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Construction projects get a bad rep…a very bad rep. And the Boston Globe piles on with today's article The Industry that Time Forgot: Just Another Day at the Office for the Most Wasteful, Least Productive Industry in America
It's tough for me to comment on this article. I live in Boston. We've suffered major delays, overruns, inconveniences, and people lost their lives. It doesn't have to be this way. Companies have learned from the best operators in the world and have avoided these problems. In Massachusetts we have burdensome laws and practices. It's tough to do business with the state government. In my town no major project has finished on time or on budget. However, it can change. It must change. The industry knows what to do to change.
The Globe cites CC Meyers of California pointing to the changes needed:
Under a regime of incentives and real accountability, construction companies would begin to transform. The industry
would spawn a few winners that, as they prospered, would acquire the capacity to research new techniques, retain
skilled employees through down periods, and buy up dozens or even hundreds of small specialized players.
It's a start. There are many firms that get good — great — results. They approach their work differently. They understand that the future is unknowable; their people are real assets in planning and managing their projects; and safety is the result of only doing work that is in a condition to be started and finished without interruption. These companies practice lean approaches to doing their work. Like Toyota, they are doing so much better than their competitors. It's not difficult to learn.
? 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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Good and bad news regarding the UK construction industry. British construction activity contracted for a 21st month running in November but the pace of decline eased and new order volumes rose for the first time since February 2008, a survey showed on Wednesday. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply/Markit construction contracts PMI index rose to 47.0 in November, its highest since August, from 46.2 in October. The recent rise in house prices boosted residential construction, which expanded for a third month running and at its fastest rate in over two years. But both commercial and civil engineering sectors reported further declines and employment overall declined for an 18th consecutive month.