Lauri Koskela | University of Huddersfield (original) (raw)

Papers by Lauri Koskela

26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 2018

Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021

Integration between Design and Construction is a common topic discussed in the literature in cons... more Integration between Design and Construction is a common topic discussed in the literature in construction. The impacts of construction industry fragmentation are quite well known: poor design quality, lack of standards and constructability, suboptimal design solutions, high number of change orders, high rate of rework in design and construction, low value delivered for clients, design and construction delays and higher project costs. In the case of construction projects in which the design stage overlaps the construction stage, the industry fragmentation increases the projects’ risks and in some cases it nullifies the gains in cost and time which come about when using the strategy of overlapping. Although researchers tried to address the problem of industry fragmentation by implementing new tools and methods to integrate project stakeholders, for example, using Building Information Modelling (BIM), Integrated Concurrent Engineering, Big-Room, and so on, the literature is still lacki...

Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC), 1991

26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, 2018

Over many years, delay has emerged one of the most significant problems in the construction indus... more Over many years, delay has emerged one of the most significant problems in the construction industry, so much so that the causes have been investigated in numerous studies in different developing countries. Poor project management has been cited by a number of investigators as the main reason. However, despite such consensus, there are usually no clear recommendations demonstrating how project management practice could be improved. Moreover, the majority of recommendations made in the existing studies are general in nature and do not lead to a focus on a specific area. None of them are devoted to solving the difficulties associated with particular causes. It is further argued that delays do not arise purely because of tangible causes, as usually assumed in delay studies, but rather the underlying theory of project management may play a role in this regard. Finally, the paper argues that the utility of further traditional studies on delay is limited. 1 Civil Engineer, MSc, PhD Studen...

Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021

There have been important advances regarding the synergies between Building Information Modeling ... more There have been important advances regarding the synergies between Building Information Modeling (BIM) – as part of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) – and Lean Construction. However, the literature does not fully explore the nature of these synergies nor the conceptual reasons behind them. This better understanding of these synergies would allow the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry to achieve better Lean and VDC implementations and would provide a stepping-stone for the academia to continue building on these synergies. This article presents a thorough literature review based on leading international journals, conference proceedings and books, to explore the synergies between Lean Construction and VDC, including BIM (product), process and organization modeling. As part of this review, the article tests mechanisms about interaction mechanisms, previously mentioned in the literature. The findings indicate that using the entire VDC framework, the positive i...

The Toyota Production System (TPS) has continually inspired scholars of production management to ... more The Toyota Production System (TPS) has continually inspired scholars of production management to a search for its essence. Two new interpretations have recently been advanced. Firstly, Johnston has argued that conventional production management is based on an approach to management called management-as-planning. The central assumption is that intentional activity is based on a representation of the world. Thus, management is essentially about planning, i.e. manipulation of that representation. Instead, the TPS is essentially based on an approach called management-as-organizing. Here it is assumed that human activity is inherently situated, i.e. a response to the situation in question. Secondly, Spear and Bowen have claimed that the key to understand the TPS is the idea of the scientific method. When a production standard is defined, it also establishes a hypothesis that can be tested. Thus, they seem to emphasize the approach of managementas-learning as the foundational idea behind ...

The paper aims to investigate the implementation issues and benefits of utilising the Last Planne... more The paper aims to investigate the implementation issues and benefits of utilising the Last Planner and 4D modelling in the context of retrofit of social housing. It presents initial results of an on-going research project carried out in Northern Ireland, which focuses on the retrofit of solid wall homes. The research project involves the proposal of a process in which BIM is used to evaluate what-if scenarios for the retrofit of social housing with a focus on reducing user’s disruption throughout the construction process. Both 4D and the Last Planner are used to ensure the retrofit works with the minimum disruption. A case study on the retrofit of a set of houses was carried out, which is part of a bigger research project entitled S-IMPLER. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews, participant observation in planning meetings, site visits and documental analysis. The study sheds light on a particular type of project that has not been well explored by the lean community, i.e...

Since Aristotle, it has repeatedly been stressed that for engaging in meaningful discussion or de... more Since Aristotle, it has repeatedly been stressed that for engaging in meaningful discussion or debate, the discussion parties must share, besides a language, also knowledge, information, values and goals. What do we know today about this issue? How can that knowledge be used and advanced? The purpose of this paper is to consolidate our understanding on the many concepts that refer to preconditions for communication and collaboration in construction projects. The underlying research is conceptual by nature, and it is underpinned by a literature review. The findings show that currently there is a wide variety of terms and theoretical approaches that refer to the discussed phenomena. This situation invites for a conceptual synthesis and empirical research for its validation.

This paper aims at an initial analysis and explanation of lean through the lens of the discipline... more This paper aims at an initial analysis and explanation of lean through the lens of the discipline of rhetoric. First, the ancient origin, central ideas, subsequent history and current interpretations of rhetoric are outlined. Then, the overall meeting points of rhetoric and lean are discussed. At the outset, it is contended that certain arguments that can be used as a justification in rhetoric seem fertile for understanding the difference between lean and conventional management. Then, persuasion towards compliance in production is discussed. The field of visual management is argued to have an implicit foundation in rhetoric. The existence of a common ground of values, facts and presumptions between the speaker and the audience is emphasized in rhetoric; it is contended that lean construction in many ways endeavours to create such a common ground among the project participants. Regarding deliberation, the rhetorical dimensions in the methods of A3 and Choosing by Advantages are disc...

The method of analysis was developed by ancient Greek geometers to identify and solve problems re... more The method of analysis was developed by ancient Greek geometers to identify and solve problems related to geometry. From that period, well known scientists such as Newton and Descartes have applied the method. More recently, Polya has presented the method of analysis as a heuristic template to solve mathematical and other problems. Despite its continual epistemological dilution, the method has also been used to explain the cognitive process of designing. In this paper it is claimed that the method of analysis can also explain production management. It seems that the method of analysis has been used across different levels of management in production, i.e. from a holistic/strategic perspective through to detailed levels. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to discuss whether the method of analysis provides a partial theoretical foundation for production planning. The research approach is literature review with an emphasis on the method of analysis and synthesis. The conclusion is tha...

In the manufacturing industry the use of information systems based on modern communication techni... more In the manufacturing industry the use of information systems based on modern communication techniques, such as Material Requirements Planning (MRP), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems, is standard and has long been deployed with success. But these systems depend on consistency in the production systems, which a construction site is unlikely to offer. Furthermore the construction process is highly fragmented and in comparison to the stationary industry very complex. Due to the dynamics of the processes on earthwork construction sites, new flexible logistic concepts are needed. This paper will present “digital Kanban”; a method to dynamically allocate the best possible match of excavators and transport vehicles at earthwork construction sites. With regard to the principles of jidoka, “intelligence” is transferred to a control centre in order to detect abnormal conditions, enabling it to respond rapidly. Excavators are pulling empty dum...

Proc. 29th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2021

Proc. 28th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC), 2020

26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction, Jul 18, 2018

Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC), 1988