Best Practices for Lean Scheduling and Coordination in Commercial Construction

Efficiency and optimization are the major factors required for success in the construction industry. Lean construction is the all-encompassing path to this success, but while many understand the goal of lean construction, few can implement it in a way where it will be successful in saving time and money. Effective scheduling, coordination, and communication comes down to the quality of information flow within the project team. As a result, interaction effectiveness becomes one of the most crucial factors in determining the outcome of a project. The Last Planner System is one of the tools used to improve lean scheduling and coordination. This paper is centered around a case study with a leading commercial general contractor in the California Bay Area. Best practices for quality information flow and implementation of lean construction in a company were identified by focusing on the way the company utilizes the Last Planner System, as well as the positives, negatives, and lessons learned