Piloting the Deployment of ISO 18404 in the Construction Sector, an Approach to Organisational Transformation

Despite significant experience with lean, the construction sector still fails to grasp the nettle and cannot keep up with other sector’s rates of improvement. Ad hoc deployment of tools and techniques are common, but business transformations appear extremely rare. The research approach rests upon a focused literature review, examining the concept of Lean Construction transformation in the context of culture change, together with a single case study of the world’s first business to achieve certification to the Lean ISO18404 standard. Key learning points from the case study were derived by structured interviews with construction staff directly involved and by noting similarities of the lean deployment to recommendations made in the literature. It is concluded that ISO 18404 is appropriate for the construction sector and could provide a useful roadmap to those seeking business transformation. Limitations and recommendations for further work and research are offered.