Lean Design

Comparison of Last Planner® in Construction vs Design

We’re often asked “What are the basic differences between Last Planner(R) in Construction vs in Design?” The process itself is basically the same. There are 7 obvious similarities but 8 obvious differences. Seven of the differences are found in the comparison table below.

ElementConstructionDesign
Desired OutcomesWork flow more predictable and effectiveWork flow more predictable and effective
Actual Last PlannersSuperintendent & foremenArchitect, designers and design consultants
Champion/Leader/FacilitatorSuperintendent or PM/PEArchitect or Lead Designer
Concentrate on …Doing work that releases workDoing work that releases work
Heart of the systemConversations, communications, commitments between LPsConversations, communications, commitments between LPs
Frequency of communicationDaily and weeklyWeekly or bi-weekly, sometime daily
Visible transparent systemUses colored stickies or virtual online systemUses colored stickies or virtual online system
ActivitiesSmall batched elements of work – one crew in one place at one timeSame or possibly Revit elements
Pull and pushReverse pull and forward passReverse pull and forward pass
AccountabilityPPC and Variance AnalysisPPC and Variance Analysis
Identify work to be doneDailyWeekly
ConstraintsIdentify and removeIdentify and remove
Check-InsDaily using Weekly Work PlanDaily or every few days using Weekly Work Plan or Kanban boards
Planning/Make Work Ready SessionsWeeklyWeekly or Bi-Weekly

The 8th difference is how the design team chooses to make the Weekly Work Plan visual for their check-ins. Of course they can use stickies on a wall or board, just as in construction. But many design teams use Scrum, pulling work from the Phase Pull Plan into the 2-week sprint. That’s the subject of a follow-on article. Stay tuned.

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