Daniela Dietz Viana

Understanding the theory behind the Last Planner System using the Language-Action Perspective: two case studies

Abstract Since the Last Planner System® (LPS) was devised in the early 90s, a number of studies have pointed out the need to understand the underlying theory in which it is based on. The Language-Action Perspective (LAP) has been suggested as a suitable approach to understand the management of commitments in the LPS. This paper aims to assess the contribution of LAP to understand construction planning and control systems based on LPS. Two case studies were carried out in different construction companies, both highly experienced on the use of LPS. The results reveal the role of LAP for creating explicit representations of commitment flows that can be used to explain the sources of complexity and failures in planning systems, as well as for describing the profile of planning and control meetings.

Understanding the Effectiveness of Visual Management Best Practices in Construction Sites

Visual Management (VM) is a strategy for information management strongly related to one of the core concepts of Lean Production Philosophy, the increase of process transparency. VM is especially important to support continuous improvement and it relies on the effective transmission of information at different hierarchical levels. However, there are some challenges in the implementation of VM in construction: each construction project is unique, site layouts are dynamic environments, and the construction itself might become a visual barrier. This paper aims to analyse the role of a set of VM best practices to support production management, understanding the features that distinguish these practices as advanced ones, i.e. the reasons behind the effectiveness of some VM systems. It is based on two case studies carried out in leading companies in the implementation of Lean Construction in Brazil. Differently from previous studies on VM, this investigation explored the integration of those practices in managerial processes that might use a set of visual devices; whether visual devices are used dynamically in order to support decision-making, especially in collaborative processes. Another contribution of this paper is concerned with classifying VM best practices according to the degree of integration to the managerial routines.

Application of Bim for Supporting Decisionmaking Related to Logistics in Prefabricated Building Systems

Managing industrialised construction requires an accurate synchronisation of design, manufacturing and assembly processes. Considering the high uncertainty and the interdependences between different processes on site, it is important to consider the status of the construction site in the planning and control process. Understanding the demands of site assembly in terms of components is a key step for integrating fabrication and site assembly. One possible approach is to use Building Information Modelling (BIM) for planning the logistics operations of prefabricated building systems. The aim of this paper is to describe an application of BIM 4D modelling for supporting the planning and control process of logistics operations for Engineer-toorder (ETO) concrete prefabricated structures. Design Science Research was the methodological approach adopted in this investigation, which involved an empirical study carried out in partnership with a company that design, produces and assemble prefabrication concrete structures. The main contribution of this investigation is on how to increase the reliability of information exchanges by concentrating product and process information in a BIM model. Also, some guidelines on how to plan loading and unloading operations, and how to use BIM to assess changes in production plans, considering the logistics impacts.

Diretrizes para a medição de desempenho de processo logístico em uma empresa de sistemas pré-fabricados que adota a filosofia Lean Production

O crescimento acelerado do setor da construcao civil em relacao ao resto da economia brasileira tende a manter seu ritmo de desenvolvimento em constante evolucao. Contudo, o nivel de maturidade dos sistemas de gestao deste setor nao acompanha o mesmo ritmo da elevada demanda de empreendimentos presente no mercado brasileiro. O aumento da competitividade tambem contribui para a especializacao das empresas em processos que viabilizem produtos especificos que atendam as necessidades dos clientes. Neste contexto, surgem as empresas engineer-to-order (ETO) que projetam, fabricam e montam estruturas pre-fabricadas em obra. Este trabalho busca propor diretrizes para o sistema de medicao de desempenho do processo logistico para empresas ETO de sistemas construtivos. O estudo foi realizado em parceria com uma empresa focada no desenvolvimento de sistemas construtivos de estrutura metalica, incluso em um projeto de pesquisa mais amplo que visa o desenvolvimento do seu processo logistico. A analise realizada dos indicadores permitiu a compreensao de alguns pressupostos do sistema de gestao. A falta de conexao entre os indicadores e os objetivos estrategicos demonstrava a falta de transparencia, causando um vies no desenvolvimento de acoes de melhoria. Desta forma, foram propostas cinco diretrizes que buscam facilitar a relacao dos indicadores com os objetivos estrategicos genericos da empresa.