The Lean Builder: A Builder's Guide to Applying Lean Tools in the Field

Two reviews in one, here.First, as a grizzled 30+ year veteran Trade Partner... WHERE has this book been all my life?!What makes this industry so much fun for me has always been the aspect of collaboration. What has always made it so dang miserable - when it has been - is the lack of open communication and top down pressure.Keyan and Joe have put out the only book I'm aware of that is accessible to the "work face" front line, on the site guys getting the real work done... Congratulations, fellas, this is outstanding and most of all: it's valuable. This book matters, it really does.Second review comes from a lifelong book worm... I mean, I read a lot. Way too much - "get a life!"The literature snob in me is always skeptical of the parable/fable format, because it soooooo hard to pull off without just ending up being a big steamy pile of cheesy.Lo and behold, they pulled it off. It must be nearly autobiographical, because I've lived situations they describe almost like they were there when I made those bonehead mistakes myself!Best of all, though, is that they didn't stop at the end of the tale. They go on to deliver a superb nuts-and-bolts "this is how you do it in real life, on the actual job site" second half of the book that really could be torn out, rebound, and sold for 10X the price as a University textbook.Anyway... buy it, read it, and become better for it.

This book from Keyan and Joe changed the entire industry. It marks a major milestone in construction. The reading is to easy, great and walks you through the journey of a real project in construction. It talks about Lean, it's methods, processes and tools, but also about relationship, challenges and the culture needed to transform projects and teams that are struggling into winning and successful teams. Congrats Keyan and Joe for the best book ever that is now available for everyone.

The Lean Builder gives a straight forward and clear explanation of the Last Planner method of construction management. I recommend it highly to anyone wanting to implement The Last Planner System.

An excellent field guide that should be required reading for anyone tasked with running a large construction project. The "story" of Sam advancing his way through the lean process provides a good way for you visualize yourself working your way through this process. Book is written very similarly in style to the "Ideal Team Player" by Patrick Lencioni if you're familiar with that (and wouldn't surprise me in the least if that was the inspiration for this style). The most important thing this book does is help re-emphasize the fact that in construction, at the end of the day you are dealing with real people, not units of production, not a manpower unit, real people. When those people are apart of the decision making process, they then become accountable to one another, as well as help be a part of the solutions.

The authors did a great job presenting the topic as a story. This is an ideal approach as it provides some caricatures of personality traits typically encountered at a job site. Let's face it: dealing with personalities is half the battle, but it is a subject many of the "textbook" type LEAN guides don't focus enough on.I would suggest it to those new to the industry, or as an gift/ assignment to those that clearly don't like change ( or have a bad attitude about participating in LEAN activities.)

Joe and Keyan did a fantastic job at coming up with a solution to a problem, providing a book that was aimed at the Last Planners/ the boots on the ground who are ultimately responsible for the success of a building project. The book is general enough that it can be used as a resource for individuals who work in any size construction project and in any role of a project, yet specific enough that it is relatable. The book does a phenomenal job at providing bite size pieces of information that can be implemented in a Just in Time or Continuous improvement model. As a Lean manager for a large General Contractor, I intend to use this book to reemphasize lean concepts to staff who have yet to implement them.

Well written and a quick read, “The Lean Builder” brings to life the essential best practices you must implement to avoid disaster on every construction project. This story about our main character Sam, shows you how to overcome objections from nay-sayers, and then keep your project on track by building a trusting project team, driving out unnecessary risk and waste, and checking your project’s health at regular intervals along the way. As a construction manager I am going to use “The Lean Builder” as a management tool for every project going forward.

I purchased this book based on reading an except with a single good idea.When my copy arrived I pulled out a highlighter -- as three more awesome ideas were revealed in the frist two chapters.If you are in construction or runnig teams to get stuff done, order a copy and prepre to get better!You will not regret this book!

a very easy read and simplifies what some say as a complicated process .. really focus's on the essentials that need to be followed

Great book to learn how to apply lean culture to any worksite. Easy reading and well explained concepts. I would totally recommend this to any construction worker.

Great introduction to Lean construction. Loved this book. Easy to read, like an instructional novel. Can see some great possibilities in getting this up and running in Australia

NO RECOMIENDO PARA NADA ESTE LIBRO

Great story on how a young construction site manager can conquer the inevitable and impossible problems on-site by applying lean approaches.