What Is Lean Construction? (Simple Overview for Builders)

What Is Lean Construction? (Simple Overview for Builders)

I’m really excited about this topic because usually I talk about the pattern, which is actually correct. Which is it’s respect for people, stability and standardization. One piece progress or process flow flowing on Takt time, total participation with visual systems, and then quality and continuous improvement.

But what I’d like to do right now is actually cover an overview of what Lean is in construction and where it came from. So, I’m going to give you a couple of really cool points that I think you’re going to love.

Definition of Lean: Willingness to Learn and Implement Excellence

So, number one, Lean at least Jason’s definition can be about a lot of things, but it’s mainly about the willingness to learn about and implement excellence for the benefit of people and humanity. So, you could say Lean is about respect. You could say Lean is about people. Lean is about doing what’s right. Lean is about learning.

So that’s really the foundation. And it’s so important because there are so many folks and they’re great folks, but they’re talking about Lean and they completely forget about the people side of it, and we can’t do that. We’ve got to make sure we understand that it’s all about people.

Respect for People, Nature and Resources: The First Concept

Once we get that, and again, that’s why I have respect for people, nature and resources as the first concept in my Lean cores. There’s six of them. But then we get into some key concepts that really enable flow to the customer and flow of a quality product. But flow while we are respecting our own people and the client at the same time.

So, Lean really is in the context of this blog about flow.

Key Ways to Enable Flow: Build the Team First

One of the key ways that we enable flow is to build the team first and respect people. We really can’t flow from a production standpoint unless we flow intellectually, emotionally and with the team. So that’s why people always come first.

And second, we must make sure that we stabilize before we optimize. That means you’re going to want to see beautiful, clean, safe, and organized environments. You’re going to want to see standard work. You’re going to see rhythms for our meeting systems, standard deliverables, stability and standardization enable flow.

And then you can start to do a couple of key things, which I’ll mention briefly because I cover this in depth in other blogs.

One Piece Progress: Don’t Start Until Ready to Finish with Full Kit

When you’re working in one piece progress or process flow, that really means that you’re not going to start something until you’re ready to finish and that you have the capacity to do so. So, when we do something, we plan it, we do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. And we don’t do the second thing until we’re done here and we have full kit.

Flowing on Takt Time: Go as Fast as Your Slowest Trade

The fourth key consideration within this flow concept is flowing together on a Takt time. Meaning that we’re on a rhythm. It doesn’t matter how fast one trade or your fastest trades are going or how fast the fastest thing is going. You’re only going to go as fast as your most limiting factor or your slowest trade or your most complex zones. We have to flow together.

Total Participation with Visual Systems: Can’t Participate Without Them

And the only way that we can do that is if we participate together with visual systems. You really can’t participate together without visual systems. And that then enables us to focus on quality and to continuously improve. And really that wheel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 can move in both directions however you want.

But we must make sure we start first with respect and stability.

Origin: Toyota, Japanese Culture, Sakichi Toyoda’s Looms

It originally comes from Toyota. You can actually trace this back to Japanese culture and you can trace it all the way back to Sakichi Toyoda with his looms and then the Toyota Motor Company. And actually, the culture throughout Japan, it has its roots there.

And they really focused. I mean, in Japanese culture, they’re focused on respect for people, first and foremost, and stability. And then they added two concepts. One was Jidoka, which is automation with human touch to focus on quality at the source. And then just-in-time where we really only do things just in time in a flow and bring materials and resources to build these products just in time, in a flow.

And we only produce just in time for the customer in a flow.

Benefits: Removes Chaos, Reduces Variability, Respects People

This concept of Lean prevents or removes or reduces chaos for trade partners. It reduces variability. It makes us all more money, but most importantly, it respects people. And I want you to remember, it’s a system, not a tool.

Here’s what Lean construction is:

• Willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity – Lean can be about lot of things, but mainly about willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity. Could say Lean is about respect. Could say Lean is about people. Lean is about doing what’s right. Lean is about learning. That’s really foundation. So many folks talking about Lean and completely forget about people side of it, can’t do that. Got to make sure understand it’s all about people.
• Respect for people, nature and resources: first concept before flow – That’s why have respect for people, nature and resources as first concept in my Lean cores. There’s six of them. Then get into key concepts that really enable flow to customer and flow of quality product. But flow while we are respecting our own people and client at same time. Lean really is about flow.
• Build team first, stabilize before optimize: clean, safe, organized, standard work – One of key ways enable flow is to build team first and respect people. Really can’t flow from production standpoint unless we flow intellectually, emotionally and with team. That’s why people always come first. Second, must make sure stabilize before optimize. Want to see beautiful, clean, safe, organized environments. Want to see standard work. See rhythms for meeting systems, standard deliverables, stability and standardization enable flow.
• One piece progress: don’t start until ready to finish with full kit, plan-build-finish – When working in one piece progress or process flow, really means not going to start something until ready to finish and have capacity to do so. When do something, plan it, do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. Don’t do second thing until done here and have full kit.
• Flow on takt time: go as fast as slowest trade, total participation with visual systems – Fourth key consideration within flow concept is flowing together on Takt time. Means on rhythm. Doesn’t matter how fast one trade or fastest trades going or how fast fastest thing going. Only going to go as fast as most limiting factor or slowest trade or most complex zones. Have to flow together. Only way can do that is if participate together with visual systems. Really can’t participate together without visual systems. Then enables to focus on quality and continuously improve.

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

A Challenge for Construction Professionals

Here’s what I want you to do this week. If you have any opportunity to learn about Lean in manufacturing or construction, do it. It will change your life. Remember lean is mainly about willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity. It’s about respect. It’s about people. It’s about doing what’s right. It’s about learning. So many folks talking about Lean and completely forget about people side of it. Got to make sure understand it’s all about people.

Build team first and respect people. Really can’t flow from production standpoint unless flow intellectually, emotionally and with team. That’s why people always come first. Stabilize before optimize. Want to see beautiful, clean, safe, organized environments. Want to see standard work. Rhythms for meeting systems, standard deliverables, stability and standardization enable flow. Work in one piece progress. Don’t start something until ready to finish and have capacity to do so. Plan it, do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. Don’t do second thing until done and have full kit.

Flow together on Takt time. On rhythm. Only gonna go as fast as most limiting factor or slowest trade or most complex zones. Have to flow together. Participate together with visual systems. Really can’t participate together without visual systems. Focus on quality and continuously improve. Remember: Lean prevents or removes or reduces chaos for trade partners. Reduces variability. Makes us all more money, but most importantly, respects people. It’s a system, not a tool. As we say at Elevate, Lean construction: willingness to learn and implement excellence for benefit of people. Flow enabled by respect, stability, Takt time, visual systems.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lean construction?

Willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity. Could say Lean is about respect, about people, about doing what’s right, about learning. So many folks talking about Lean and completely forget about people side of it. Got to make sure understand it’s all about people.

Where did Lean construction come from?

Originally comes from Toyota. Can trace back to Japanese culture and trace all way back to Sakichi Toyoda with his looms and then Toyota Motor Company. Japanese culture focused on respect for people, first and foremost, and stability. Added Jidoka (automation with human touch to focus on quality at source) and just-in-time (only do things just in time in flow).

What are the key ways to enable flow?

Build team first and respect people. Can’t flow from production standpoint unless flow intellectually, emotionally and with team. Stabilize before optimize. Beautiful, clean, safe, organized environments. Standard work. Rhythms for meeting systems. One piece progress. Flow on Takt time. Total participation with visual systems.

What is one piece progress?

Not going to start something until ready to finish and have capacity to do so. Plan it, do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. Don’t do second thing until done and have full kit.

What does flowing on Takt time mean?

Flowing together on Takt time. On rhythm. Doesn’t matter how fast one trade or fastest trades going. Only going to go as fast as most limiting factor or slowest trade or most complex zones. Have to flow together. Only way: participate together with visual systems.