Lean Delivery
Pankow’s successful implementation of Lean Practices with several healthcare clients has placed us
firmly on the LEAN Pathway. We practice continuous training efforts on Lean and its best practices.
Here are some of the approaches and tools we have successfully applied.
1. Define Client value
- True North sessions with Owners and teams to set and understand project goals and
develop strategies to achieve those goals.
- Added Value Log to track items that we could add back into the scope (if the owner
desires) once we realize the agreed upon target cost and start to show savings beyond
the original target.
- Target Value Design (TVD) provides agreed upon budget information to the team in
detailed enough manner to allow the design team to make decisions that support and
stay within each budget line item.
2. Map the value stream
- Value Stream Mapping provides a clear path to understand what the team and client
values. Provides the steps needed to reach the stated goals by identifying those
items that add value, showing which items are waste and minimizing the impact and
establishing a possible new pathway for future improvement.
3. Eliminate Waste
- Choosing by Advantages (CBA) to enable sound decision making.
- A3s as a way of documenting the change process, in a manner that shows the planning,
processing and evaluating of information and the chosen path forward.
- Value Analysis Strategy as a way of evaluating design options to fully understand the
cost, schedule and value impacts prior to incorporation into design.
- 5 Ss – Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, Sustain a system to keep work areas clean
and organized to maximize safety and efficiency. 5S system is in alignment with the
Plan/Do /Check/Adjust cycle.
4. Make it flow
- Takt Time determining the pace of design and construction to meet Client’s schedule
requirements.
- Just-In-Time (JIT) deliveries to improve safety, efficiency, cash flow and eliminate waste.
- Leveling (Heijunka) resource leveling of workforce to achieve efficiency.
- Mistake Proofing to work towards Zero Defects/Punchlist.
- Pankow also empowers line workers (foreman/superintendents) to participate in the
scheduling process. This leads to better planning, flow and high quality work.
5. Pull from the client’s needs
Last Planner System and Pull Scheduling whereby participants collaborate to develop
the schedule and eliminate constraints during the planning process and not in the field.
To understand the requirements of the next receiving trade (or user) to assure smooth
and continuous workflow.
6. Continuously improve performance
- Monthly Project Reviews
- Kaizen events
- Study Action Teams
- Process Improvement Teams
- Plan/Do/Check/Adjust Cycle
Pankow recognizes that Lean Delivery supports teamwork, whether during the collaborative design
process or at the planning and production level of the construction process. We stress front-end
planning and collaboration between the design professionals and trade partners using visual tools
such as BIM and Last Planner to identify issues and resolve them during the design phase instead of
uncovering costly issues during the construction phase.
LEAN DELIVERY RESOURCES
Pankow is an active member of the Lean Construction Institute (LCI), which provides knowledge sharing,
training and resources regarding project-based production management in the design, engineering and
construction of capital facilities. www.leanscontruction.org
Pankow has been a partner at P2SL (Project Production Systems Laboratory) with UC Berkeley since its
inception. The Project Production Systems Laboratory (P2SL) is the research arm of LCI dedicated to
studying, developing and deploying knowledge and tools for the management of project production
systems, including construction, and the management of organizations that produce and deliver goods
and services through such systems. http://p2sl.berkeley.edu