts and know exactly what I believed about leadership and construction.

Today’s topic: The trades won’t do it.
That’s BS.

Why “The Trades Won’t Do It” is a Cop-Out

Here’s what I hear all the time:

“We were going to pull a plan, but the trades won’t do it.”
“I wanted to run morning worker huddles and afternoon foreman huddles, but the trades won’t do it.”
“We planned to use weekly work plans, but the trades won’t do it.”

Every time I hear this, my response is the same: BS.
You are the general contractor. People do what’s in the contract. If it’s part of the agreement, or not crossed out in redlines, it’s a requirement.

But beyond the contract, trades are good humans. They will partner with you if it makes sense. In fact, most trades are open to doing things differently if it clearly benefits the project. The problem isn’t that they won’t, it’s that we haven’t asked the right way, with clarity and confidence.

Thinking Beyond the Obvious

If you’re not asking trades to think outside the box at least once or twice on a project, chances are your sequence could be better.
The most intuitive way to build (north to south, bottom to top, 1-2-3-4) is often not the most efficient.
Production thinking may suggest something counterintuitive, like building Deck 1, then Deck 3, back to Deck 2, then Deck 4.

The point is: don’t accept “they won’t do it” as truth. Ask, explain, collaborate, and show the value.

A Real Conversation That Proves the Point

A lead carpenter recently told a superintendent to “stop asking field guys what they need” just tell them what to do. He claimed the crew even made fun of being asked those questions.

Here’s my take:

It’s about clarity, not being an authoritarian. Crews operate best with clear direction. Repeatedly asking for input without making decisions can feel like indecisiveness.
It’s cultural conditioning. Many trades have worked under top-down systems their whole careers. Collaboration feels foreign until trust is built and that can take 6–18 weeks of consistency.
Your questions are leadership gold. “Do you have what you need?” is a sign of care. But trust and psychological safety must be in place for trades to answer honestly.
Blend clarity with compassion. Give direction confidently, then invite collaboration on the “how.”

The Bottom Line

I’ve never met a trade partner who refused to collaborate when the GC led with clarity, respect, and consistency. If you believe “they won’t do it,” check whether the real issue is unclear direction, lack of follow-through, or a culture still stuck in old habits.

You are the leader. It’s your job to create the environment, keep the rhythm, and drive the right behaviors.

Key Takeaway
“The trades won’t do it” isn’t reality, it’s an excuse. Trades will do what makes sense, adds value, and is led with clarity and purpose. Your role as a builder is to remove uncertainty, set the tone, and build both the project and the people.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Situation Rooms

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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Why Every Jobsite Needs a Situation Room

In this blog, I want to talk about something I believe will change how we manage complex projects: Situation Rooms.

I’m not just talking about your standard conference room. I’m talking about a dedicated, fully equipped command center where leaders can monitor, manage, and respond to project events in real time.

Why a Situation Room Matters

The idea came to me while thinking about how historic projects were run. The superintendent for the Empire State Building and leaders like Frank Crow on the Boulder Dam didn’t just walk the site all day, they had central command points where they could receive updates, make decisions, and direct action.

On a modern jobsite, that could mean having:

Six large monitors with the macro-level takt plan, KPIs, live site visuals, 3D models, and instant communication tools.
A stand-up meeting area for quick problem-solving.
Direct access to radios, phones, and intercom systems.
Real-time dashboards and visuals so everyone sees the same information.

The point isn’t command and control. It’s to reduce communication lag, centralize key information, and help leaders remove bottlenecks faster.

What It Looks Like in Practice

In construction, a Situation Room is like a project war room:

Data Feeds & Dashboards – Live updates on schedules, production rates, and safety metrics.
Visual Management Boards – Whiteboards or digital screens for current issues and decisions.
Cross-Functional Access – Stakeholders from field supervision, engineering, and project management can all connect here.
Clear Protocols – Defined roles, escalation paths, and decision logs so action happens without delay.

I once worked with a progressive general superintendent on a data center build who got excited about creating one. The idea was to have this room serve as the hub for both day-to-day coordination and long-term strategic planning, a place where nothing falls through the cracks.

Why It’s Critical for the Future

With the shortage of experienced people and the increasing complexity of projects, we need to rethink how we coordinate work. A well-designed Situation Room could even support aspects of remote project management, while still keeping leaders connected to the field.

I’m issuing this as a challenge:

Design it. Build it. Use it.
Make it a space where problems get solved quickly and information flows seamlessly.
Use it to keep the rhythm of the project without making leaders the bottleneck.

I believe this could be a game-changer for project delivery.

Key Takeaway
A Situation Room isn’t about controlling the field, it’s about empowering the field. By centralizing information, streamlining communication, and giving leaders a real-time view of the project, you create a system where decisions are faster, problems are solved sooner, and teams stay aligned.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Substantial, Final, & Financial Completion

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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Understanding Substantial, Final, and Financial Completion

In this blog, I want to cover three milestones that often get misunderstood: substantial completion, final completion, and financial completion and why knowing the difference can save your project from costly mistakes.

Before we get there, a quick update:
Our first LeanTakt project, a fully planned, $96 million build was cancelled due to economic pressures, financing challenges, and tariff-driven price escalations. While I’m disappointed, I’m grateful we found out early. Our team, including outstanding trade partners, delivered an A+ planning effort, and we’re ready for the next opportunity.

That means we now have capacity for new partnerships, joint ventures, and major projects. We’re looking for relationships where we can bring our proven team, lean systems, and client-focused approach to deliver remarkable results.

Why This Topic Matters

I recently saw confusion on LinkedIn about completion milestones. Many project teams think an extension of time is the whole win, but if you don’t also secure payment for that extended time (financial completion), you can still lose money.

Substantial Completion

The milestone where the project is sufficiently complete so the owner can occupy or use the building for its intended purpose.

Typical requirements:

Life safety systems operational (fire alarm, sprinklers, stairs, elevators)
All major MEP systems functional (domestic water, sanitary, HVAC)
Access paths safe
Temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy (TCO/CO) issued
Units clean and ready for move-in
Owner and architect agreement that the building is usable

Minor punch list items can remain, but the building is essentially move-in ready.

Final Completion

Achieved when all contractual work is done, including punch list items, documentation, and turnover requirements.

Typical requirements:

Punch list fully complete
Final cleaning and touch-ups done
All inspections and testing finalized
Closeout documentation submitted (as-builts, O&M manuals)
Warranties addressed and owner training completed
Spare parts and maintenance tools delivered
Keys and security systems handed over
Final sign-off from owner/architect

Financial Completion

Marks the end of billable general conditions and general requirements, the point where the owner stops paying for project overhead.

If your project runs past this date without compensation, every extra day comes out of your budget. That’s why it’s not enough to get an extension of time, you must also negotiate an extension of paid support for site operations.

The Real Danger

Too many teams think, “We got the schedule extension, so we’re good.” But without a financial extension, you’re still burning money every day past the original completion date. That’s why understanding all three milestones, and planning for them is critical for project profitability.

Key Takeaway
Time extensions without financial extensions can still sink your budget. Substantial completion gets the building usable, final completion closes the project, but financial completion protects your bottom line. Know all three, track them closely, and negotiate accordingly.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Takt & Lean Principles, Feat. Hal Macomber

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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Building Projects That Flow, Lessons from Hal Macomber on Takt Construction

In this blog, I sat down with one of our most insightful guests, Hal Macomber, to explore the mindset, preparation, and execution strategies that make Takt Construction not just possible, but powerful. Hal has been a mentor to our team, and this conversation dove deep into the realities of delivering flow-based construction in the real world.

We started by talking about the difference between planning and execution. As Hal explained, success in Takt Construction doesn’t come from getting the plan perfect on day one, because in reality, you’ll never have all the answers at the start. Designs evolve, supply sources shift, and teams change. The real power comes from execution at the work face, with the people holding the tools, installing materials, and directly supporting those crews.

Hal compared it to sailing from Boston to Maine, you can plot a course, but the seas, winds, and weather will constantly change. The key is steering and course correcting while keeping your destination in sight. That’s where steering and control in Takt becomes essential.

We discussed the foundation of Takt Construction: it’s built on nearly 100 years of production theory from 12 key industry “luminaries” leaders like W. Edwards Deming, Sir John Kingman, and Eliyahu Goldratt, whose work on variation, capacity, and throughput forms the backbone of sound production systems. Unlike CPM, Takt actually aligns with these proven principles.

One big takeaway from Hal: constraints are your friend if you choose them early and as a system.
That means:

Selecting big-ticket systems (building frame, HVAC, vertical transportation, etc.) before design begins.
Using set-based design to evaluate multiple options before committing.
Bringing trade partners on board early ideally a year in advance and ensuring they’re trained and practiced in Takt before stepping foot on your site.

We also touched on material lead times. Instead of accepting “that’s just how long it takes,” you can design packages and choose suppliers to fit your production rhythm. In one Boston project, Hal’s team ordered the steel package before schematic design because waiting would have made their 28-month deadline impossible.

The core message? Takt Construction isn’t just a scheduling technique. It’s a project-wide production system that requires intentional design decisions, early trade involvement, and relentless focus on execution in the field.

Key Takeaway

Perfect plans don’t build projects, adaptive execution does. In Takt Construction, early constraint selection, set-based design, and trade partner preparation create the structure. Steering and control at the work face make it succeed.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

How To Write A Business Plan For A Construction Company

Posted on August 12, 2025August 12, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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How to Write a Business Plan for a Construction Company: The Essentials You Can’t Skip

I’ve covered how to write a business plan for a construction company before, but since then I’ve received more questions, helped more companies, and learned even more from the field. So, in this blog, I want to cut through the noise and share the absolute essentials you must have in place to make your business plan truly work.

I’ve worked with large companies, my going rate for big engagements starts at $500,000 per year for one-on-one consulting. I’ve taken on plenty of those projects, but these days, I only take one per year. Beyond that, through LeanTakt and other initiatives, I’ve worked with organizations of all sizes. For smaller companies, I often volunteer my help for free. So, trust me when I say these are the keys you need to get right.

Visionary & Integrator:

When people think “business plan,” they often imagine a thick binder filled with market research, charts, and fancy reports. Those have their place, but the first thing I look for is this: Who’s your visionary and who’s your integrator?

The visionary sets the direction; the integrator makes it happen. These roles must be clearly defined and tested for compatibility. Without them, even the most polished plan will fall apart.

The Clarity Document:

Your clarity document might just be the most important part of your plan. It outlines:

Your mission, purpose, and core values.
Where you want to be in 100, 10, 5, 3, and 1 year(s).
Your specific market segments.
Your marketing plan.

Gino Wickman calls this your VTO (Vision/Traction Organizer). A well-crafted clarity document wins half the battle before you even start.

Right People in the Right Seats:

Jim Collins says the number one metric in your organization is having the right people in key seats. Your organizational chart should reflect what the business needs, not just what positions you already have filled.

Until over 90% of your key seats are filled by the right people, you have work to do.

Define Your Approach:

Are you cheap and standardized? Or custom and expensive? Be clear about your red zone, the work you excel at, get paid well for, and enjoy.

From there, outline your standard way of delivering, both in marketing and operations.

Shore Up Problems Before Scaling:

Every industry has common problems, yours included. Your plan should identify these issues, show how they’re being addressed, and include a strategy for training and enforcing solutions company-wide.

A well-trained and scalable operating system is the foundation for growth.

Final Advice:

Whether you’re starting or scaling a construction company, you need:

The right people in the right seats.
A clear visionary and integrator.
Expert help when needed.

The best companies hire consultants, get marketing support, and invest in their next step. The ones that fail often keep struggling in ignorance.

And don’t forget, cash flow is king. Have cash flow insurance, build your credit, and work with strong financial partners who’ll stick with you long term.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

First Planner System®️ – 22 – Building the Design Team & Setting Targets

Posted on August 11, 2025August 11, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

Build the Design Team and Set the Right Parameters

In construction, the excitement of being awarded a project can quickly be overshadowed by the challenge of organizing the team and ensuring everyone moves in the same direction. One of the most critical steps at this stage is building your design and pre-construction team and setting clear parameters from the very beginning.

Without clear targets and alignment, even the most talented team can head in the wrong direction. The goal is to target the right production plan, set a realistic total project duration, and align the design with financial expectations. Failing to do so can result in designs that exceed the budget or timelines that are unrealistic, ultimately leading to frustration and costly changes later on.

Step 1: Build the Team

Start by getting the right people in the right roles, communicating well, and working toward shared goals. Use a framework to organize your approach:

Board One: Organization clusters and communication map out the executive team, core team, scrum teams, and communication channels.
Board Two: Conditions of satisfaction identify risks, define what success looks like, and review past project successes.
Board Three: Meeting cycle draft, refine, and finalize a meeting schedule that works for the whole team.

These tools help create an integrated, well-communicating team with a clear meeting structure. Reference resources like Integrated Project Delivery to structure big rooms, form collaborative teams, and establish effective workflows.

Step 2: Set the Right Parameters

Your owner likely has a set budget and schedule expectations. The key is to design to these constraints using Target Value Design (TVD) principles:

Gather a collaborative team early.
Set a target budget and/or timeline.
Design to cost, iterating frequently to stay aligned.
Apply lean processes and value engineering along the way.

Part of setting parameters is understanding General Conditions (GC) and General Requirements (GR) early:

General Conditions: Overall operational costs like staffing and insurance.
General Requirements: Contractual and logistical tasks like temporary facilities, site security, permits, safety, and cleanup.

Underestimating these costs can lead to late-stage budget shocks, forcing “slash and burn” value engineering that frustrates both owners and designers. Instead, develop a macro-level Takt plan from the outset, map logistics, and keep assumptions transparent.

Step 3: Avoid Late Surprises

Accurate early planning prevents budget blowouts and schedule slips. A well-structured kickoff meeting acts as a “pre-flight check” for your project: ensuring everyone is organized, communicating well, and aligned on goals before work begins. This reduces conflict, minimizes waste, and keeps the design intact without last-minute cuts.

Key Takeaway:

A successful construction project begins with building the right design team and achieving early alignment on goals, budgets, and schedules. Establishing clear communication and locking in cost and timeline parameters from the start protects design integrity, reduces waste, and builds trust keeping the project on track to deliver on time and within budget.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

First Planner System®️ – 23 – Last Planner®️ & Scrum in Design

Posted on August 11, 2025August 11, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 7 min

Elevating Pre-Construction Planning: Last Planner System & Scrum in the Design Phase

In the design phase of pre-construction planning, structure and collaboration are critical to keeping projects on track. One way to do this effectively is by leveraging the Last Planner System and Scrum to guide your team toward success.

Last Planner in the Design Phase

When applying the Last Planner System, begin with a milestone pull (or phase pull).

Identify milestones: Start with your final milestone, then work backward to determine necessary intermediate milestones.
Validate milestones: Use the group’s expertise, historical timelines, and reference data to ensure they’re realistic.
Visualize the plan: Create a clear, visual sequence of work that the team can review and refine.

In design, complexity, team capability, and workload capacity will affect milestone timing. The key is to create phase specific pull plans rather than trying to plan the entire design phase at once. This allows for accurate forward and backward passes to determine dependencies and durations.

Once your pull plan is set, move into:

Six-week look ahead planning: Prepare tasks in advance, coordinate needs, and remove roadblocks.
Weekly work plans: Identify exactly what will be accomplished each week, adjusting as needed.
Daily huddles: Track progress, check percent plan complete (aim for 80%+), identify issues, and make corrections.

Software like Vplanner can make design-phase planning more visual and effective. Integrate these meetings into your cadence cluster work sessions, all-hands planning meetings, and buffer days to keep momentum strong.

Scrum in the Design Phase

Scrum brings flexibility and visual tracking to the design process. Start with a milestone pull and, if desired, a phase specific pull plan. Move your activities into a Scrum board with four columns:

Backlog: All tasks (with effort points using Fibonacci numbers).
Sprint Backlog: Tasks chosen for the current sprint (often one week).
In Progress: Work actively being done.
Completed: Finished tasks.

Run the process like this:

Sprint Planning: Decide what will be accomplished in the sprint.
Daily Huddles: Move tasks from left to right, help team members when needed.
Sprint Review & Retrospective: Assess progress, improve the process.

A burn down chart helps visualize whether the team is on track by plotting total effort remaining against time.

Best Practices for Enabling the Design Team

Use a decision matrix: Make decisions based on clear evaluation criteria and keep a documented history.
Help the team flow: Avoid overloading them with distractions and excess communication.
Work in one-piece flow: Avoid batching; finish tasks completely before moving on.
Create a “Done, Done, Freaking Done” culture: No partial work; ensure accountability.
Control Work in Progress (WIP): Keep workloads balanced.
Recover delays quickly: Collaborate to find solutions without overburdening the team.

Early Deliverables to Track

Early procurement: Track long-lead items early.
Existing utilities: Identify and plan for relocations now.
Geotech report: Understand soil conditions and site prep needs.
Engage VDC: Involve Virtual Design and Construction early for model coordination.

By setting up the right systems, milestones, and rhythms, your design team will have clarity, focus, and momentum creating a strong foundation for the rest of the project.

Key Takeaway:

A successful design phase in pre-construction hinges on structured collaboration. By combining the Last Planner System and Scrum, setting clear milestones, maintaining visual workflows, and supporting the design team with smart decision-making and flow, you create the conditions for on-time, high-quality project delivery.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

General Offerings

Company Offerings

Systems

From “Who Eats the Cake” to “How We Make the Cake”

Key Takeaway

The “How” of Pre-construction From Vision to Winning Proposals

Defining Success Before You Begin

The Proposal & Interview Process

Builder’s Role in Proposals

The 10 Key Assignments in Proposal Prep

Why This Matters

Key Takeaway

Why Hustle Culture is Hurting Us (and What to Do Instead)

What Hustle Culture Really Is

Why It’s a Problem

The Alternative: Flow Productivity

The Song That Made It Click

The Lean Way Forward

“The Trades Won’t Do It” Why That’s BS

Why “The Trades Won’t Do It” is a Cop-Out

Thinking Beyond the Obvious

A Real Conversation That Proves the Point

The Bottom Line

Why Every Jobsite Needs a Situation Room

Why a Situation Room Matters

What It Looks Like in Practice

Why It’s Critical for the Future

Understanding Substantial, Final, and Financial Completion

Why This Topic Matters

Substantial Completion

Final Completion

Financial Completion

The Real Danger

Building Projects That Flow, Lessons from Hal Macomber on Takt Construction

Key Takeaway

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Calumet "K"

faq

General Training Overview

Superintendent / PM Boot Camp

Takt Production System® Virtual Training

Onsite Takt Simulation

Foreman & Field Engineer Training

Testimonials

Testimonials

agenda

Day 1

Foundations & Macro Planning

day2

Norm Planning & Flow Optimization

day3

Advanced Tools & Comparisons

day4

Buffers, Controls & Finalization

day5

Control Systems & Presentations

faq

UNDERSTANDING THE TRAINING

VALUE AND RESULTS

PLANNING AND SCHEDULING TOPICS

APPLICATION & TEAM ADOPTION

VIRTUAL FORMAT & ACCESSIBILITY

faq

GENERAL FAQS

CURRICULUM & OUTCOMES