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29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) - Lima, Peru - 2021

https://doi.org/10.24928/2021/0144

Design Process Stability: Observations of Batch Size, Throughput Time and Reliability in Design

Eelon Lappalainen¹, Petteri Uusitalo², Olli Seppänen³ & Antti Peltokorpi⁴

¹Doctoral Candidate, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-7573-344X
²Doctoral Candidate, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-7230-0788
³Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-2008-5924
⁴Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-7939-6612

Abstract

Despite recent developments in construction design management, too much variability still occurs in design processes. Batch size (BS) and throughput time (TT) reduction are recurring concepts in the lean construction literature related to the Last Planner© System (LPS). These three parameters are often used to reduce variability and improve flow and reliability in work processes. Some have attempted to reduce design variability through lean design management (LDM) and agile methods, but very few studies have analysed the interaction of these parameters in the design process. The purpose of this study is to investigate these variables and their interactions. Design process stability and reliability were measured over nearly two years in this study by using three parameters. According to the results, design teams with smaller BS’s of design tasks and higher percentages of planned tasks completed also had shorter design task TT’s. Designers may use these findings to improve their workflow monitoring and as a novel addition to LDM and coordination metrics.

Keywords

Lean construction, Last Planner® System, agile, design

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