Lean System-Based Tool for Housing Projects Management in the Pandemic Period

Abstract

This research describes a detailed analysis of the enactment of a lean Tool, the Last Planner System during pandemic period which helps in optimizing resources for better coordination among all stakeholders in a pandemic period. The LPS, as it is known, focusses on minimizing factors such as uncertainties, barriers, and variability to make construction projects more flexible for better project management. These include variations and deviations, supervision, delays in approvals, change resistance, and subcontractor dedication, which are all related to various stakeholders in the project. Following that, a Design Science Research technique is used to evaluate the effect of applying the LPS in buildings to address and achieve the objective of reducing the impact of setbacks created by the stakeholders such as architects, consultants, clients, project management team, etc., during the implementation of the LPS during any pandemic so as not to reduce the progress of execution. An action strategy is being used to attain this goal, and four case studies are documented which concern the implementation of the LPS in the building of the Boy’s Hostel, Research Scholar Quarters, Faculty Housing, and Girls’ Hostel at Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Data was gathered by observation of site activities, interviews, documentation analysis, and a questionnaire survey and grouped into various factors. While adopting the LPS tool in research, the factors affecting the implementation in the COVID-19 pandemic period were found. Further, these factors were analysed, measured, ranked, and validated for adopting in projects.

Keywords

• lean construction
• last planner system
• information flow
• project management
• priority index