This post is an excerpt of the white paper “Lean Construction ‐ Advanced Project Delivery for the AEC Industry” from Dassault Systèmes’ Value Solution Business Partner CornerCube.
As organizations begin to understand the power of adopting an LPD approach to their programs and projects, they realize that a change process is underway and recognize that the production system is highly complex and dynamic. Every project has a lifecycle beginning with the business case and defining requirements to final installation and beneficial use.
During the progression of the project’s lifecycle, the opportunity to influence or optimize the project’s development and eventual outcome lessens dramatically.
Easily recognizable is the single line flow of delivery regardless of delivery method depicting the transformation process, buffers created (time, inventory, and capacity). The simple flow can be as depicted below:
What is not acknowledged is this same sequence of events is played out countless times on a project at the macro and micro level. Every component, assembly, or action must undergo this same transformation to achieve a desired and successful outcome.
The production system looks more like the image depicted below where every work stream is affected, and managing buffers and the four knowledge flows (Information, Design, Supply Chain / Logistics, and Site Assembly) are critical.
Achieving Optimal Production
Achieving an optimal production system often includes:
- innovative operating agreements to attain integrated governance that optimize the performance of the collective enterprise;
- enabling technology platforms that efficiently manage the immense amounts of critical data in order to optimize the knowledge and physical flows that drive value creation; and,
- effective processes that support continuous improvement and creative solutions that optimizes how work is planned, controlled and executed to drive out waste and deliver value (integrated governance, value management, delivery management).
Having the vision and desire to improve outcomes, and launching an LPD program without hesitation but with clear purpose, is often necessary to deliver beneficial change.
Industry Example
As an example, Pat Henderson, president of Hardstone Construction Company in Las Vegas, Nevada, sensed the potential risk on his large Tivoli Village at Queensridge Project was larger than any one organization could identify, let alone manage. To assist in identifying this risk, increase owner value, and reduce waste, he embraced several lean principles by creating an integrated virtual design and construction (iVDC) team.
Using Dassault Systèmes’ CATIA solution, the team not only created a clash‐free 3D model, but more importantly, by leveraging CATIA’s knowledge management capabilities, the team was able to drive better solutions to address extensive design changes, optimize system configurations, and support real‐time operations. The risk Pat believed they would discover materialized as he predicted. His preparation in assembling an iVDC team that developed production‐based solutions enabled Pat to better manage and mitigate that risk, and ensured the better outcomes he experienced.
Knowledge Flow-Based Construction
This type of knowledge flow‐based construction will dominate the conversation over the next decade. Enterprise 2.0 methodologies will drive digitally connected and highly integrated project communities where:
- 3D will become a universal language for effective communication
- Experiences and knowledge will be shared openly in a 24/7 project ecosystem to increase the speed, quality, and throughput of delivery solution
- Emerging social software platforms designed for the construction industry will become the digital environments which contributions and interactions will be globally visible and persistent over time
To learn more, read the full white paper “Lean Construction ‐ Advanced Project Delivery for the AEC Industry” from Dassault Systèmes’ Value Solution Business Partner CornerCube.
CornerCube is a Dassault Systèmes partner located in the San Francisco Bay area, offering Lean construction solutions, 3D technology solutions, and related technical services to the AEC industry.
Related resources:
Lean Construction Industry Solution Experience
Lean Construction – Advanced project Delivery for the AEC Industry White Paper
