Revolutionize Your Pre-construction Process With Takt Planning!

What Is Takt Planning?

Takt planning is the art of scheduling your project as a production plan that works on a rhythm in a time-by-location format. It integrates seamlessly with lean production principles and brings clarity and efficiency to your project timelines.

Key Steps in the Preconstruction Process

The preconstruction process typically involves several phases:

1. Proposal
2. Conceptual Design
3. Schematic Design
4. Design Development
5. Construction Drawings
6. Mobilization

Here’s how takt planning can revolutionize each stage:

Takt Planning in the Proposal Phase

Start with a clear, single-page Takt plan instead of a cumbersome, unreadable schedule. Include zone maps to communicate with the owner.

During this phase:

• Highlight three major problems in the project.
• Demonstrate your expertise by discussing real results you’ve achieved with Takt planning.

This approach consistently helps clients win projects by positioning them as innovative and reliable.

Conceptual and Schematic Design Phases

Once you’ve secured the project, develop a Macro-level Takt plan:

• Begin with a 5-day Takt time.
• Incorporate historical production rates and team insights.
• Outline total project duration, buffers, and phase interconnections.

This allows for rapid updates and ensures accurate budget and schedule projections.

Design Development Phase

Switch to a Norm-level Takt plan to bring in the builders. During this phase, focus on:

• Detailed zone maps.
• Logistics drawings.
• Procurement logs and risk registers.
• Collaboration with the design team to select systems that enable work packages.

As emphasized in the book How Big Things Get Done, involving builders in the planning phase ensures iterative improvements and a builder-led execution plan.

Fresh Eyes Meeting

Before moving into construction, conduct a “fresh eyes” review. Gather experienced professionals to critically evaluate the plan, identify risks, and simulate the project on paper.

Key goals for this phase include:

• Updating the risk and opportunity register.
• Finalizing a guaranteed maximum price (GMP).
• Ensuring the plan is ready for seamless mobilization.

Why Takt Planning?

Traditional CPM schedules often fail to account for trade flow and can lead to inaccurate project durations and budget surprises. Takt planning provides a more realistic, adaptable framework that benefits owners, teams, and project outcomes.