Lean Construction is a work methodology oriented to civil construction. Increasingly, the different business areas seek solutions with continuous improvements, and lean construction allows us to add value and make work more efficient.
This methodology points to a well-planned construction, with consistent delivery times, good use of materials and smart work steps.
¿What is the porpuse of Lean Construction?
According to information released by a publication in "The Economist", about 90% of infrastructure projects around the world cost more than initially planned or are delivered with some kind of delay.
These data, added to other studies that prove how the lack of communication and definition of activities affect work, reveal a great challenge for the sector: seek more productivity and reduce waste, which reaches 57% in some cases.
Lean Construction serves, precisely, to solve this type of situation. The methodology began to be used in the sector in the 1990s and aims to improve construction management.
The principles of Lean Construction.
To effectively apply Lean Construction, it is important to pay attention to the principles of this work methodology, which are:
- Eliminate everything that doesn’t add value.
The main basis of this work methodology refers to the elimination of the workflow of the steps that do not add any type of value to the product.
- Add value to construction.
Before starting the project itself, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the client's needs. All designers involved in the work must participate in alignment meetings and have an in-depth knowledge of the audience profile of each project.
In this way, it is possible to develop competitive advantages and deliver works that really make sense to the final consumer.
- Reduce variability.
Standardized processes are essential for lean construction. Although each project has its peculiarities and it is almost impossible to escape unforeseen events, it is always possible (and ideal) to adopt work patterns that reduce the variation between one project and another.
In this way, the project becomes uniform and consistent, with more satisfied clients upon delivery of the work.
- Just in Time.
Lack of planning over time can lead to losses and delays. Therefore, one of the principles of Lean Construction is the optimization of work cycles, that is, the time needed to perform tasks.
With good planning, it is possible to deliver work in a shorter time, have employees focused on specific tasks, and have a more accurate estimate of work steps.
- Make processes transparent.
Transparent construction management makes it easy to identify failure points, as all the necessary information is always available to the people who need it.
To have more transparent processes and ensure continuous improvement, it is essential to be simple, reduce friction, remove visual obstacles on the construction site, have an open flow of communication and ensure a comfortable work environment.
¿What are the advantages of implementing Lean Construction?
The benefits that we can expect when applying Lean Construction in our organization are the following:
- Productivity increase.
- Cost reductions.
- Reduction of the term.
- Improvement of safety and quality indicators.
- Greater customer satisfaction.
- Greater cohesion of work teams.
With the implementation of Lean Construction we are presented with the opportunity to apply a production philosophy. Both with tools and methodologies that will allow us to radically improve the results in our company and projects. It is in our hands that, in the coming years, the global productivity reports show different results with respect to the construction sector.
We invite you to access the following link and learn about our Lean Construction Professional Qualification Prerecorded Online Program, where you will learn the fundamentals and continuous improvement A3, process management, the last planner system in digital environments, Lean Bim project management and the Lean Leadership: https://bit.ly/3K1umgs
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