A typical large-scale construction project involves an immense amount of resources, from the physical inputs of the project, to the cost, labor, and time needed to complete the project, just to a name a few. Managing these resources is a complex task that involves coordinating a number of different specialists—each with their own agendas, processes, and capabilities—to get them all on the same page, working toward the same goal. Historically, the construction industry has struggled to efficiently plan and organize the activity of building something. The truth is, the majority of traditional construction projects are delivered over-budget and beyond schedule. So what can we do to reverse that trend?

At Garbutt Construction, we found our answer in lean construction processes. The primary focus of lean construction is to maximize value and minimize waste in all facets of a project. Lean methods achieve this by using a collaborative approach where all team members focus on the big picture, rather than their own individual activity. In a lean environment, team members are empowered to continuously re-evaluate, communicate, and take action. By implementing the lean system, we have seen better productivity, time management, and cost efficiency across the entire organization. Fortunately, these are best practices that can be scaled to any construction project you may be facing.