Work Packaging In Pre-construction

Work Packaging in Pre-Construction: How to Prepare the Crew with a Single Source of Truth

Let’s be real—I’ve been thinking hard about something lately. Why do we go through a buyout meeting, execute a contract, hold a pre-mobilization meeting, and then run a pre-construction meeting… only to end up with nothing in the hands of the crew?

Each meeting is separate. Each note is stored in a different place. And none of it is tied together. That approach just doesn’t make sense.

But then it hit me—we use Canva all the time in our organization. Why not integrate these agendas into Canva and embed them into the work package?

What if we just:

• Have the meeting,
• Update the work package,
• Repeat?

So, by the end of the process, we print a small, clean packet, and the crew has everything they need. Every decision. Every requirement. All in one place.

“But Jason, I Don’t Want to Print a Book…”

I get it. No one wants to hand their trade partners a 40-page manual. But Canva has a built-in feature where you can hide pages from print. Just click the little eyeball icon to mark the ones for historical backup only.

What’s left? The high-impact content:

• Quality visuals.
• Inclusions.
• Key prep info.

Usually just 1–4 pages. That’s it. It’s all the most important conversations distilled into something the crew can actually use.

The Concept: Build Your LEGO:

Let me walk you through what we’re doing inside Miro. This is where the “Build Your LEGO” concept comes to life. For each bottleneck trade (say, task #80: vinyl), we simulate different production strategies:

• 3-day Takt time with 5,000 sq ft zones.
• 2-day Takt time with/without overlap.
• Smaller zone sizes.

Once we identify the most efficient option, we collaborate with trade partners and ask:

• What would need to be designed, fabricated, delivered, or installed differently?
• What’s needed to meet this new rhythm?

Sometimes, this drops the planned duration from 99 days to 70. That’s a 37-day gain—without sacrificing quality or safety.

Connecting the Dots: From Strategy to Execution:

We’re building each work package with key stages in mind:

• Bid packages.
• Bid leveling.
• Purchasing.
• Pre-mobilization.
• Pre-construction.

At every stage, information flows into the same document.

This way, when the trade partner gets to site, the work package is fully loaded—with logistics, zone plans, critical requirements, and even a brief blog inside the Miro plan.

Using the Canva Template:

The Canva work package file is structured to support every step:

• Project goals.
• Critical planning questions.
• Checklists for each phase.
• Trade partner teaming.
• Pre-mob and pre-con notes.

Every detail—from buyout conversations to pre-test plans—is right there. And again, we hide any non-essential content before printing, so the crew only sees what they need.

What It All Means:

If you’re following along, you’ve probably caught on:
We’re documenting every decision throughout the process in one place using a simple, visual format that crews can trust. It’s not just about organizing—it’s about optimizing how we build.

And honestly, not giving this to our trade partners is like swimming across a mile-wide channel… and drowning five feet from shore.

We can do better.

So, here’s our commitment:

• We’ll do Build Your LEGO analysis for every bottleneck trade.
• We’ll document bid leveling, purchasing, and planning in one living document.
• We’ll track decisions that impact install.
• And we’ll deliver a clean, field-ready work package that supports success.

Key Takeaway:

Work packaging isn’t just about organizing documents—it’s about building smarter, faster, and with fewer mistakes. By integrating every planning step into a single, visual document using tools like Canva and Miro, we create a clear, field-ready work package that helps crews succeed from day one.