Visilean: Designing a Production Management System With Lean and BIM

Conceptual analysis of lean construction and Building Information Modelling indicates significant synergies between the two. Interactions between the two range right from the design phase to handover and facilities management. Although lean construction is being applied throughout, application of BIM still remains predominant in the design phase. Previous case studies have proven that the use of BIM with lean practices during the construction phase improves the efficiency of planning. A software system - VisiLean is proposed that provides the construction team a lean production management system that is integrated with Building Information Modelling. The system provides clear visualisation of work status through visual indicators on the 3D model and also integrates several information sources to enable a truly integrated system that the construction industry lacks. In this paper, the basic underlying concept and a brief overview of the system are provided. The system has yet to be implemented on site so practical findings are not yet reported. However, it has been demonstrated to construction and major client organisations with positive feedback. Further work is under way to improve the system based on the initial feedback received and also to implement it on a pilot project to evaluate its performance.