Lean methodology combines simplicity, sustainability, and consistency to achieve exceptional quality while providing enhanced value to the customer.
The Lean approach develops and manages a project through relationships, shared knowledge and common goals resulting in an enhanced construction timeline, increased consistency, and dramatically reduced waste.
Having evolved as a direct response to customer and supply chain dissatisfaction, Lean aims to more effectively manage and improve construction processes with minimum cost and maximum value, all the while prioritizing the needs of the client.
Identifying Value from the Perspective of the Client
Typically, traditional construction is based on the plans and specifications of a particular project. It’s what the client wants to build, yes, but doesn’t address the why.
Lean construction, on the other hand, looks to recognize the values of the customer, unearthing and understanding the value from the customer’s point of view. To do this, it’s an approach that strives to develop and manage a project through relationships, shared knowledge and common goals.
To properly understand value from the customer’s perspective demands a different level of trust, established in the very early planning phases of a project. With a clear understanding of value from the customer’s point of view, only then is it possible to identify the various processes with which to deliver that value.
It requires all members of the team: architects, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors, and suppliers, in partnership with the customer. The project team not only works to deliver exactly what the client wants, but provides their valuable expertise and advice while helping to manage and shape expectations throughout the project.
As per the Lean approach, Mandala Homes utilizes processes that minimize waste of time, materials and manpower so as to provide the most value for the customer. This project management philosophy allows the client, along with the team, to influence the design rather than simply react to it, as in the traditional approach.
Workflow and the Elimination of Waste
Minimizing, or altogether eliminating, waste is one of the primary goals of Lean construction.
The ideal state of a Lean construction project is a continuous, uninterrupted workflow that is reliable and predictable. To achieve this, there are a number of types of waste targeted:
Mistakes and defects: These include anything not done correctly the first time. The result is duplicate rework, wasting time, manpower, and materials.
Overproduction: When a task is completed earlier than scheduled or before the next task in the process can be started.
Waiting Time: A most common scenario! When workers are ready, but the necessary materials needed for the work to be completed have not been delivered or the prerequisite tasks and work have not been completed.
Un- or Under-Utilized Talent: Wasting the talent, skills, and knowledge of workers matched inappropriately to the task or job.
Transport: When materials, equipment, or workers are moved to a job site before they are needed. It can also refer to the unnecessary transmission of information.
Excess Inventory: Materials that are not immediately needed tie up budget, require storage, and often degrade when not used.
Inefficient Motion: Any unnecessary movement. This includes the distance a worker may have to move between him – or herself and the and tools or materials they need creating an inefficiency, or downright waste, of motion.
Over Processing: When features or activities are added that have no value to the client. This, ironically, can often occur when taking steps to try to eliminate the other types of waste.
Transparency, communication, and collaboration are essential for addressing these various issues while at the same time providing the value promised. The results include:
- Enhanced productivity and use of time
- Reduced safety hazards
- Cost savings
Continuous Improvement, Growth, and Evolution
Fundamental to the Lean philosophy is the belief that it is necessary to continuously improve processes.
Each individual build provides excellent opportunities for learning and improvement, ideally brought forward and incorporated into successive projects.
We at Mandala Homes are proud to be pioneers in a progressive building approach that promotes sustainability, efficiency, and holistically reflecting the needs of our clients. And, as we experience over and over, when projects come in on budget, on time, and completely aligned with not only the values of our customer, but with the value they came to anticipate and expect in their project, it’s a success that speaks for itself!