Is good enough “making do”?

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to address behaviour that often leads to inappropriate processing in a small design and build contracting organisation that employs direct labour. The objective was to reduce process waste and improve the value delivered to clients. This formed part of a larger knowledge transfer project (KTP) to improve performance on construction sites through the application of lean thinking.Design/methodology/approach – Action research was used to identify and bring about change within the contracting organisation. The method was applied to live construction projects in the social housing sector in the greater London area. The intervention was to raise the awareness of site personnel to the importance of finishing tasks through informal discussions and visual management techniques.Findings – Raised awareness of the importance of finishing work to allow other trades to follow on unimpeded, leading to significant improvements in the quality and flow of work. This helped to contribu...