The building design and construction industry must embrace change now. Stresses with finding talent, budgets, schedules, and the needs of clients call for change in approach. Companies are looking not only at how we work, but how we work with others.
My role as Chief Process Officer at HKS has allowed me to take a critical look at our operations within the firm, how we embrace our role in the design process, and how we set up our talent for success. This year, I combined that role with chairing the Board of the Lean Construction Institute, which allowed me to have conversations about the industry while tackling those same conversations within the firm.
The 2019 Lean Construction Institute Congress, held in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 14-18, was attended by more than 1,600 owners, architects, consultants, engineers, constructors, and trade contractors. LCI Congress featured more than 30 educational sessions and 75 presentations focused on Lean in the design and construction industry. I attended many of these sessions and offer the following takeaways, all of which focus on how we build stronger teams and contribute more value to our clients:
• More is not more: The opening keynote was not from a well-versed-in-Lean evangelist. Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, spoke about the power of less but better. He challenged us with these simple steps:
1. Explore. What is something essential for you right now that you are under-investing in?
2. Eliminate. What is something nonessential that you are over investing in?
3. Execute. How can you make it as easy as possible to transition the time you spend to the essential things?
Lean thinking encourages teams to add value (essential) by eliminating waste (non-essential) from all work efforts. McKeown’s insight can help us recognize and identify simply what is easy for us to do—take on more that is nonessential. As part of a team, agree together on what is essential and nonessential, get consensus, and build more value.
• Integrate evidence-based design through Lean thinking: Lean encourages value-based decision making with an all-team collaborative work environment. Evidence-based design reinforces the idea that we should be making decisions built on proven research. Using Lean methods for research, understanding customer needs, and applying the EBD research to solve problems is a pairing that maximizes the team’s efforts.
• This is a humble place—leave your egos at the door: The LCI Congress is a unique gathering of owners, designers, developers, project coaches, contractors, and trade contractors to discuss what worked and what didn’t with their projects. They share their mistakes—and how to fix them—even with competitors. The same for project teams. Multiple case studies presented their project stories, discussing their successes and failures. Teams represented different companies and disciplines of work but talked as one unit. The overall message: To effectively solve problems we must use our expertise, not our egos.
Also see: Movers + Shapers Report - Lean and Mean
• We are here to learn: Mike Staun, formerly with Proctor and Gamble, talked about the most pressing challenges in construction today and how Lean IPD can solve them. Stan Davis and Shernette Kydd with Cook Children’s Medical Center talked about strategic thinking with both healthcare project delivery and healthcare delivery. Merck’s journey, told by George Cusick, focused on growth demands based on customers’ needs and how working with Tier 1 construction partners helped meet those needs. No one claimed to have all the answers, but they all wanted to learn.
• Building relationships is the key: Our projects serve a greater purpose; they serve communities and the people in them. Engaging with the community for a purpose bigger than ourselves is an easy way to build strong relationships on teams. Teams that have strong relationships and Lean cultures of improvement can openly tackle problems and find innovative solutions. And they perform better.
• Mental health is a construction industry issue: Building design and construction can be a stressful profession. Statistics shared at the Congress showed that the construction suicide rate is four times the national average and is the leading cause of construction fatalities. The decline in talent entering related fields, the stress of budgets and schedules, and increased expectations add to those strains. We should watch out for our team members and the warning signs of depression, and encourage them to get help.
• Have fun: Whether it was in the Advanced Practitioners session, where industry leaders shared ideas, or in individual presentations, bringing back the fun was a common theme at LCI Congress. Developing a strong bond with your project team, regardless of your background, allows you to solve conflicts and still have fun.
Related Stories
Architects | Jun 22, 2015
NCARB adopts alternative for certification of foreign architects
The change, effective July 1, 2016, will replace the current BEFA Program’s requirements, eliminating the committee dossier review and the need to document seven years of credentialed practice in a foreign country.
BIM and Information Technology | Jun 21, 2015
11 tips for mastering 3D printing in the AEC world
Early adopters provide first-hand advice on the trials and tribulations of marrying 3D printing with the science of building technology.
Events Facilities | Jun 19, 2015
4 ways convention centers are revamping for the 21st century
Today's convention centers require more flexible spaces, the ability to blend virtual and in-person events, and meaningful sustainability, writes Skanska's Tom Tingle.
Engineers | Jun 18, 2015
Architecture and engineering profit margins deliver third consecutive year of growth
Operating profits of AE firms have reach their highest level since 2009, according to a new report by PSMJ Resources.
Architects | Jun 17, 2015
Starchitects' napkin sketches raise thousands for San Diego’s AIAS chapter
Prominent architects who submitted a total of 23 napkin doodles were Zaha Hadid, Cesar Pelli, Robert Venturi, Massimiliano Fuksas, Thom Mayne, and Bjarke Ingels.
BIM and Information Technology | Jun 16, 2015
What’s next for 3D printing in design and construction?
The 3D printer industry keeps making strides in technology and affordability. Machines can now print with all sorts of powderized materials, from concrete to chocolate.
Office Buildings | Jun 12, 2015
Houston's energy sector keeps office construction humming
Colliers International projects continued expansion this year in its quarterly report on national office market.
Smart Buildings | Jun 11, 2015
Google launches company to improve city living
The search engine giant is yet again diversifying its products. Google has co-created a startup, called Sidewalk Labs, that will focus on “developing innovative technologies to improve cities.”
Office Buildings | Jun 11, 2015
Pop-up tree-office opens in London borough of Hackney
London's Hackney borough welcomed a new kind of workspace to Hoxton Square—the TreexOffice.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 10, 2015
Artists turn oil tankers into architecture
Four Dutch artists propose transforming tankers into monuments with mixed-use space.
