In Time at Last - Adaption of Last Planner Tools for the Design Phase of a Building Project

Abstract

This study focuses on identifying how implementing the Last Planner System (LPS) tools can mitigate collaboration-related problems in design. The theoretical approach of the study is based on the cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and the data collection involved the observation of collaboration between designers in traditional design meetings and LPS meetings. How does the implementation of the Last Planner (LP) tools change the collaboration of designers? How does the temporal orientation change during LPS meetings? The implementation of the LP tools brought about positive results in our case organization. The changes in collaboration involved transitions from formal to emerging agenda, from the use of rule-based tools to the use of new tools, from reactive to proactive temporal orientation, and towards better completion of the design tasks in the design meetings. Communication between different design disciplines increased during the LPS meetings. Especially, the main designer was able to take an active role in the LPS meetings with the help of new tools. During the process, the concerns to interdependency between design disciplines increased.