21th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction - Fortaleza, Brazil - 2013

An Exploration of Knowledge and Understanding the Eighth Flow

Christine Pasquire1 & Peter Court2

1Professor of Lean Project Management, School of Architecture Design and Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4BU UK, [email protected]
2Dr Peter F Court, Senior Project Services Manager at Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction PTY email: [email protected]

Abstract

The argument for understanding Lean construction as a socio-technical field is growing and the need to better consider the role of human beings within construction systems is becoming the dominant factor in project success. Many current attributes of lean already focus on people and on human engagement approaches but the field of lean construction addresses project environments that are often complex and highly variable. The authors argue that the successful delivery of these projects relies on the creation of a common understanding of the project objectives within the diverse value systems of project participants and wider society. Additionally, many of the new ways of working that lean thinking brings already support the creation of a common understanding and could be harnessed to better effect. Based on a literature review and supported by case study examples the authors explore the nature of knowledge and understanding and position them within an eight flow model for construction production. The findings indicate a need to reconsider the development of a common understand for each project due to the tacit nature of experiential knowledge held within the project team and the specificity and complexity of the project environment. As a result effort is required to generate and maintain a common understanding throughout the project duration. The continued attention and action required to maintain this common understanding elevates it to a flow of equal status to those identified in Koskela’s flow production model thus increasing the number of flows to eight. A significant lean construction case study is revisited and examined to identify interventions undertaken to achieve this generation and management of common understanding thus demonstrating that this development already exists, albeit intuitively, as an element of “lean thinking”.

Keywords

Lean construction, flow, complexity, systems, understanding, value, theory, knowledge.

Files


Full Text
 

Reference

Pasquire, C. & Court, P. 2013. An Exploration of Knowledge and Understanding the Eighth Flow, 21th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction , 43-52. doi.org/

Download: BibTeX | RIS Format

 

Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.

2015 © All Rights Reserved.