Definition

• Lean construction training equips project managers with professional knowledge for new construction practices based on insights from manufacturing. For example, project managers learn to apply lean production techniques to construction projects. According to the Lean Construction Institute, research in how to reduce the amount of time it takes to deliver a construction product "requires linking design, supply, fabrication and installation in a production system."
  
  

Insight

• American colleges and universities offer courses in lean construction through their professional construction and engineering programs. For example, the University of California-Berkeley offers a course which covers how construction companies can satisfy consumer demand while bettering their architecture, engineering and construction processes and products.
  
  

Readings

• You can begin your lean construction training by studying introductory reading materials posted online by the Lean Construction Institute (see Resources). At the LCI website, you can also find links to other professional development materials, such as conference papers, audio files and presentations from past industry meetings, as well as other articles about lean construction from other sources.
  
  

Considerations

• Sometimes lean construction topics are covered in training sessions with other construction topics. For example, the Allied Construction Industries training provider includes lean construction with green building concepts, LEED certification and documentation, and Building Information Modeling (BIM).
  
  

Training Information

• Lean construction trainers can save time and money by utilizing professionally prepared PowerPoint presentations by companies such as Superfactory. This website includes eight series related to applying lean principles in industries that the trainer can use to inform students. Understanding lean construction is enhanced when you can demonstrate the foundations in lean manufacturing and how lean concepts are used in other industries. Your materials might even offer techniques from different approaches such as Kaizen, Kanban, Value Streams, 5S and Six Sigma.