Lean Construction by Glenn Ballard
"Purpose: To review the state-of-the-art of Lean Project Delivery (LPD), to show the relationship... more "Purpose: To review the state-of-the-art of Lean Project Delivery (LPD), to show the relationship between LPD and integrated design and delivery (particularly the IDDS element ‘collaborative processes’) and to propose further stages of development, research and practice.
Method: Description and analysis of action research & learning in current practice.
Findings: In the context of Lean Project Delivery with Target Value Design (TVD) projects are completed below market cost—so far as much as 19% below and expected cost falls as design and construction progresses.
Limitations: this work is based on a limited number of linked cases in the US over the last 10 years. We suggest the ideas are applicable far more widely.
Implications: there is still more development and research required to develop effective leadership models for integrated design and delivery, create whole of life Target Value Design, to create significant bodies of evidence to guide the design of many building types and to further develop the Lean Project Delivery System.
Value for practitioners: initial indications are that the methods described work together to deliver significant benefits for owners/clients/end-users and create a more satisfying experience for most designers and constructors.
Keywords: Target Value Design, lean construction, lean project delivery, allowable cost, target cost, value, evidence-based design, A3, set-based design, collaboration, early constructor involvement, integrated form of agreement, integrated project delivery, value management, IDDS"
Papers by Glenn Ballard
Journal of Management in Engineering, Jun 15, 2012
Our experience in engineering education and practice indicates that methodologies for architectur... more Our experience in engineering education and practice indicates that methodologies for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) design management are characterized only to a limited extent. In domains other than AEC such methodologies are well-established and contribute to improving design performance. A step towards advancing AEC design management is to characterize design practices and explore the methodologies on which they may be based. In this vein, the authors describe a design practice observed while ...
SUMMARY: This paper proposes a knowledge management framework for project definition of capital f... more SUMMARY: This paper proposes a knowledge management framework for project definition of capital facility projects. The conceptual framework emphasizes project-based learning and the creation of group knowledge in early phase project planning and design activity. The use of multi-disciplinary expertise in this phase of project development acknowledges the use of multiple decision frames by which stakeholders approach project solutions. This research views project definition as a collaborative decision-making process, and ...
Koskela, LJ, Ballard, G, Howell, G and Tommelein, I 2002, 'The foundations of lean construct... more Koskela, LJ, Ballard, G, Howell, G and Tommelein, I 2002, 'The foundations of lean construction' , in: Design and construction: building in value , Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK, pp. 211-226. ... Full text not available from this repository. ... Official URL: http://www.thenbs.com/PublicationIndex/DocumentSum... ... Looks at a broad range of topics related to the processes of design and construction. Its overall aim is to look at ways that clients can improve the value for money outcomes of their decisions to construct buildings.
Proceedings of the 10th Annual Conference International Group in Lean Construction (IGLC 10), Gramado, Brazil, Aug 6, 2002
This paper highlights some of the key problems in reducing lead times for engineered-toorder cons... more This paper highlights some of the key problems in reducing lead times for engineered-toorder construction products, specifically items of equipment such as electrical switchgear (���permanent plant equipment��� in the jargon of the process industries). Lead time reduction has long been considered a fundamental objective in overall business improvement and is a cornerstone in lean thinking. The benefits include reduced inventories and costs, greater flexibility and responsiveness, and better satisfied customers. In ...
The Second International Seminar on Lean Construction, Oct 1, 1997
ABSTRACT: Specialty contractors (SCs) are construction's 'job shops'. They must al... more ABSTRACT: Specialty contractors (SCs) are construction's 'job shops'. They must allocate their resources to match the various 'delivery'dates demanded by multiple projects. Managing the production of a specialty contracting firm is, consequently, quite different from managing a project. Further, specialty contractor management depends upon the quality of production management on projects, ie, their coordination by general contractors. Unfortunately, there is a trend among general contractors to adopt a brokering role and ...
Proc. 8th Annual Conf. Intl. Group for Lean Construction, Jul 1, 2000
The planning and management of building design has historically focused upon traditional methods ... more The planning and management of building design has historically focused upon traditional methods of planning such as Critical Path Method (CPM). Little effort is made to understand the complexities of the design process; instead design managers focus on allocating work packages where the planned output is a set of deliverables. All too often there is no attempt to understand and control the flow of information that gives rise to these deliverables. This paper proposes the combined use of the Analytical Design Planning ...
Proc. Sixth Annl. Conf. of the Intl. Group for Lean Construction, 1998
A database program called WorkPlan has been created to systematically develop weekly work plans. ... more A database program called WorkPlan has been created to systematically develop weekly work plans. WorkPlan adopts the Last Planner methodology, which implements several lean construction techniques. A week prior to conducting work, WorkPlan guides the user step by step through the process of spelling out work packages, identifying constraints, checking constraint satisfaction, releasing work packages, and allocating resources; then at the end of the week, collecting field progress data and ...
Proceedings of the IGLC-15, Michigan, USA, Jul 1, 2007
ABSTRACT: With the advancement of information technology and increased market competition, constr... more ABSTRACT: With the advancement of information technology and increased market competition, construction companies are driven to employ supply chain management strategies to seek competitive advantage. Managing logistics is one component at the core of such strategies. An effective logistics system ensures delivery of the right products and services to the right customers at the right time while minimizing costs and rewarding all participants based on value added to the supply chain. As a component of a logistics ...
Proc. Eighth Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jul 1, 2000
This paper discusses what knowledge specialty contractors may contribute to the early design of a... more This paper discusses what knowledge specialty contractors may contribute to the early design of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) products. In current practice in the United States, specialty contractors are seldom involved in the early design effort, but their early involvement is increasing. The paper reports on research that focused on the processes for designing and building semiconductor facilities. The research consisted of conducting a series of one-to-one interviews with experienced practitioners, ...
Proceedings of the 16th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Manchester, UK, Jul 16, 2008
ABSTRACT Lookahead planning is a fundamental process in the Last Planner system of production con... more ABSTRACT Lookahead planning is a fundamental process in the Last Planner system of production control, which encompasses four tiers of planning processes: master scheduling, phase scheduling, lookahead planning, and commitment planning. Lookahead planning means not just viewing near-term tasks from the master or phase schedule and possibly detailing them, but it is a process to make tasks ready and create a workable backlog of tasks. The purpose of this paper is to report on research dedicated to improving the Last PlannerTM system in general and the lookahead process in particular. The paper describes the role of lookahead planning as a connector between long term planning and commitment planning. Research is presented on two projects in North America combined with preliminary results from a survey investigating the Last PlannerTM implementation and the performance of the lookahead process. The data collected was employed to evaluate the current practice, suggest hypotheses for improvement, and introduce experiments to test these hypotheses. The study findings indicate an inadequate performance of the lookahead process mainly due to the lack of instructions such as Last Planner implementation guidelines or related standardized integrative practices. The paper suggests guidelines and reports on research concerned with producing, testing, and improving the required instructions.
Semin��rio Internacional sobre Lean Construction, Oct 1, 1997
… Sixth Annl. Conf. of the Intl …, Jan 1, 1998
A database program called WorkPlan has been created to systematically develop weekly work plans. ... more A database program called WorkPlan has been created to systematically develop weekly work plans. WorkPlan adopts the Last Planner methodology, which implements several lean construction techniques. A week prior to conducting work, WorkPlan guides the user step by step through the process of spelling out work packages, identifying constraints, checking constraint satisfaction, releasing work packages, and allocating resources; then at the end of the week, collecting field progress data and reasons for plan failure. This systematic approach helps the user create quality work plans and learn from understanding reasons for failure. The functionality of WorkPlan is detailed in this paper. Various ways of displaying work package data are illustrated. WorkPlan is to our knowledge the first computer tool designed specifically to implement lean production philosophy in construction.
… of the second international seminar on lean …, Jan 1, 1997
Specialty contractors (SCs) are construction's 'job shops'. They must allocate their resources to... more Specialty contractors (SCs) are construction's 'job shops'. They must allocate their resources to match the various 'delivery' dates demanded by multiple projects. Managing the production of a specialty contracting firm is, consequently, quite different from managing a project. Further, specialty contractor management depends upon the quality of production management on projects, i.e., their coordination by general contractors. Unfortunately, there is a trend among general contractors to adopt a brokering role and neglect coordination. This paper presents the production and control tasks of both specialty and general contractors through the use of process models, emphasizing the responsibility of SCs for design completion and the mutual interdependence of SCs on design changes and installation accuracy. Lean production principles are recommended and CPM is critiqued as inadequate for SC coordination.
Tenth Annual Conference of …, Jan 1, 2002
This paper highlights some of the key problems in reducing lead times for engineered-toorder cons... more This paper highlights some of the key problems in reducing lead times for engineered-toorder construction products, specifically items of equipment such as electrical switchgear ("permanent plant equipment" in the jargon of the process industries). Lead time reduction has long been considered a fundamental objective in overall business improvement and is a cornerstone in lean thinking. The benefits include reduced inventories and costs, greater flexibility and responsiveness, and better satisfied customers. In construction projects, shorter lead times could significantly reduce the number of change orders and/or make projects more robust to changes.
Seminário Internacional sobre Lean Construction, Jan 1, 1997
The Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL) at UC Berkeley is a research institute dedicated... more The Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL) at UC Berkeley is a research institute dedicated to developing and deploying knowledge and tools for project management. The Laboratory is housed under the umbrella of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS). Projects are temporary production systems. P2SL is dedicated to developing and deploying knowledge and tools for the management of project production systems and the management of organizations that produce and deliver goods and services through such systems. Project production systems include for example construction, product development, software engineering, air and sea ship building, work order systems, job shops, performing arts productions, oil field development, and health care delivery. Companies worldwide, and especially those involved in the Northern California construction industry, are invited to team up with P2SL staff and students, and use our resources to advance the theory as well as the implementation of the Lean construction philosophy, principles, and methods in the industry, its companies, and its projects. Our goal is to advance and deepen understanding of how to deliver Lean projects. All members of the industry are invited to become contributors and to participate in the Laboratory:
Construction Management and …, Jan 1, 2004
A project delivery process simulation is presented based upon empirical studies in the design-bui... more A project delivery process simulation is presented based upon empirical studies in the design-build environment of semiconductor fabrication facilities ('fabs'). The model captures key tasks and decisions in design, procurement, and construction, as well as design criteria changes along the delivery of a R&D fab utility system.
Automation in …, Jan 1, 2004
Proc. Eighth Annual …, Jan 1, 2000
The planning and management of building design has historically focused upon traditional methods ... more The planning and management of building design has historically focused upon traditional methods of planning such as Critical Path Method (CPM). Little effort is made to understand the complexities of the design process; instead design managers focus on allocating work packages where the planned output is a set of deliverables. All too often there is no attempt to understand and control the flow of information that gives rise to these deliverables. This paper proposes the combined use of the Analytical Design Planning Technique (ADePT) and Last Planner methodology as a tool called DePlan to improve the planning, scheduling and control of design. ADePT is applied during the early planning stages to provide the design team with an improved design programme that takes into account the complex relationships that exist between designers, and the information flows that flows between them. Then the Last Planner methodology is employed, through a program called ProPlan, to schedule and control the design environment. DePlan has been implemented as a PC-based computer program with web interface.
Uploads
Lean Construction by Glenn Ballard
Method: Description and analysis of action research & learning in current practice.
Findings: In the context of Lean Project Delivery with Target Value Design (TVD) projects are completed below market cost—so far as much as 19% below and expected cost falls as design and construction progresses.
Limitations: this work is based on a limited number of linked cases in the US over the last 10 years. We suggest the ideas are applicable far more widely.
Implications: there is still more development and research required to develop effective leadership models for integrated design and delivery, create whole of life Target Value Design, to create significant bodies of evidence to guide the design of many building types and to further develop the Lean Project Delivery System.
Value for practitioners: initial indications are that the methods described work together to deliver significant benefits for owners/clients/end-users and create a more satisfying experience for most designers and constructors.
Keywords: Target Value Design, lean construction, lean project delivery, allowable cost, target cost, value, evidence-based design, A3, set-based design, collaboration, early constructor involvement, integrated form of agreement, integrated project delivery, value management, IDDS"
Papers by Glenn Ballard
Method: Description and analysis of action research & learning in current practice.
Findings: In the context of Lean Project Delivery with Target Value Design (TVD) projects are completed below market cost—so far as much as 19% below and expected cost falls as design and construction progresses.
Limitations: this work is based on a limited number of linked cases in the US over the last 10 years. We suggest the ideas are applicable far more widely.
Implications: there is still more development and research required to develop effective leadership models for integrated design and delivery, create whole of life Target Value Design, to create significant bodies of evidence to guide the design of many building types and to further develop the Lean Project Delivery System.
Value for practitioners: initial indications are that the methods described work together to deliver significant benefits for owners/clients/end-users and create a more satisfying experience for most designers and constructors.
Keywords: Target Value Design, lean construction, lean project delivery, allowable cost, target cost, value, evidence-based design, A3, set-based design, collaboration, early constructor involvement, integrated form of agreement, integrated project delivery, value management, IDDS"