Construction planning has two very different components: deriving the optimal schedule based on quantities by location, resources, and productivity AND controlling that workflow on-site.  By combining the best features of LBMS and LPS, GCs can achieve both aims.

 

Location-Based Management	Last Planner System
Scheduling solution	Control process
Structured	Social
Locations	Assignments
Mathematical calculations	Data collection
Global targets	Daily commitments
Look-ahead forecasting	Reliable promising
Warning alerts	Collaborative forum

 

 

What we have found is that GCs know the trades they self-perform and have copious amounts of data that can be harnessed and re-purposed.  However, when it comes to subcontractor data, they are woefully lacking, simply because they have not asked.  And part of the benefit of LPS is the very collaborative nature of working in concert with subs.

 

A specific input for Location-Based Management is crew productivity rates.  By asking the subs for that data, we can derive a schedule and optimize it to eliminate the stops and starts which hamper and frustrate subs' progress.

 

This simple change can have a tremendous impact: subs are able to work more efficiently without the hassle of de- and re-mobilization.  This means tasks completed on-time and for a lot less.  This teamwork and trust transforms into valuable business relationships.

 

And on the flip side, as the superintendent and project managers note the daily progress on site using the Control Chart, they can identify where crews are working faster or slower than planned and see what the implications are to the schedule.  Seeing these fluctuations on a per-task-basis means the team can make course-corrections with an extra person, an extra shift, etc. and solve the issue before it ever becomes a problem.

 

By combining the best features of Location-Based Management System and lean construction's Last Planner System, GCs and Subs can reap the benefits of each approach: namely, an analytical and scientific methodology for scheduling with geometry and quantities, locations, crew sizes, and productivity rates along with the highly social and collaborative methodology of promises and commitments.

 

This video snippet captures a quick overview of how to combine the two approaches from Vico's introductory webinar on the combination of LBMS and LPS:

 

 

Please also check out the following links to continue diving deeper into the subject matter:

Web Page: What Is Location-Based Management System

Web Page: What Is Flowline Scheduling

Web Page: What Is 4D BIM

Web Page: How LBMS and LPS Compare

Webinar: An Introduction to LBMS and Last Planner System

Blog Post: Scheduling with Lean Principles (Part 1)
Blog Post: Scheduling with Lean Principles (Part 2)

Whitepaper: A Comparison of Tradition CPM to Location-Based Scheduling

Whitepaper: The Combination of Last Planner System and Location-Based Management System

Glossary: Sorting through the Acronyms of Construction Scheduling

 

We also offer a step-by-step guide to our 5D virtual construction workflow with video tutorials. These videos are just 2-5 minutes in length, but illustrate how to use a particular piece of functionality. You can access the video library index and view just what you need, or download the complete set of training videos. We have training videos for Estimators, Schedulers, Supers, and anyone who does CM Reporting.