Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) and Lean Construction: Optimizing Project Workflow
Why is Flow so important?
Descriptions of “good projects” typically include terms like “smooth” or “great teamwork” to describe situations where things flowed smoothly. Conversely, “lousy projects” will likely generate memories of rework, conflict, stress, and frustration where nothing seemed to flow smoothly.
Every project participant shares an intuitive appreciation for Flow, but Lean advocates seem obsessed with it. We believe that creating and continuously improving Flow is a highly underappreciated and misunderstood strategy for consistently creating great projects. Flow isn’t just a pleasant characteristic of good projects, but rather the strategy for creating them.
Flow is the common denominator linking many aspects of improved project experience, including:
- Faster response and greater flexibility
- Better throughput
- Better use of capacity
- Better cash flow
- Better quality
- More predictable outcomes
- Less frustration, wasted effort, and rework
- Better and safer work experience
It seems clear that understanding and improving Flow is well worth the attention of the industry.
This report is part of a series of publications that compare AWP with Lean Construction.
