The Last Planner System For Realiable Project Delivery

Abstract

The Last Planner System is a production planning system designed to produce predictable work flow and rapid learning in programming, design, construction and commissioning of projects. The Last Planner System (LPS) is developed by Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell as a production planning and control system to assist in smoothing variations in construction work flow, developing planning foresight, and reducing uncertainty in construction operations. The LPS challenges the old practices of developing schedules and pushing them from top management down to frontline people to execute. It advocates collaborative planning, performing collaborative constraint analysis, and learning from planning failures. The LPS is not only a system for production planning and control but also an enabler for social exchange on construction projects. It institutionalizes coordination and communication by incorporating them v into everyday activities and into a managerial structure for project planning and control, team building, and continuous improvement. The primary results of implementing LPS, including benefits, barriers, and the critical success factors for a commercial construction project are presented in this thesis. The results demonstrate numerous benefits in terms of improving construction planning and site management. However, there were some potential barriers reported which hinder the achievement of full potential of LPS. Finally, a comparison between pre- and postimplementation outcomes for the case study is briefly presented.