Reduce Batch Sizes to Improve Project Workflow
August 4th, 2006 by HalClient changes to apartment designs after the project starts are both expected and disruptive. The researchers were curious how lean approaches might mitigate the impacts of those changes. They built a role-playing simulation to collect data then modeled it with simulation software. The results were stunning.
Evaluation of Lean Improvements in Residential Construction
Rafael Sacks and Alberto Esquenazi
The researchers called on their students to build a Lego simulation of a construction project. Design changes were introduced along the way. The students played the game to collect data that was then used in the computer simulation.
"Reduced batch size appears to be the key to improving workflow."
They wanted to explore how lean approaches might affect the performance of construction results. They modeled these approaches:
- Align the flows
- Pull flow
- Single-piece flow
- Make ready process
- Stabilize the workplan
- Streamline the process by changing construction methods
The simulation started with a traditional push system. The second round introduced the lean approaches. When going from traditional to lean approaches throughput increased along with cash flow.
Stroboscope was used to investigate the effects of the individual lean approaches. The simulation results were stunning. Reducing batch size was the main source of improving cash flow. Multi-skilled teams in a push environment improved time but reduced the amount of work done. But cutting batch size and multi-skilled teams was responsible for the biggest improvement in throughput. Only when customization is required does pull flow make a big contribution.
The authors concluded that reduced batch size appears to be the key to improving workflow. It has positive effects on WIP levels, cash flow, and project completion time.
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August 5th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Hal, I wonder just how long this concept of reducing batch size will cointinue to be remarkable. Yet, it is. It always amazes people. And it always generates cash. And it always brings surprise.
Are we, in the lean community, too complacent, too imcompetent, too passivated to teach and continue to talk about this? It is a radical concept to most and this very simple move is worth huge amounts of cash to most businesses.
Thanks for the good posts. And thanks for not batching them Hal, but sending them up one at a time
August 5th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
Speaking only for myself, I do get complacent about batch sizes in construction projects. Plywood comes in bundles of 50 sheets. Sheetrock in different batches. People just take for granted that they have to store piles of stuff. Then we start making stuff one big batch at a time.
The data presented by Prof Sacks is compelling. If you are only going to do one thing, then reduce lot size to 1.