BO2507 Adopting Lean Processes in BIM -...

Adopting Lean Processes in BIM David Haynes, AIA, LEED AP – Ideate, Inc.

BO2507 Building Information Modeling (BIM) has given architects, engineers, and contractors new tools and revised workflow processes that should translate to higher profits. Some firms are realizing gains and some are finding them elusive. This class will explore the issues involved and discuss how adopting Lean processes can increase profitability and efficiency, decrease issues, and create a better total "design and build" experience for the client. The class will explore how to translate success in Lean practices (mostly in the manufacturing world) to the service-oriented world of architecture and engineering. These changes in workflow and business practices require a new look at how we do project design and documentation.

LearningObjectivesAt the end of this class, you will be able to:

Define Lean and Six Sigma

Describe how to apply Lean principals to service-oriented businesses

List techniques used to achieve Lean efficiencies

Describe pitfalls and benefits of implementing Lean practices

DavidHaynes,AIA,LEEDAP–DirectorofConsulting–Ideate,Inc. David is a registered architect, had an architectural practice, and was president of a commercial design-build construction company for 15 years. A graduate of University of Arizona, he has worked as an architect, contractor, developer, educator, and as construction manager for a national retailer. David is also a LEED® accredited professional. David works with AEC clients across the nation on developing and implementing AEC solutions, including Autodesk® Revit® Architecture, Revit Structure, Ecotect®, and Navisworks®. David provides targeted business solutions to clients involved in the design and construction process. Ideate is an Autodesk VAR based in San Francisco, with additional offices in San Jose, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle. [email protected] – Twitter: @dhaynestech - Blog: ideatesolutions.blogspot.com

Adopting Lean Processes in BIM

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“There is nothing more wasteful than becoming highly efficient at doing all the wrong things” – Peter Druker.

IntroductionThis presentation is for firms looking to get more out of Building Information Management (BIM) than 3D visualization. BIM has brought significant changes to many AE (Architecture/Engineering) firms. Has it brought a revolution yet? The industry is divided

CurrentDefinedBenefitsofBIMThe current benefits that BIM has brought to the Design Industry are:

Coordinated set of Construction Documents

Virtually Designed projects – the ability to see potential problems earlier

Some have claimed a 20-30% productivity increase (let us agree that 10% is a realistic possibility).

Is this enough? The thesis of this presentation is that some in the Architectural and Engineering community have settled for document coordination and pretty 3D models. The presentation will show what advances have been made by other industries (mostly the manufacturing industry) and how those business strategies can be utilized by the Architecture and Engineering industries.

Changing A/E firm’s business process is crucial to the A/E industry’s long-term viability and profitability. It is a journey that starts with one step. We can no longer do business like our mentors, Architect ‘icons’, and boutique firms have done for the last fifty years.

BIMStateoftheUnion

What should BIM bring to those who utilize it? Besides the current benefits noted above, higher profit margins and a competitive edge against non-BIM firms (yes, there are those firms still out there who believe BIM is a passing fad) should be key benefits of the investment in BIM.

Why are we not achieving the full benefit of BIM? Through numerous discussions with Architectural and Engineering firms (large or small, local or national firms)? There seems to be two key themes that I hear:

Spend all the saved money on design. This seems to be a business decision by firms.


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Using old workflow with new BIM technology. This can be anything from using AutoCAD-era based decisions in a BIM process to “This is always the way we have done things”.

LeanProcessesforServiceIndustries

This will be an overview, rather than an in-depth investigation of Lean Practices. There are many books, lectures, and classes about topics such as Six Sigma, Lean Construction, Lean Architecture, Total Value Design, and Last Planner, etc. One book that was invaluable in the research of this presentation, and highly recommended for anyone looking to ‘lean’ their architectural or engineering practice, is Lean Six Sigma for Service by Michael L. George (2003).

First, we must agree that the designing of buildings is a service industry. According to Wikipedia “To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building,” The practice of engineering (structural, civil, mechanical) would fall into the same general definition.

DefinitionsSome of the definitions that will be used in this presentation:

Lean – business management strategy that increase process speed.

Six Sigma – business management strategy that increase process quality.

There will be other acronyms used in the presentations, which will be defined in the context of the presentation.

Origins

Six Sigma – originally developed by Motorola in 1986. Six Sigma is a term used in statistical analysis primarily in the manufacturing industry. The goal in manufacturing is to reach the six sigma level where 99.99966% of the products are free of defects. Six Sigma processes reduces errors, provides data driven decisions, and increase standardization. Variation in production hinders high-quality services.

Lean – originally developed by Toyota in the 1990’s. It was known as Toyota Production System (TPS), invented as a way to reduce waste in order to improve customer value. It optimizes flow, efficiency, decreases waste, and emphasizes not accepting pre-existing ideas/methods. Lean increases speed, provides only customer value-added work, reduces cost of complexity and increases efficiency.


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These business management strategies each started out in the manufacturing world (electronics and automobiles). How can these strategies be utilized by the Architectural/Engineering Services Industries?

A method called Lean Six Sigma, for services, combines the process quality improvements with Lean’s increase of speed. A brief overview of Lean Six Sigma methodologies and some of the benefits, derived from manufacturing industries, which can be utilized in the Architectural/Engineering Industries.

LEANSIXSIGMA

This services business process strategy takes the best of what Six Sigma has (process quality) with Lean (process speed). Here are some of the combined benefits

Focus on what customer needs and will pay for

Focus on process analysis

Focus on Value-Add activities.

1. Focus on ‘Voice of Customer’ – VOC

This seems so logical and you might say ‘of course we listen to our customers’. The key here is that, according to Lean Six Sigma, only the customer can define quality and value.

Are we designing buildings for a customer or for other reasons?

Do we go through design/documents/graphics processes because ‘we at ABC Architects are known for our…..’.

Why is listening to the voice of the customer a lean process?

Critical to quality improvements (Six-Sigma).

o What services are being provided that is not wanted or needed? Eliminate “we always do this”.

o What internal steps are taken that does not provide value-add to the process.


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Approach: Use a Quality Function Deployment diagram to understand the true needs of customer and value of those services to the customer.

The ‘voice of customer’ process is to provide a defined methodology to listening to customer needs, optimizing, and validating, and delivering on the customer needs. We may ask ‘isn’t this at the core of the design process?’ Architects and Engineers must listen to what the customer wants and is willing (or must) pay for. Part of the ‘voice of customer’ process is customer research:

Where did the customer find value in our services?

Where did they wish you provided value?

What are they looking for and they are willing to pay for?

What this analysis provides you with is a good understanding of what the customer wants and what you might be providing that the customer sees no value in.


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2. Process Analysis

After listening to the customer, develop a Value Stream Map. This helps define the pinch-points; where work is being congested. Where Work in Progress (WIP) occurs, lag happens, which is inefficient.

Approach:

A thorough process analysis (how the service process works) is improved by DMAIC Analysis (Define – Measure – Analyze – Improve – Control). DMAIC provides a roadmap for process improvements.


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A/E firm does a process analysis of how current projects work in BIM? What would you be looking for in the process analysis?

Where do many activities intersect at one person, job function or process activity?

Where there is a possibility of a process flow creating Work in Progress (WIP)? WIP creates lag and is very un-lean.

Where are lag time occurrences? Lag time is where (resources) people are waiting for (activities) work to be complete. Studies show that re-starting of work is a prime candidate for process inefficiencies.

What are the benefits of this process analysis? Removal of non-value added steps (see next section); the overall goal is optimizing the process.

3. Focus on Value-Add Activities

Focusing on only value-add activities is key to the target goal of reduction in waste in the design process, and to better respond to customer needs , deliver higher customer value, and greater profit.

Value-add activities are those tasks that add function, form, or feature to the service. There are three value-add based activities:

Value-Add (VA) – as defined above.

Business Non-Value-Add (BNVA) – required by regulatory or reduction of risk. The question here is ‘would the process break down if removed’.

Non-Value-Add (NVA) – Customer does not want or pay for. Rework, expediting to meet schedule, congestion from pinch point decisions, queue time, and creation of complexity.

In a lean design process, removing three items makes the difference:

Removal of defects, or the reworking to correct them.

Removal of delays/pinch points: Law of Focus: 20% of the activities cause 80% of the delay process.

Removal of non-value-add activities.

What would non-value add activities be in an A/E firm?

Need to rework portions of the design based upon non-customer desired wishes.


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Need for Project Architect/Project Manager to revise graphics based upon “this is how we have always done it”.

Understand that services infrequently offered get in the way of, or have to wait behind, the more efficient/profitable services.

4. Reduce Complexity

Complexity, defined as not adding to customer value, needs to be recognized and managed. Complexity is different than a diverse portfolio. Complexity has a systemic effect that accumulates over time (like the lint in your dryer vent). Questions to ask are:

Does this task/service/graphics bring value to the project?

Those typical details ‘are they really typical’, or do they bring value to the project communication with Contractor?

Are you producing more drawings only because they are so darn easy in BIM?

There are two key elements to reduction of complexity:

Standardization – standardizing and modularizing the internal tasks and components: o Are you reinventing the wheel each time? o Standardization of the subcomponents (and the process used to deliver them).

Optimization - Information once defined, does not need to be repeated over and over. o Are you using multiple software products to do the same thing? o Are you redoing, reworking drawings, because you can?

The goal is to reduce the total number of tasks and time spent in each task.

Performance Based Design – Jim Summers – Burt Hill - 2010


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UtilizingLeanSixSigmaforArchitects+Engineers

WhatpartsofLeanSixSigmaareapplicabletoArchitectsandEngineersandhowisimplementationofthosebusinesschangesachieved?

First,itisimportanttonotethatContractorsarealreadyusingLean,includingsuchbusinessprocessesasLastPlanner.LastPlannerfocusesonprojectingdelivery(workcompletedwhenpromised)toeliminatethewasteofwaiting.SomeIPD(IntegratedProjectDelivery)projectsareusingTVD(TargetValueDesign).TVDisabusinessprocesswherecollaboration(workinginteams)andprojectdesignisbasedondetailedestimates(andjustificationmustbeaccomplishedtoincreasethebudgetestimate).

Next steps for Architects/Engineers:

Review what the customer really wants vs. what A/E Firms are providing – listen to the Voice of the Customer (VOC). Old services may be deleted and new services may emerge.

Do a detailed existing Process Analysis. Look for pinch points and where work is either piling up for one person/activity to process or waiting for the next process to begin. This will take some effort and seriously looking at each step is needed.

Review all activities and determine if they are truly value-add activities.

Standardize and Optimize.

1. Benefits of Lean Six Sigma in Design Process

This will be organized around the traditional sequence of design work. I have included an additional area, Company Organization.


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Company Organization: This is the most crucial phase, Company Organization, of the business to review/improve/analyze. This is where the most changes will be made. Here are some questions to ask and benefits that are achieved.

o Are we doing customer satisfaction surveys? This is the way to understand the voice of the customer.

o Do we understand what the customer wants and is willing to pay for? New services customers will gladly pay for. Some of these services might

include – but only if we know the customer’s true needs:

BIM model management

Navisworks model coordination during construction

Facility Management BIM Services we need not provide as they provide no customer value-add.

o Do a process analysis (existing baseline). Where are the pinch points?

Schematic Design: Most costly errors are made at the beginning of any task. Design work is no different. Here are some lean improvements.

o Investigate design options early. Later in the process leads to wait times (and the un-lean hurry up deadlines).

o Are we investigating DESIGN OPTIONS the customer will not or cannot pay for? o Are we using multiple software packages that don’t have data sustainability?

Starting digital/BIM is always more lean. o Advanced: Are you using Target Value Design (TVD) to understand the cost to

design to?

Design Development This phase is where pinch points can start to develop. If we have been lean in the schematic design, we can continue lean-ness in design development phase.

o Have we previously setup standardization/optimization procedures: Schedules Number of sheets and views Using techniques/best practices to keep Revit model size under control.

o If we have been digital in schematic phase, the move to design development is leaner.


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Construction Documents This is where lean practices really shine and provide quicker project execution and less defects (Lean Six Sigma).

Are you still designing?

Are you using standard details? Standard details are neither lean nor defect free. Leverage your BIM model.

Are you overdoing your Schedules with information the contractor can easily obtain, if needed, from the BIM model itself.

Are your drawings complex, feeling the ‘service’ provided is the amount of ink and number of sheets?

Advanced: Are you using a signaling system inside of your BIM project to note when work is done and to prioritize?

Construction Administration Profit can be lost in CA and never be recovered. All those phone calls and meetings to review data that is available from other sources.

o Are you sharing the BIM Model with the Contractor? o Is your data in the model truly data sustainable, or are you hiding the

data? o Are you communicating with the Owner’s building team? o Advanced: Are you participating in the Owner’s/General Contractor’s

Last Planning sessions?

2. Implementation

There are four phases of implementation noted in Lean Six Sigma for Service.

Readiness o Select internal champion o Establish baseline snapshot o Interview Top Management o Assess impact of what was discovered

Engagement o Upper management buy-in with ‘one voice’ o Show how people’s life will be improved. o Make ‘change’ part of management meeting agenda.

Mobilization o Establish Infrastructure


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o Develop Training o Select pilot projects o Reach consensus on common metrics

Performance + Control o Plan ahead – what happens when you do the same work in less time? o Avoiding Pitfalls

Drifting away from priorities Undertaking too much at once. No sharing of best practices Communication with everyone.

This implementation process is not unfamiliar to those who have implemented BIM in the past. The themes are similar (upper management buy-in, select internal champions, training, metrics, and post-mortems).

ConclusionThe process of design is ever evolving and changing. We as Architects and Engineers must change our workflows with analytical thinking and methodologies. It has been pointed out in many studies that productivity has improved for many industries but not the design-based industries. Our goal should be efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction in delivering of services. These lean processes increase all the goals through a thorough analysis of existing conditions, investigation of pinch points, and evaluation of standardization/optimization.

Other sources of information include:

Websites:

o www.leanarchitecture.com o www.leanconstruction.org o www.blog.andersonporter.com o www.bimandintegrateddesign.com

Books:

o Lean Six Sigma for Service, Michael L. George, 2003 o The Owner’s Dilemma, Bryson & Yetmen, 2010.

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