Session Title: Agile – The Way Forward

Lean-Agile (LeAgile)
Project Management
Suhail Iqbal, PE, PfMP, PgMP, PMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-SP, PMI-RMP, PMI-ACP, CAPM,
CIPM, FAAPM, MPM, MQM, CLC, CPRM, AAPM, ACB, ALB, AEC, SCT, ESMC,
SPOC, SMC, SDC, PRINCE2 Practitioner, Certified Project Management Expert, MCT
CEO SysComp International Private Limited, Pakistan.
Objective

To introduce a way forward for Lean, the Lean-

Agile (LeAgile) Project Management for non-
convetional Industries.

Not only to highlight the positive need for adoption

of agility in non-conventional industries but also an
attempt to marry it up with the lean.
Contents

– Introduction to Lean and Agile

– Lean Applied
– Possibility of Agility in Non-Conventional
Industries
– Can Lean and Agile be used in unison?
– Lean-Agile (LeAgile) Project Management
Proposed.
Questions Addressed

1. What is LeAgile? Does this term exist already or we just

invented it?
2. What is the biggest challenge in introducing agile in non-
concentional industries?
3. How do we propose lean and agile approaches can be
used in unison?
4. Is there any existing methodology or approach which
closely resembles the idea of LeAgile in non-
conventional industries?
5. Will the existence of Lean facilitate the acceptance of
LeAgile?
Introduction
to Lean and
Agile
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’

– ‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ - two separate approaches

– Some identified relationship
– Parallel development paths
– Some common features and intrusions
– Sometimes mistaken to be the same.
– Both approaches - distinct and unique in purpose
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ – What to
do?

– Find a way how to best utilize them together.

– Find the similarities and differences
– Try to have the best of the both worlds.
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’
Non-Conventional Industries

– Difficult to draw a parallel or clear distinction

– Tangible Deliverables
– More organized and well managed industries
– still causes a lot of waste
– already realised the need to be lean,
– Concept like lean construction or supply chain are already
accepted.
– Clearer objectives and static scope
– Assumed “agile is not for us”
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ - LeAgile

– If lean and agile can work together in

software and other industries, then why
not others?
– Other projects may be few but command
larger budgets.
– Greatest benefits to reap if agile and lean
can work for them together.
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ – Diverse
Views

– Many researchers and diverse views

– Agile - as a way to do things within the overall perspective
of lean
– Some debate they cannot work together at all. We will try
to establish
– Reinforce the commonalities of both
– Smoothen out the jagged edges
– Present a fit for non-conventional industries.
– Marriage of convenience - LeAgile
Definitions – Lean is Value

– “Lean is an approach that identifies the value

inherent in specific products, identifies the value
stream for each product, supports the flow of
value, lets the customer pull value from the
producer, and pursues perfection.”
(Karkukly, 2013)
Definitions – Lean
Doing more with less

– “Lean is doing more with less. Use the least

amount of effort, energy, equipment, time,
facility space, materials, and capital – while giving
customers exactly what they want.”
(Womack & Jones, 2008)
Definitions - Agile

– Agility is the ability to both create and respond to

change in order to profit in a turbulent business
environment.
– Agility is the ability to balance flexibility and
stability.
(Highsmith, 2002)
Definitions – LeAgile
(Lacher View)

– Lacher and Bodamer (2009)

– Agility in Project Management.
– Agile in the perspective of lean.
– Lacher and Varisco (2008)
– Agile is the implementation of Lean Thinking.
– Lean-Agile is a combination of Lean Thinking
and Agile disciplines.
– Lean is the ‘What’ and Agile is the ‘How’.
Lean Organization – Exact
and Precise

– Most economical usage of resources -

Just-In-Time (JIT).
– Manages and maintains flow of all its
materials and resources
– Eliminates all chances of waste.
– Reach a level of precision.
 Lean Organization
Managing Projects

– Work and only the work required

contributing directly to the organizational
objectives.
– All such effort leading to waste is not
taken up.
– Highly proactive and experienced with
processes.
– Be able to forecast and plan very soundly.
Agile Projects

– Focus is not on accuracy or precision but

on speed and flexibility.
– How quickly team can react to the
changing requirements
– Be able to complete the job in less than
expected times.
Agile – How it works?

– Distributes whole work in smaller chunks.

– Concentrates on one piece at a time.
– Remaining work is open to suggestion and
change.
– Cost effective response to customer
demand.
– Based on flexibility of design, production
and delivery.
– Projects with constantly changing scopes.
– Delivers the product faster.
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’ – Foci &
Scope

– Lean focuses on reducing waste,

– Agile focuses on being alert to opportunities
effecting changes in a fast manner.
– Agile is for projects with constantly changing
scope.
– Lean needs to be very well-planned right
from the outset, so scope must be as clear
and static as possible.
 History of Lean and Agile
1950 - Line of Balance (LoB), a visual method of construction planning
1960 - JIT by Taiichi Ohno 1982 - Lean as a formal approach
1990 - Lean in quality and supply-chain 1993 - Effective scheduling for construction
1998 - Repetitive scheduling method 1999 – LeAgile for Supply Chain Management
/ LBMS 2000 - Last Planner System

Exhibit 1 – History of Lean and Agile

(Copyright Ennova 2011, Friday, 23 September 2011)
2011 – Agile and Lean for Construction (ENNOVA)
‘Lean’ and ‘Agile’
Similarities & Differences
Lean
Primarily a philosophy
Focus on customer value
Focus on eliminating waste
Integrated and collaborative teams
Daily and weekly planning
Focus on improving task reliability
and reduction of overall duration
Agile
A conceptual framework
Focus on customer satisfaction
Focus on simplicity
Self-Organizing teams
Close and daily cooperation between
all parties
Focus on speed and adaption to
changing circumstances

Maximising profitability by reducing Profitable sales maximisation

unit cost
Exhibit 2 – Comparison of Lean and Agile
(Copyright JACOBS)
Lean Applied
Lean Principles Task Groupings

1. Specify value • Value-added

2. Identify the value stream • Enablers

3. Flow • Waste
4. Pull
5. Perfection
MacAdam (2009) & Moujib (2007)
Womack & Jones (2008)
Seven Types of Lean Waste

– Over Production Waste

– Waiting Waste
– Transportation or Conveyance Waste
– Over Processing Waste
– Inventory Waste
– Motion Waste
– Correction or Defects (Repair or Rework) Waste
Value & Value Stream

– Value is defined as a capability provided to a

customer at the right time at an appropriate price,
as defined in each case by the customer
(Womack & Jones, 1996, p. 353)
– Value Stream is defined as all the actions, both
value added and non-value added, currently
required to bring a product from raw material to
the arms of the customer or through the design
flow from concept to launch. (Morgan, 2002)
Value Flow

– Make the value flow

– Differentiate between the value-adding activities,
enablers and non-value adding activities
– By eliminating non-value adding activities we
eliminate waste.
– Once value is created, it is not delivered to
customer until and unless customer needs it and
pulls it on JIT principle.
– The whole process is then perfected by continuous
improvement.
Possibility of
Agility in
Non-
Concentional
Industries
Agile Manifesto (2001)
Software Industry

– Individuals and interactions over processes and

tools
– Working software over comprehensive
documentation
– Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
– Responding to change over following a plan
Agile Manifesto (2001)

– Created for software industry

– Adopted by several other industries
– Possibility for Non-Conventional Industries
– Change ‘software’ to ‘product’ in 2nd point
Agile Manifesto – How Can It
Apply?Non-Conventional
Industries
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
– Processes and tools are valued more and status quo
maintained.
– Still non-convemtional industries evolves, innovates and adapt.
– What if we consciously promote creativity
– Give initiatives to team and stakeholders to innovate.
– LBMS where a conventional schedule may not be workable for
all locations, plan separately for each location.
– Start prioritizing individuals and interactions over processes
and tools.
Agile Manifesto – How Can It
Apply? Non-Conventional
Industries
Working product over comprehensive documentation.
– Needs a workable product but perfection sought.
– Results in gold-plating and exceeding the basic specification.
– If not for customer’s changing requirement, we are causing
waste and are not even meeting the target of being lean.
– In LP system, the schedule is divided into five layers, only first
being mandatory, and are not detailed or restrictive.
– LPS has already taught us to reduce documentation and take to
the last planner level.
Agile Manifesto – How Can It
Apply? Non-Conventional
Industries
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
– Contract is the binding force in any construction project.
– Engineers will never agree to give priority to customer
collaboration over the contract.
– Contract revisions and changes, anyways, still occur.
– Why can’t we remove this barrier and work as partners?
– In LP system, last planner improves his bottom-level plan due
to feedback of the customer.
Agile Manifesto – How Can It
Apply? Non-Conventional
Industries
Responding to change over following a plan.
– We must be ready to respond to change as and when it is
needed.
– Make our phases smaller in size and iterative in nature.
– In LP system, Weekly Plans are prepared and collaboration with
customer is promoted.
Can Lean
and Agile be
used in
unison?
‘LPS’ and ‘LBMS’
Common Characteristics

– Both systems are lean by nature

– Both focus on decreasing waste and increasing
productivity.
‘LPS’ and ‘Agile’
Similarities

– LPS uses approach similar to agile

– Last Planner is the person actually doing the work
or the lowest level supervisor.
– The planning is not centric and involvement of
this last planner is essential.
– This makes the planning a collaborative effort and
better commitments are achieved.
‘LBMS’ and ‘Agile’
Similarities

– LBMS is more of a technical system in which work

flow lines are created for different locations
– Overall plan may be governed by traditional CPM
and PERT methods.
– LBMS makes the buffers of critical chain explicit
– LBMS forecasts future performance based on
statistical projections.
Last Planner System -
Phases

Exhibit 3 – Scheduling Levels in Last Planner

(Copyright Ennova 2011, Friday, 23 September 2011)
‘LPS Phases’ and ‘Agile’
Phases

– LPS interacts with the customer like Agile and adjusts and
improves the plan based on the feedback.
– Master schedule is just to define the key milestones.
– Phase Schedules are slightly more detailed explicitly
defining the handoffs from one phase to the other.
– Only these two levels are mandatory.
‘LPS Phases’ and ‘Agile’
Phases

– Look-Ahead Schedule is optional

– If you have time to forecast or if anything has to be re-
planned, we can use this level.
– Last two levels have similarity to Kanban as well as Agile.
– Weekly Work Plan may be considered like an agile iteration
– Progress Tracking may be the feedback loop with the
customer,
‘LPS Phases’ and ‘Kanban’
Phases

– Weekly Work plan is something we intend TO DO.

– Progress Tracking deals with DOING and DONE of Kanban.
– The missing link between Lean and Agile is Kanban which
has the capacity to bind them together into LeAgile.
Last Planner

Exhibit 4 – Last Planner System

(Copyright Ennova 2011, Friday, 23 September 2011)
Lean-Agile
(LeAgile)
Proposed
 Any Existence of Proposed
Application

– No proposed application exists so far

– Discussion to stir up minds to the possibility of
LeAgile
– Some research and white papers exist.
– Lean does exist.
– LeAgility is not a far-fetched idea.
– LPS and LBMS already hold the key to LeAgility.
Expected Benefits of
LeAgility

– Opposition expected from non-conventional industry

– Opening the floodgates of new possibilities
– Reduce waste in non-conventional projects
– Make them much more efficient and profitable
– Can be fast and flexile
– Saving enormously on time and cost
– Satisfy our stakeholders and
– Be able to sell more
– Making even more profits
LeAgile Supply Chain Management
Leagile Construction System
(LCS)
 Thank you!

– Name: Suhail Iqbal

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