Weekly Work Planning Explained (How to Increase PPC and Reliability)

Weekly Work Planning Explained (How to Increase PPC and Reliability)

The second thing that we do in the trade partner weekly tactical is the coordination and confirmation and commitment to the weekly work plan as a filter. So, we have already looked at the macro-level Takt plan and the procurement, meaning our supply chain and our overall strategic plan are solid. Now we’re in the trade partner weekly tactical and this is all after our pull plan.

We have a production plan now and we have done a make ready lookahead planning and now it’s time to create the plan for the next week as a part of the weekly work plan. And this is one of my favorites because we must have a communicated and coordinated plan for the trade partners to execute that they helped create.

From Macro Plan to Weekly Work Plan: The Filter Process

Remember, this is our base production plan and we go to the export button to work plan. Let’s just do it for one week out. And if you’re in a rhythm where you have to have two, meaning you’re in the middle of the week, super fine.

But in this weekly work plan, it is a filter. It is not a creation. You’ve already done the pull plan and you’re already making work ready. You’re already finding and removing roadblocks. That’s crucial. We’re already doing that. We’re already on track.

And this plan will show where each of the trades committed and plan to be. And it has the handoffs showing where flow happens. It’s at the intersection of when a trade leaves a zone and pulls another trade into that zone behind them as a part of the train of trades.

Diagonal Trade Flow and Vertical Alignment

Now this can be adjusted so they’re not locked in but we want that diagonal trade flow and we want that vertical alignment. So what happens in this meeting is that in the portion of the meeting where you’re going through this either your trades can declare themselves or in whatever fashion you’d like to do it. You go line by line and the specific thing is each trade partner is confirming that they can hit these handoffs.

Track Handoffs, Not Percent Plan Complete

It’s actually a better thing to track handoffs than it is percent plan complete. You’ll have a more accurate number.

So, as you go handoff by handoff, a trade partner is saying, “Yes, I am on track.” And if they are not, the problems that you’ve already put up on the board with these red stickies or magnets, we will put another dot up here to discuss as a part of the meeting. It’s absolutely phenomenal. And we’ll go through this entire plan and make sure that everybody has committed to their handoffs or the adjustments have been made.

What a Commitment Means: Roadblock-Free, Made Ready

What it means is that each activity that is promised in the weekly work plan does not have any of these foreseeable roadblocks. If something happens in the moment, we understand. But that means the trade partner has made it ready and it is roadblock free.

And we already know from the last blog that each of these 17 items for making work ready has been considered. That trade partner when they say they can hit this handoff, they are saying that they have a roadblock free activity that is made ready where there is an installation work package prepared for that zone for that crew and they’re ready to go and they can promise to the other trade not to the GC to trade but trade to trade that they will complete that activity on time.

That then creates the final plan that everybody uses to execute in the field.

After Look Ahead and Weekly Planning: Resolve Problems

Now, I want to briefly mention that now that you’ve done your lookahead planning and your weekly work planning, you will spend the rest of the meeting resolving and solving these problems. And if the trades can solve their own problems, you just take these little stickers or the magnets off. And if you can’t solve them, it has to go to the project delivery team or be escalated.

Escalating to the Project Delivery Team Scrum Board

This is what you’ll do. Wherever this board exists, whether it’s digitally or a physical board, if there’s an issue here that can’t be solved by the foreman and the superintendent, it will go on to the project delivery team scrum board as an item in the workable backlog or if it’s urgent in the sprint backlog and it will become a part of that daily Kanban rhythm with the project delivery team or if you use Scrum so that the project delivery team can handle it at the right meeting.

And typically the project delivery team will see it in the team daily huddle where they stand up and use that Kanban board or Scrum board to actually solve problems to maintain flow for the crews in the field.

Here’s how weekly work planning increases PPC and reliability:

• Weekly work plan is a filter, not a creation: already done pull plan, making work ready – In this weekly work plan, it is a filter. It is not a creation. You’ve already done the pull plan and you’re already making work ready. You’re already finding and removing roadblocks. That’s crucial. We’re already doing that. We’re already on track. Plan will show where each of trades committed and plan to be. Has handoffs showing where flow happens.
• Track handoffs not percent plan complete: more accurate number – It’s actually better thing to track handoffs than it is percent plan complete. You’ll have more accurate number. As you go handoff by handoff, trade partner is saying, “Yes, I am on track.” If they are not, problems already put up on board with red stickies or magnets, will put another dot up here to discuss as part of meeting. Go through entire plan and make sure everybody has committed to their handoffs or adjustments have been made.
• Each activity promised is roadblock-free, made ready with 17-item checklist – What it means is that each activity promised in weekly work plan does not have any of these foreseeable roadblocks. If something happens in moment, we understand. But that means trade partner has made it ready and it is roadblock free. Already know each of these 17 items for making work ready has been considered. Trade partner when they say they can hit this handoff, saying they have roadblock free activity that is made ready.
• Trade-to-trade commitments with installation work package prepared – Installation work package prepared for that zone for that crew and they’re ready to go and they can promise to other trade not to GC to trade but trade to trade that they will complete that activity on time. That then creates final plan that everybody uses to execute in field.
• Problems escalate to project delivery team scrum board: workable backlog or sprint backlog – If trades can solve their own problems, just take stickers or magnets off. If you can’t solve them, has to go to project delivery team or be escalated. If issue can’t be solved by foreman and superintendent, will go on to project delivery team scrum board as item in workable backlog or if urgent in sprint backlog. Become part of that daily Kanban rhythm with project delivery team. Project delivery team will see it in team daily huddle where they stand up and use Kanban board or Scrum board to actually solve problems to maintain flow for crews in field.

If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

Strategic Planning Horizons: 6 Weeks, 3 Weeks, 1 Week, 3 Months

Let me show you one more thing before we leave this topic. The last thing I want to show you that’s super cool is the rhythm. Now this might look a little bit busy. It’s in the book Takt Steering and Control which actually explains all of this in detail. All of the meeting systems, all of the agendas are in the book Takt, Steering, and Control.

But let’s say that this is your current date. Everything a week out or it’s actually for the next week out should be a part of a weekly work plan. Everything that’s 3 weeks out should have already been through a pre-con meeting. Everything 6 weeks out should be a part of the make ready lookahead process. And everything 3 months out should be already a part of the pull planning process.

So, these are what I call strategic horizons. And the point is, if you’re starting to find problems out here, you’ve got all this time to clear those roadblocks and problems before the weekly work plan so that your weekly work plan can be roadblock free.

So that’s the utility of the weekly work plan, when it happens, and how we do it.

A Challenge for Construction Teams

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Create your weekly work plan as a filter, not a creation. You’ve already done pull plan. You’re already making work ready. You’re already finding and removing roadblocks. The plan shows where each of trades committed and plan to be. Has handoffs showing where flow happens.

Go line by line. Each trade partner confirms that they can hit these handoffs. Track handoffs not percent plan complete. You’ll have more accurate number. As you go handoff by handoff, trade partner says, “Yes, I am on track.” If they are not, put another dot up on board to discuss.

Each activity promised in weekly work plan does not have any of these foreseeable roadblocks. Trade partner has made it ready and it is roadblock free. Each of 17 items for making work ready has been considered. Installation work package prepared for that zone for that crew. Trade can promise to other trade not to GC but trade to trade that they will complete that activity on time.

If trades can solve their own problems, take stickers or magnets off. If can’t solve them, escalate to project delivery team scrum board as item in workable backlog or if urgent in sprint backlog. Becomes part of daily Kanban rhythm with project delivery team.

Remember strategic horizons: everything a week out is weekly work plan, everything 3 weeks out has been through pre-con meeting, everything 6 weeks out is make ready lookahead process, everything 3 months out is pull planning process. If starting to find problems out here, you’ve got all this time to clear roadblocks before weekly work plan so weekly work plan can be roadblock free. As we say at Elevate, weekly work planning: trade partners confirm handoffs, roadblock-free activities. Track handoffs not PPC. Strategic horizons: 6 weeks, 3 weeks, 1 week, 3 months.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the weekly work plan a creation or a filter?

It is a filter. It is not a creation. You’ve already done pull plan and already making work ready. Already finding and removing roadblocks. Already on track. Plan shows where each of trades committed and plan to be. Has handoffs showing where flow happens.

Why track handoffs instead of percent plan complete?

It’s actually better thing to track handoffs than it is percent plan complete. You’ll have more accurate number. As you go handoff by handoff, trade partner says, “Yes, I am on track.” Go through entire plan and make sure everybody committed to their handoffs or adjustments made.

What does a trade commitment mean?

Each activity promised in weekly work plan does not have any foreseeable roadblocks. Trade partner has made it ready and it is roadblock free. Each of 17 items for making work ready has been considered. Installation work package prepared for that zone for that crew. Ready to go.

Who are commitments made to: GC or other trades?

Trade to trade. Not to GC to trade but trade to trade. They can promise to other trade that they will complete that activity on time. That then creates final plan that everybody uses to execute in field.

What are the strategic planning horizons?

Everything a week out: weekly work plan. Everything 3 weeks out: pre-con meeting. Everything 6 weeks out: make ready lookahead process. Everything 3 months out: pull planning process. If starting to find problems out here, got all this time to clear roadblocks before weekly work plan.