Reaping the Rewards of Production Tracking

Traditionally, project controls translate to “monitoring results.” In a true lean project, it is redefined as “making things happen,” with a measured and improved planning process to assure reliable workflow and predictable project outcomes (Lean Construction Institute). By monitoring productivity, a Project Team can more effectively identify and respond to “hot topics” that may hinder flow and predictability. The consistent communication of this information provides the transparency needed for decentralized decision-making, empowering the Project Team to take action and maximize value. Through an Integrated Form of Agreement on a Southern California healthcare project, self-performing Constructors tracked and reported productivity. This information was used to provide real-time updates to schedule, production planning, and budget forecasting. These metrics were compared to the original rates, serving as key performance indicators. Underperforming critical activities would be earmarked to conduct a Deming Cycle for improvement. Activities with high measures would be assessed to identify factors contributing to their success or if the baseline was ill defined. Ultimately, this information was used for Continuous Improvement with a goal of reducing overall schedule in productivity improvements, reducing overall budget by way of production savings, and contributing to and maintaining a positive work environment.