4 years into Our Lean Journey, What is a Lean Project?

The five management processes are are inter-related and are linked by the results they produce.

Jones Engineering is one of the success stories in Irish Construction Industry. Since the company was established by Harry Austin O’Neil 128 years ago it has grown into one of the biggest Engineering Contractors in Ireland. With over 2500 employees in 14 countries and an annual turnover in excess of €400 million, Jones Engineering’s reputation is second to none. The highly skilled personnel turn out results of the highest quality time and time again and make them the company of choice for most major projects in the country, the latest being the National Children’s Hospital. The images above show prefabricated piping modules being installed in the St. James’s Hospital site as part of the new National Children’s Hospital, (NCH), project. These modules link together and will run from the Energy Centre via an underground tunnel to distribution points in the new hospital building.

The NCH is being developed as a “Lean Project” with Richard Fitzpatrick, Director for Programme Management & Project Controls also being Chairman of Lean Construction Ireland.
So, “What is a Lean project?” First of all, “What is a project?” A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result. Temporary means that every project has a definite beginning and a definite end. The end is reached when the project’s objectives have been met.

We know Lean is not a physical thing, it can’t be bought or made. Eric Gabriel, “The lean approach to project management.” states: “Lean Project Management is the application of lean concepts such as lean construction, lean manufacturing and lean thinking to project management.”

Lean Project Management has many ideas in common with other lean concepts; however, the main principle of lean project management is delivering more value with less waste in a project context. “Lean” is a systematic method for the elimination of waste within a manufacturing system. Lean also takes into account waste created through overburden and waste created through unevenness in work loads. Working from the perspective of the client who consumes a product or service, “value” is any action or process that a customer would be willing to pay for.
Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. It is accomplished using the project management processes of:

• Initiating: Initiation is the process of formally recognising that a new project exists or that an existing project should continue into it’s next phase.
• Planning: Planning is the process of creating a project plan to achieve the objectives of the project
• Executing: Executing refers to the coordination of resources to achieve the requirements of the project. This means performing the activities included within the project management plan.
• Controlling: Control includes coordinating scope, time, quality and cost changes across the entire project.
• Closing: Closing means the formalised acceptance that the requirements have been met and that this phase or stage of the project has been concluded.

The five management processes are are inter-related and are linked by the results they produce.

REF: www.ul.ie/ulearning       Lean Sigma, Project Management & Finance

Lean approach makes obvious what adds value by reducing everything else which does not add value. This management philosophy is derived mostly from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and identified as “lean” only in the 1990s. TPS is renowned for its focus on reduction of the original Toyota seven wastes to improve overall customer value, but there are varying perspectives on how this is best achieved. The steady growth of Toyota, from a small company to the world’s largest automaker, has focused attention on how it has achieved this success. It has taken Toyota over 60 years to reach where it is now. There was no “Lightbulb” moment. It was done through a series of incremental changes focusing on Continuous Improvement. Lean Construction in Ireland has only been around for about 4 years but the tools are available to run a successful Lean project, as long as everyone collaborates. This means everyone involved in the project, all the different contractors and the Project Management team.

All successful “Lean Construction Projects” use the “Last Planner System.” The Last Planner System focuses on pull and flow but perhaps more important than those is its emphasis on a collaborative approach in which all trades work together to create a visual representation of the work that needs to be done.
Pull means only producing what is needed when it’s needed and Flow means a continuous stream of work can be carried on without constraints or interuptions.

In general, Lean Construction projects are easier to manage, safer, completed sooner, cost less and are of higher quality.

Jones Engineering would like to wish everyone involved in the National Children’s Hospital project the very best of luck in delivering a successful Lean Project.