SyncLean: An Application for Improved Lean Construction Practice

Abstract

Visual management (VM) is instrumental in implementing lean construction philosophy and principles. The lack of communication and sharing of information among construction professionals in construction projects hinders workflow. Visual management improves the performance of workers and optimizes workflow. This paper introduces a mobile application, Synclean, inspired by the virtual Obeya room of Toyota Production Systems (TPS) to ease the transfer of information between site personnel. Synclean will boast a user-based task manager, showing the weekly tasks schedule, covering task descriptions and constraints while including a Kanban-like notification system that addresses tasks for each participant. SyncLean provides the needed platform for signalling the end and start of tasks to those responsible directly, all while holding accessible information in the cloud associated with these tasks like drawings and work methods. These and other features will ensure Synclean is relevant to the very last planner on construction sites and will support collaborative value-adding, wasteminimizing work. The application mobile interface was tested by users and the impact of this application was tested by surveying site personnel of various positions for the application’s necessity. Results show the need for a visual tool like Synclean to bridge the communication and information sharing gap between site personnel. 1 Undergraduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, bmg05@mail.aub.edu 2 Undergraduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, kyd01@mail.aub.edu 3 Graduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, mar26@mail.aub.edu 4 Undergraduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, naf14@mail.aub.edu 5 Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, American University of Beirut, Beirut Riad El-Solh 1107 2020, Lebanon, Phone +961 1 350000 Ext: 3616, Farook.Hamzeh@mail.aub.edu Bassem M. Ghossaini, Kazem Y. Dehaini, Mustafa A. Alruzz, Najib A. Fakhr Eddine and Farook R. Hamzeh 1196 Proceedings IGLC-26, July 2018 | Chennai, India