Effects of the interactions between LPS and BIM on workflow in two building design projects

Building design firms strive to maintain consistency in workflow and protect production from uncertainty during the building design process. However, poor design management often gives rise to variability in workflow during the building design process which causes delays in building projects. As lean approaches, the Last Planner System (LPS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) can improve workflow in building projects through features that reduce waste and increase efficiency. Since its introduction, BIM has had significant positive effect on workflow in building design projects, but combining LPS with BIM in building design projects has been rarely considered. This paper is part of a postgraduate research in which LPS weekly work plans (WWPs) were implemented in two BIMbased building design projects to see if better workflow could be achieved. It reports on the interactions in the two building design projects between the two lean principles of LPS and the seven BIM functionalities that, from the perspective of Sacks et al. (2010a), have the greatest impact on workflow when they interact positively. The findings suggest that the interactions improved workflow.