Takt Production: New Advance in Construction Site Management

Takt production

After a long dominance of the Critical Path Method (CPM), the methods for construction site planning and management have started to develop and change. In advanced practice, the Last Planner System (LPS) of Production Control (also called collaborative planning) together with location-based methods have more or less replaced the CPM. However, a new stage has been reached: Takt production, well known from lean manufacturing, has been adapted to construction. While being supported by many well-known principles of the location-based methods and the LPS, a new principle is added in Takt production: instead of time buffers between subsequent tasks, capacity buffers are primarily used for absorbing the inevitable uncertainty, leading to shortened project duration.

The use of Takt production has rapidly increased in a few years, but due to its novelty, its diffusion is still limited to pioneering contractors, especially in Germany, California and Finland. Practical implementation of Takt production has produced superior results, especially when the stakeholders have become experienced with the method.

Structure of the Webinar

After a presentation on theory, practice, implementation issues and benefits of Takt production, the attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and to take part in an open discussion with the presenter and other attendees. Professor Lauri Koskela from the University of Huddersfield will chair the webinar.

Questions to be discussed:

• What are the basic ideas of Takt production, and how is it different to prior methods
• Does Takt production work in practice – which are the implementation challenges
• Which are the benefits of Takt production?
• Does Takt production lead to increase of risks? Are there other drawbacks?
• Are all kind of sites suitable for Takt production?

Who should attend?

Construction site managers and planners, contractors’ innovation managers, academics and students of construction management are all encouraged to attend.