Description
Lean Construction Education Program Unit 4: The Last Planner® System - Instructor’s Guide
WELCOME TO UNIT 4: THE LAST PLANNER® SYSTEM
Lean Construction strives to minimize costs and maximize value on each project completed, challenging all
stakeholders to develop and apply better ways to manage the overall construction process. Every participant
in the construction process has incentive to get the project done faster and at a lower cost — from the project
owners who want to see tangible results for their investment to designers and contractors who want to do their
job well and move on to the next project.
Throughout the construction process — planning, design, construction, activation, operations, maintenance,
salvaging and recycling — the holistic pursuit of continuous improvement drives more efficient, effective and
economical projects.
On a corporate level, lean is most effective when embraced by all areas of the company. To do so, senior
management must understand the need for and advantages of lean implementation. But lean is also an
individual journey. All project team members must work together on a daily basis, incorporating lean principles
into their most basic work, to see the true benefits of lean. This course is just one part of the foundation that is
available to help you reach these goals.
Unit 4: The Last Planner® System is the second of two units introducing the Last Planner® System (LPS).
This system was developed by the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) to plan projects in a way that produces
predictable workflow and rapid learning. This half-day, facilitator-led course shows how to conduct makeready
and weekly work planning sessions. The course is divided into three sessions:
Session 1 revisits the LPS and introduces the concept of production planning, as contrasted with project
management. We then consider the difference between reactive and proactive control. We also consider the
role of the commitment — as the term is used in Lean Construction.
Session 2 delves deeper into the LPS with a focus on the production planning pieces — the six-week lookahead,
the weekly work plan and the daily huddles — and shows how each is created. We also look at
documenting constraints and calculating the percent plan complete. Finally, we use the five whys to get to the
root cause of a failure.
Session 3 is largely dedicated to a simulation of the LPS using a sample project. A six-week look-ahead
schedule is created. The simulation concludes with the weekly work planning meeting. We also look at
methods to encourage subcontractor participation in the planning meetings.
