The first subject I studied as part of my Masters was lean management. I had only ever heard about lean management in a negative context, whenever I had heard people speak about it, they were talking about companies cutting staff to the point teams had to work steady overtime to keep up. So I was quite curious as to what it was all about and why on earth this kind of activity would form part of a Masters.
Well, as it turns out, lean management is a completely different thing.
Lean management is a systematic approach to optimising processes and eliminating waste in all work activities in order to improve efficiency, quality and overall performance. The concept originated from the Toyota Production System but can be universally applied in operations and project management to enhance productivity and streamline operations.
The core principles of lean management are quite simple:
Continuous Improvement
Lean management emphasises the concept of continuous improvement, where organisations and individuals strive to make incremental changes to processes, products, and services. This principle encourages a culture of ongoing refinement and optimisation, leading to sustained progress and innovation.
Respect for People
Central to lean management is the principle of respecting and empowering people within the organisation. This involves valuing the contributions of employees, fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment, and promoting the development of individuals and teams.
Elimination of Waste
Lean management aims to identify and eliminate various forms of waste, including overproduction, waiting time, unnecessary transportation, excess inventory, overprocessing, unnecessary motion, and defects. By minimizing waste, organizations can enhance efficiency and reduce costs while delivering greater value to customers.
Implementation Challenges
Implementing lean management in the design and construction industry presents several significant challenges. One of the primary obstacles in implementing lean management is resistance to change. As discussed in the post on types of change, revolutionary change often faces resistance due to its disruptive nature. Shifting from traditional project management to lean methodologies requires a significant change in mindset and work practices, making it a form of revolutionary change. This resistance can be a major barrier to successful lean implementation
Another challenge lies in the complex nature of design and construction projects. These projects often involve multiple stakeholders, intricate supply chains, and unique requirements, making it difficult to streamline processes and eliminate waste effectively. The interdependencies and variables present in construction projects can complicate the application of lean principles, requiring careful adaptation and customisation to suit the specific needs of each project.
Finally, adopting lean management necessitates a significant cultural transformation within organisations. Lean principles emphasise continuous improvement, collaboration, and empowerment, which may conflict with existing organisational norms and hierarchical structures. Shifting the mindset and behaviours of individuals and teams towards a lean culture requires sustained effort, leadership commitment, and effective change management strategies. Overcoming deeply ingrained practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement can be a challenging and time-consuming process.
Applying Lean Principles
But how do we apply these lean principles to our everyday work in engineering offices? Based on the lessons learned from implementing lean management in an engineering office, here are some practical suggestions for getting started:
- Streamline the flow of information between teams. Eliminate double-handling of information and allow direct communication between remote and local teams to get questions answered quickly. Standardize the format and quality of information provided between teams.
- Implement an approach to design, focusing on the order of onsite construction rather than arbitrary drawing packages. Have the engineering team collaborate upfront to coordinate space requirements for each discipline before detailed design begins. Break the work into manageable stages that can flow between teams.
- Conduct frequent reflection sessions at key project milestones, not just at the end, to identify improvement opportunities. Use techniques like 5 Whys and the Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) to get to the root causes of issues and test out countermeasures.
The key is to start small, focusing on one or two of these suggestions to pilot on a current project. As teams see the benefits of reduced waste, improved quality, and faster delivery, they will be motivated to apply lean thinking to continuously improve their work processes. Over time, these small changes can add up to a significant competitive advantage for your engineering office.
When in a previous role, our team implemented a lean workflow between engineering and drafting for a design and construction project. We mapped the existing process, identified sources of waste and inefficiency, and then applied lean principles to streamline the flow of information. This involved implementing a pull system where drafting only worked on designs that were ready, increasing direct communication between engineers and drafters to quickly resolve issues, standardising formats, and breaking work into smaller batches that flowed continuously rather than large deliverables at the end. The revised process reduced waiting times, improved quality, and allowed both teams to work more efficiently.
Successfully implementing lean principles relies heavily on the role of leadership. As we saw in the posts on authentic leadership and transformational leadership, driving the cultural change necessary for lean adoption requires leaders who prioritise the growth and well-being of their teams, foster trust and collaboration, and lead by example. Lean principles emphasise continuous improvement, employee empowerment, and a focus on customer value – all of which align with the key tenets of authentic and transformational leadership styles. The specific characteristics of these leadership styles, such as self-awareness, ethical behaviour, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation, can significantly support the successful adoption and sustainment of lean practices within an organization.
If you want to learn more about lean principles, I highly recommend reading The Toyota Way by Jeffrey Liker.
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