Assessing the Level of Implementation of Lean Construction: An Audit Protocol

Abstract

The implementation of lean construction still faces barriers mainly in its initial stages. It occurs, in part, due to the lack of evaluation tools that enable the acknowledgment of its true value for the companies.Thus, this paper aims to present an audit protocol to evaluate the level of lean implementation. Developed under Design Science methodological background, the audit protocol was proposed based on literature. To evaluate the applicability, the pilot protocol was implemented and tested into 4 construction companies from the city of Fortaleza, northeast of Brazil. The pilot revealed improvements to improve the protocol. Then, the improved protocol was evaluated and validated by 5 lean construction experts, resulting in the final protocol which was composed by 4 dimensions, 35 categories, 136 items and 223 examples of verifying evidences.Was verified that the protocol allows more than identify the lean implementation level, but enables a lean journey if used as a guidebook to lean implementation. The proposed audit protocol can be also used to cyclic evaluation that enables the improvements of the identified gaps, through a deep comprehension of the critical factors that can prevent the success of lean construction in the companies.

Major Barriers Assessment of Lean Construction Application in Construction Projects Delivery

“…In the Brazilian construction industry, Comelli et al (2019) stated that adhesion to other process improvements by organizations made it difficult for LC to be implemented. Critical benefits assessment and evaluation of investment of lean is a vital and required exercise that must be done before LC principles are adopted (Campos et al, 2012).…”

Using Storytelling to Understand a Company´s Lean Journey

“…Throughout the years, studies were conducted to assess factors affecting lean implementation like lack of theoretical understanding, poor top management support, absence of knowledge sharing, and inappropriate culture, to mention a few (Buch and Sander 2005;Torp et al 2018). To overcome such barriers, academics and consultants have proposed implementation strategies, audit tools, and maturity models (Serpell et al 1996;Comelli et al 2019). But despite the importance of these methods, they are sometimes too prescriptive and based on scholar´s interpretations of what is needed.…”