Last planner system : experiences from pilot implementation in the Middle East

The work described in this paper is devoted to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing Last Planner to improve construction planning practice in Saudi construction industry. Firstly, the primary results of implementing Last Planner System (LPS) in two construction projects in Saudi Arabia are presented. Action research strategy was undertaken with different data collection methods employed included interviews, observation and survey questionnaire. Secondly, benefits gained in terms of improving construction management practice are presented, the critical success factors for LPS implementation are discussed, and potential barriers for implementing LPS revealed from the studies are presented. The results demonstrated numerous benefits were gained in terms of improving construction planning and site management. The fact that the structural work in one of the sites finished two weeks ahead of schedule is a clear evident of this improvement. However, there are some potential barriers reported which hindered the achievement of full potentials of LPS. Finally, a comparison between the outcome of this study and some previous studies on Last Planner in other countries is briefly carried out