What is lean construction? A planning process that empowers people

What is lean construction? It's a highly collaborative process that involves all stakeholders in the production-planning stage, including the tradespeople doing the work.

Missy Roback

September 16, 2022

min read
lean construction infographic

With 70% of construction projects over budget and delivered late, it’s no secret that the construction industry is primed for change.

But change can be difficult for one of the oldest professions in human civilization, where superintendents and project managers traditionally unilaterally set the conditions of success, like schedule and budget. These traditional methods typically hinge on hierarchical and dictatorial, command-and-control–style processes, often limiting valuable input from key stakeholders without equitable distributions of risk. This environment exists throughout the project lifecycle from planning to handover.

Lean construction offers a better way. It’s a highly collaborative, people-centered process that involves all stakeholders in the production-planning stage, including those doing the work. When tradespeople are empowered to make decisions that affect the project schedule, bottlenecks are avoided, waste is reduced, and projects proceed more smoothly.

Missy Roback

About Missy Roback

Missy Roback is a a writer, musician, and mannequin enthusiast. Words and music (but no mannequins) can be found at www.missyroback.com.

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