Suggestions after a Lean Field Walk

Lessons From a Lean Project Walk in Virginia

I recently had the opportunity to walk a truly remarkable project in Virginia, and I want to share some of the lessons I took away from that experience. This was a hospital tower project valued at more than two hundred million dollars, and the team there is doing some incredible things with lean practices.

Before diving into those lessons, let me give you a quick update from my own world. I just wrapped up a crazy but successful YouTube video shoot where I filmed twenty videos in a single day. My flight was delayed, I arrived at noon, and had to leave by 5:20, but we pulled it off. To be honest, it left me completely drained, but also energized because the content we are creating this year is really building momentum. Between the Takt Steering and Control book, the Elevating Construction Core Skills book, the Spanish translation of the Takt book, and progress on Elevating Construction Field Engineer, there is a lot happening. On top of that, I just finished preparing for the LCI Congress presentation and will soon be speaking at ICBA. Things are moving quickly, and it feels good to be in that rhythm.

Now let’s talk about the project walk. The team I visited has fully implemented takt planning, the Last Planner System, daily and weekly huddles, and they are three months ahead of schedule. Even with some buffer time, they are still on track to finish at least one and a half months early. That is no small feat.

Observations From the Field

The first thing that stood out to me was their visual scheduling system. They use a single-sheet master plan that is organized by time and location, and it is so clear and easy to follow. Anyone on the project can look at it and instantly understand what is happening. It is exactly the kind of planning that leads to flow.

Their huddles, however, were being held in the mornings. While they covered safety and the plan for the day, the timing created challenges. If something needed to change, it forced mid-morning adjustments, which caused disruptions. My suggestion was to move huddles to the afternoon so that planning looks ahead rather than reacting in the moment.

Another key observation was their weekly work plans. They were well done and updated regularly, but the conversations in those meetings were too one-directional. The general contractor led most of it, and trade partners were not as engaged as they could be. I encouraged them to make those meetings more interactive, focusing on handoffs, problems, and coordination rather than just updates. I also suggested projecting the plans electronically on the wall instead of relying on handwritten boards. Doing so would make them scalable, dynamic, and far easier for everyone to engage with in real time.

Moving Toward Operational Excellence

Beyond planning and scheduling, I also recommended lean floorboards for each level of the project. These boards would display the macro-level takt plan, zone maps, delivery staging areas, and other critical information like benchmark locations or valve shutoffs. That kind of visibility helps crews understand the big picture while staying aligned with day-to-day operations.

Finally, I emphasized the importance of morning worker huddles. Even though this team had great culture and was doing well, I have consistently seen the difference that comes when projects gather workers together as one team at the start of the day. Without that, you risk having separate groups working in silos instead of a unified culture. The best projects I have ever seen are the ones where everyone connects, collaborates, and commits to the day as one.

These lessons remind me of why it is so valuable to walk other projects and give feedback, and also to invite others to walk our own jobs. Every project has something we can learn from, and those lessons make us better leaders and builders.

Key Takeaway

When we prioritize flow, meaningful collaboration, and visual systems that engage everyone, we create projects that finish early, operate smoothly, and build strong cultures. Simple adjustments like moving huddles, projecting plans, and adding worker huddles can elevate performance significantly.