Reasons for Variance And Why Most of Them Are Preventable
Today I want to shift your mindset around variance. We usually treat “reasons for variance” as isolated excuses things like supply chain delays, lack of manpower, design issues, bad weather, etc. The standard last planner system tracks these variances in the weekly work plan and labels them as root causes.
But here’s the truth, most of these aren’t root causes at all. They’re symptoms of poor pre-planning.
Let’s look at a few examples:
- Lack of materials: This isn’t the problem. The real problem is that there wasn’t a procurement log built early in preconstruction and tracked daily.
- Lack of manpower: The symptom, The true issue is that manpower needs weren’t forecasted months in advance with the trades.
- Lack of information: Almost always due to failure to involve design assist partners early and review incomplete drawings.
- Trade coordination issues: Really the result of not doing preparatory meetings with trades and pulling them into short interval plans before they start their zones.
- Weather delays: In many cases, predictable using historic weather data and preventable by incorporating proper “buffer days” into the takt plan.
When we only look at variances week to week, we end up reacting. Instead, we should be asking a better question:
Could this have been eliminated with proper preconstruction planning?
In most cases, the answer is yes.
That’s why we spend so much time and money planning earlier modeling wood framing before it’s built, ordering switchgear months in advance, checking constructability with trade partners before the permit is even issued. It’s not overkill. It’s risk elimination.
The bottom line is this, variance is largely a planning issue, and the right mindset is to eliminate root causes long before the work ever starts.
Key Takeaway:
Most reasons for variance are not unavoidable “day-of” issues they’re symptoms of poor preplanning. When you engage in true preconstruction, involve the right people early, and build visual procurement, logistics, and takt plans, you eliminate most of the things that cause variance long before they ever show up in the field.
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
