Design process planning and control : last planner system adaptation

Many companies are seeking to improve their design process through the application
of lean principles. However, to implement lean concepts effectively, companies must
first achieve basic design process stability by controlling variability and increasing
reliability, which the Last Planner System (LPS) helps to accomplish. This study aims
to better understand the application of the LPS in design and to propose an adaptation
for the design of prefabricated steel construction systems for fast projects, through a
case study carried out in a steel fabricator company. This research work was divided
into three main stages. First, LPS was applied with two design teams, and an
adaptation of the LPS for the specific context of the company was proposed. Second,
the refined LPS was implemented in four additional design teams. Finally, an
evaluation of the implementation process, based on a set of design planning and
control practices was conducted, and a design planning and control model was
proposed. The main impacts of the implementation were an increase in process
transparency, stronger commitment in the delivery of packages, and collaborative
decision-making. The paper also discusses some of the difficulties in terms of
implementing medium-term planning, due to the complexity of the process.