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Complexity in construction stems in part from a willingness to accept unique materials throughout the design.
Process Benefits from Use of Standard Products
Iris Tommelein
The study is based on a refinery project in Houston, TX involving pipe spools. Iris used the Stroboscope discrete event simulator to model the process.
"Architects like to architect. The result can be complexity."
Iris is an outstanding teacher and lecturer. She made this subject captivating. After taking us through the logic of her simulation, Iris showed the effects from simulation of adding standard pipe spools. The surprising result was that project duration increased at an increasing rate as standard product is introduced. When product variety was nearly eliminated the project duration was cut by a 1/3.
Builders take note: there are tremendous benefits to increasing the use of standard products. Share Iris' paper with your clients and their designers. And if you get the opportunity, spend some time with Iris. It will be a memorable learning experience.
? Guy Kawasaki wrote, "Less is the new more." Easy to learn: symmetry, seduction, subtraction, and sustainability. Very valuable to do. Step 1: Read Matt's book!! just 140 keystrokes.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
“The surprising result was that project duration increased at an increasing rate as standard product is introduced.”
Is this correct, or did the duration *decrease*. Or maybe I’ve misunderstood.
This is the finding, although we might all wonder if it is correct. Initially, the duration increased. We can speculate on why that is so. As standard product was first introduced it was itself variation. Generally, any increase in variation lengthens cycle time. As more and more standard product is adopted the variation experieced reduces and so does cycle time.
That’s my explanation. Maybe I can get Iris to comment.