Last Planner and Its Role as Conceptual Kanban

Historically, the Last Planner™ System of Production Control has been coupled with the body of Lean Construction literature. However, the mechanism of the Last Planner and how it fits within accepted lean thinking has not always been apparent. This paper addresses this uncertainty. It examines simulated results from a lean simulation game and argues that the Last Planner serves the role of a conceptual kanban, among its functions—and therefore sits squarely within the domain of Lean theory

The Application of Root Cause Analysis and Target Value Design to Evidence-Based Design in the Capital Planning of Healthcare Facilities

PhD dissertationThe US is currently engaged in a large-scale building boom to upgrade and expand healthcare facilities. Facility decision-makers need an unbiased information source in order to improve quality and maximize value for money. Concurrent with this surge in hospital construction is the growing application of Evidence-Based Design (EBD) to healthcare facility design. The objective of this dissertation research is to assist capital-budgeting decision-makers in two ways: (1) to increase accuracy—and therefore confidence—in financial savings predicted after implementation of EBD interventions by developing a framework for an Evidence-Based decision-making tool based on Root Cause Analysis, and (2) to investigate how an owner can overcome the hurdle of increased first cost sometimes associated with the application of EBD, by describing and analyzing processes used during case study projects that implemented Target Costing and Target Value Design. Results from this study suggest that (1) while a Root Cause Analysis decision-making framework for EBD is possible, accuracy will be enhanced with more rigorously controlled experimentation, and (2) the challenges of increased capital cost sometimes associated with EBD can be addressed using Target Value Design—a methodology which appears to reduce capital cost predictions by up to 20%.P2SL, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Berkele

Assessing the Active Living Impacts of Urban Design Improvements: Brenham TX Main Street Program

Literature search indicates that Main Street Program (MSP) is considered to be successful in achieving the goals of ‘preferred place to live’ and ‘increased active living’. The four point approach of MSP, (organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring) reportedly improves businesses by improving the urban character while allegedly improving active living. This paper focuses on the urban improved areas under the MSP. This research links observable design changes incorporated in the MSP of Brenham TX with identified characteristics of active living. Time constraints prevented collecting sufficient data for a statistically significant study. However a framework is hereby established for future work that more rigorously links MSP and active living for statistical analysis. Preliminary conclusions are drawn based on analysis of the limited available data

Overcoming the Hurdle of First Cost: Action Research in Target Costing

Advocates of sustainable and evidence-based design initiatives argue that building owners can secure favorable internal rates of return when full life cycle building costs are considered. While the argument has merit, these decision-makers express concern about overcoming the hurdle of first cost. To reduce first cost, a number of lean construction practitioners are exploring a planning and design process called target costing. Target costing in construction is a collaborative cost management process that relies on business plan validation to determine what is to be delivered and what the client is willing and able to pay for a project--before establishing the allowable cost in order to spur innovation. Once a target cost has been established, the project is collaboratively designed to that target cost. This case study examines the target costing techniques used during the design of an 850,000 square foot (approximately 79,000 square meters) medical center. Qualitative and quantitative outcomes are explored, as well as implications for future projects

On the back of a cocktail napkin: An exploration of graphic definitions of lean construction

Quick descriptive sketches made on the backs of cocktail napkins are a tradition in the architectural profession and are representative of the visionary conversations that take place between business associates in relaxed venues where fresh ideas are sometimes first hatched. In this paper, we propose the use of this technique to better convey and capture the principles of the growing and evolving discipline of Lean Construction. Whether they occur in academic classrooms or professional worksites, exploratory conversations about Lean Construction also suggest there may be a need for an easy-to-understand, easy-to-represent graphic definition (“cocktail napkin sketch”) that can quickly communicate key components of lean thinking to those wishing to understand and potentially implement lean. This paper shares an exploratory analysis of the results that emerged from cocktail napkin exercises administered three times from Feb 2011 to April 2012: at an IGLC mid-year meeting in New York, NY; at an LCI workshop in Houston, TX; and at an LCI-Academic Forum in Boulder, CO. Finally, the authors propose a graphic definition of Lean Construction, distilled from submissions made during these events that might serve as a potential starting point for future discussion and refinement

Ambulatory infusion suite: pre- and post-occupancy evaluation

An evaluation is presented of the experience of patients, families and staff in two infusion suites. One infusion suite was a facility occupied until 2009 and the other suite was the replacement for that facility. The primary design objectives of the new facility were to support social interaction, provide opportunities for privacy and provide visual access to nature. The effectiveness of the new facility relative to the old facility with regard to these three design objectives served as the source of hypotheses for the study. Using a Likert-style survey and open-ended questions, the findings suggest that the new facility was successful at addressing these design goals. Subjects were also queried regarding whether these design objectives were important in an infusion suite. The vast majority of the respondents in the new facility indicated that social interaction, privacy and access nature were important in this setting.//Il est pre´sente´ une e´valuation de l’expe´rience ve´cue par les patients, les familles et les employe´s dans deux centres de perfusion. L’un des centres de perfusion e´tait un e´tablissement occupe´ jusqu’en 2009 et l’autre centre e´tait celui qui a remplace´ cet e´tablissement. Les principaux objectifs de conception du nouvel e´tablissement e´taient de favoriser l’interaction sociale, de fournir des possibilite´s de vie prive´e et d’assurer un acce`s visuel a` la nature. L’efficacite´ du nouvel e´tablissement par rapport a` l’ancien du point de vue de ces trois objectifs de conception a servi d’hypothe`se pour l’e´tude. Obtenus en utilisant une enqueˆte base´e sur l’e´chelle de Likert et des questions ouvertes, les re´sultats sugge`rent que le nouvel e´tablissement a re´ussi a` satisfaire a` ces objectifs de conception. Il a e´galement e´te´ demande´ aux sujets de l’e´tude si ces objectifs de conception avaient de l’importance dans un centre de perfusion. La grande majorite´ des personnes interroge´es dans le nouvel e´tablissement ont indique´ que l’interaction sociale, la vie prive´e et l’acce`s a` la nature e´taient des e´le´ments importants dans ce contexte

Target Value Design: Applications to Newborn Intensive Care Units

There is a need for greater understanding of the health impact of various design elements in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) as well as cost-benefit information to make informed decisions about the long-term value of design decisions. This is particularly evident when design teams are considering the transition from open-bay NICUs to single-family-room (SFR) units. This paper introduces the guiding principles behind target value design (TVD)—a price-led design methodology that is gaining acceptance in healthcare facility design within the Lean construction methodology. The paper also discusses the role that set-based design plays in TVD and its application to NICUs

Investigation into the nature of productivity gains observed during the Airplane Game lean simulation

Abstract Research Question: What is the nature of productivity gains observed during live playing of the lean simulation, the "airplane game"? Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate and identify the nature of productivity gains observed during live playing of the lean simulation, the airplane game. The intent is two-fold: (1) to identify the specific mechanistic impact of each lean principle, as it is successively introduced; and (2) to identify the productivity contributions of non-mechanistic phenomena such as learning curve and/or Hawthorne Effect. The game serves as a proxy for controlled experimentation in the field-experimentation that is difficult to conduct on actual construction projects but that is important when making claims regarding generalizability of results. Research Method: To identify the specific mechanistic impact of each lean principle, researchers used Microsoft Excel to graphically map the airplane simulation, stationby-station and second-by-second. Metrics such as time to first batch, number of successful planes and work-in-process were derived from the Excel graphic and evaluated after each round to understand the specific impact of each successivelyintroduced lean principle. To identify the specific impact of non-mechanistic processes on productivity (such as learning curve and Hawthorne effect), researchers compared average results from live playings against results derived from the Excel graphic. Findings: Comparison of results obtained from the Excel graphic demonstrate the following: (1) reducing batch sizes primarily results in reduced time to first batch; transitioning from a push to pull system primarily results in reduction of work-inprocess; and transitioning from an uneven loading of work to a work-leveled system primarily results in an increased amount of final product; and (2) the contribution of productivity gains from non-mechanistic phenomena such as learning curve and/or Hawthorne effect is relatively minor (i.e. approximately 70% of productivity gains in

Survey instrument to facilitate continuous improvement of lean teaching materials: a first-run study

Training workshops are a popular means to transfer knowledge of lean construction principles to industry stakeholders. Although numerous workshops are being offered by various members of the lean construction community, the amount of understanding that has been successfully transferred to participants during a workshop is not always measured or known, making it difficult to assess success. The purpose of this research is to develop and test an assessment instrument to indicate the level of understanding that was transferred during a three-day lean construction workshop. Drawing on published and unpublished case studies, we developed lean construction teaching materials for a three-day workshop and tested them on a healthcare facility owner and its most frequently engaged architects, engineers, general contractors and trade partners. To test the effectiveness of the teaching materials, we developed an anonymous, paired, pre-and post-workshop assessment survey instrument. Participants were asked to (a) rate their level of confidence in their understanding of lean construction principles, and (b) provide specific examples of potential application of the named principles. Participants rated their confidence levels in understanding of specific lean principles higher after the workshop than before (all comparisons of means were statistically significant to p<=0.05). Also, participants described twice as many potential construction applications of lean principles after the workshop than before, implying an increased level of understanding which translated into actionable items. Results from this research suggest that the lean workshop format delivered was relatively effective in transferring basic knowledge and application of lean principles. However, there is also clear need to continually improve our workshop teaching materials

Using Controlled Experiments to Calibrate Computer Models: The Airplane Game as a Lean Simulation Exercise

Simulation games may be used to introduce lean principles to those who are considering implementing them. However, they can also function as controlled experiments against which to calibrate a computer model and they can even be adapted to serve as the gold standard of scientific experimentation, the randomized-controlled trial. Results generated from a live playing of the Airplane Game validate an EZStrobe computer-based simulation model representing one part of the game. Close alignment of results suggests that the computer model will likely be able to accurately predict outcomes from similarly structured, real life activities, such as those encountered in a design office or on a construction site