Make Ready Planning Using Flow Walks: A New Approach to Collaboratively Identifying Project Constraints

Abstract

Many authors identify flow and pull as key lean production principles. In lean construction (LC)these principles are embodied within the “Last Planner® System” (LPS) to create more reliable workflow which is the heart of Lean Project Delivery. LPS has continued to evolve and develop over the last 25 years with pull planning – identifying what tasks SHOULD be done the last major elementadded. However, “pull planning” is often misunderstood as the entirety of LPS and frequently referred to as “Last Planner”. The remaining levels of the Last Planner “System” – CAN; WILL; DID and LEARN are not being used as originally intended by LPS developers Ballard and Howell. The struggle often begins with Make Ready Planning (CAN). This paper is the first output of a two-year research project focused on implementing the CAN; WILL; DID; LEARN levels of LPS within organisation (X). It outlines how the 8 Flows of Lean Project Delivery andthe“Flow Walk” are being used as a structured approach to collaboratively identify constraints and incorporate them into the risk registers and Make Ready Planning. This approach was effective to identify constraints and also create a shared understanding of project scope within project teams.