Sneak peek na15 agl01 leading construction industry to lean-agile (leagile) project management

Sneak Peek into Session Leading Construction Industry to

Lean-Agile (LeAgile) Project Management

Session Code: NA15AGL01 Suhail Iqbal, PE, PfMP, PgMP, PMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-SP, PMI-RMP, PMI-ACP, CAPMSysComp International Private Limited, Pakistan.

“PMI” is a registered trade and service mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc. ©2012 Permission is granted to PMI for PMI® Marketplace use only.

ObjectiveTo introduce a new concept of Lean-Agile

(LeAgile) Project Management for Construction Industry.

Not only to highlight the positive need for adoption of agility in construction but also an attempt to

marry it up with the lean construction.


Questions Addressed1. What is LeAgile? Does this term exist already or we just

invented it?2. What is the biggest challenge in introducing agile in

construction industry?3. How do we propose lean and agile approaches can be used in

construction industry?4. Is there any existing methodology or approach which closely

resembles the idea of LeAgile in Construction?5. Will the existence of Lean Construction facilitate the

acceptance of LeAgile Construction?


Question #1What is LeAgile? Does this term exist already or we just invented it?


Answer #1: What is LeAgile? Does this term exist already or we just invented it?• LeAgile – A combination of Lean and Agile

Methodologies• Leagile – A term exists since 1999

– Lean and Agile links back to JIT (1960)– Term LeAgile first used for SCM (1999)

• For Construction– LeAgile - Never used for construction– Agile and Lean – first used by ENNOVA (2011)


History of Lean and Agile

Exhibit 1 – History of Lean and Agile (Copyright Ennova 2011, Friday, 23 September 2011)

1960 - JIT by Taiichi Ohno 1982 - Lean as a formal approach 1990 - Lean in quality and supply-chain 1993 - Effective scheduling for construction 1998 - Repetitive scheduling method

/ LBMS1999 – LeAgile for Supply Chain Management

1950 - Line of Balance (LoB), a visual method of construction planning

2000 - Last Planner System

2011 – Agile and Lean for Construction (ENNOVA)


Definitions – Lean is Value• “Lean is an approach that identifies the value

inherent in specific products, identifies the value stream for each product, supports the flow of value, lets the customer pull value from the producer, and pursues perfection.”

(Karkukly, 2013)


Definitions – LeanDoing more with less• “Lean is doing more with less. Use the least

amount of effort, energy, equipment, time, facility space, materials, and capital – while giving customers exactly what they want.”

(Womack & Jones, 2008)


Definitions - Agile• Agility is the ability to both create and respond

to change in order to profit in a turbulent business environment.

• Agility is the ability to balance flexibility and stability.

(Highsmith, 2002)


Definitions – LeAgile (Lacher View)• Lacher and Bodamer (2009)

– Agility in Project Management.– Agile in the perspective of lean.

• Lacher and Varisco (2008) – Agile is the implementation of Lean Thinking. – Lean-Agile is a combination of Lean Thinking and

Agile disciplines. – Lean is the ‘What’ and Agile is the ‘How’.


LeAgile Supply Chain Management


Question #2What is the biggest challenge in introducing agile in construction industry?


Answer #2: What is the biggest challenge in introducing agile in construction industry?Resistant to change• Processes and tools are valued more and status quo

maintained. • Trend for gold-plating and exceeding the basic

specification. • Contract is the binding force in any construction

projects, not customer.• Longer phase durations and fixed scope.


Agile Manifesto (2001) Software Industry• Individuals and interactions over processes and

tools• Working software over comprehensive

documentation• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation• Responding to change over following a plan


Agile Manifesto (2001)• Created for software industry• Adopted by several other industries• Possibility for Construction industry

– Change ‘software’ to ‘product’ in 2nd point


Agile Manifesto – How Can It Apply?Construction IndustryIndividuals and interactions over processes and tools• Processes and tools are valued more and status quo

maintained. • Still Construction industry evolves, innovates and adapt.• What if we consciously promote creativity • Give initiatives to team and stakeholders to innovate.• LBMS where a conventional schedule may not be workable for

all locations, plan separately for each location. • Start prioritizing individuals and interactions over processes and

tools.


Agile Manifesto – How Can It Apply?Construction IndustryWorking product over comprehensive documentation. • Needs a workable product but perfection sought.• Results in gold-plating and exceeding the basic specification. • If not for customer’s changing requirement, we are causing

waste and are not even meeting the target of being lean. • In LP system, the schedule is divided into five layers, only first

being mandatory, and are not detailed or restrictive.• LPS has already taught us to reduce documentation and take to

the last planner level.


Agile Manifesto – How Can It Apply?Construction IndustryCustomer collaboration over contract negotiation. • Contract is the binding force in any construction project. • Engineers will never agree to give priority to customer

collaboration over the contract. • Contract revisions and changes, anyways, still occur. • Why can’t we remove this barrier and work as partners?• In LP system, last planner improves his bottom-level plan due to

feedback of the customer.


Agile Manifesto – How Can It Apply?Construction IndustryResponding to change over following a plan. • We must be ready to respond to change as and when it is

needed. • Make our construction phases smaller in size and iterative in

nature. • In LP system, Weekly Plans are prepared and collaboration with

customer is promoted.


Question #3How do we propose lean and agile approaches can be used in construction industry?


Answer #3: How do we propose lean and agile approaches can be used in construction industry?• Difficult to draw a parallel or clear distinction.• Most organized and well managed industry

– still causes a lot of waste – already realised the need to be lean,

• Concept of lean construction is already accepted.• Clearer objectives and static scope • Assumed “agile is not for construction”


‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’• ‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ - two separate approaches • Some identified relationship • Parallel development paths• Some common features and intrusions• Sometimes mistaken to be the same.• Both approaches - distinct and unique in purpose


‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ – What to do?• Find a way how to best utilize them together. • Find the similarities and differences • Try to have the best of the both worlds.


‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ - LeAgile• If lean and agile can work together in software

and other industries, then why not construction?• Construction projects may be few but command

larger budgets.• Greatest benefits to reap if agile and lean can

work for them together.


‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ – Diverse Views• Many researchers and diverse views

– Agile - as a way to do things within the overall perspective of lean

– Some debate they cannot work together at all. We will try to establish

• Reinforce the commonalities of both and • Smoothen out the jagged edges• Present a fit for construction industry.• Marriage of convenience - LeAgile


Question #4Is there any existing methodology or approach which closely resembles the idea of LeAgile in Construction?


Answer #4: Is there any existing methodology or approach which closely resembles the idea of LeAgile in Construction?• Difficult to draw a parallel or clear distinction.• Most organized and well managed industry

– still causes a lot of waste – already realised the need to be lean,

• Concept of lean construction is already accepted.• Clearer objectives and static scope • Assumed “agile is not for construction”


‘LPS’ and ‘LBMS’Common Characteristics• Both systems are lean by nature • Both focus on decreasing waste and increasing

productivity.


‘LPS’ and ‘Agile’Similarities• LPS uses approach similar to agile• Last Planner is the person actually doing the

work or the lowest level supervisor. • The planning is not centric and involvement of

this last planner is essential. • This makes the planning a collaborative effort

and better commitments are achieved.


‘LBMS’ and ‘Agile’Similarities• LBMS is more of a technical system in which

work flow lines are created for different locations • Overall plan may be governed by traditional CPM

and PERT methods. • LBMS makes the buffers of critical chain explicit • LBMS forecasts future performance based on

statistical projections.


Last Planner System - Phases

Exhibit 3 – Scheduling Levels in Last Planner (Copyright Ennova 2011, Friday, 23 September 2011)


Last Planner in Construction

Exhibit 4 – Last Planner in Construction Management (Copyright Ennova 2011, Friday, 23 September 2011)


Question #5Will the existence of Lean Construction facilitate the acceptance of LeAgileConstruction?


Answer #5: Will the existence of Lean Construction facilitate the acceptance of LeAgileConstruction?• No proposed application exists so far• Discussion to stir up minds to the possibility of

LeAgile• Some research and white papers exist but none

for construction.• Lean Construction does exist.• LeAgility in Construction is not a far-fetched idea.• LPS and LBMS already hold the key to LeAgility.


Expected Benefits of LeAgility• Opposition expected from construction industry • Opening the floodgates of new possibilities• Reduce waste in construction projects • Make them much more efficient and profitable • Can be fast and flexile• Saving enormously on time and cost• Satisfy our stakeholders and • Be able to sell more• Making even more profits


Leagile Construction System (LCS)

37

• Name: Suhail Iqbal• Web: http://www.syscompk.com• Email: [email protected]• Twitter: http://twitter.com/shewal786• LinkedIn: http://pk.linkedin.com/in/suhail• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suhail.iqbal.54• Google+: http://plus.google.com/u/0/10456095253363094682

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Sneak peek na15 agl01 leading construction industry to lean-agile (leagile) project management