Book Review: Build Lean: Transforming construction using Lean Thinking by Adrian Terry & Stuart Smith

Presented as a narrative like Goldratt’s The Goal, Build Lean: Transforming Construction Using Lean Thinking2 traces the lean journey of one company led by Steve, a senior officer. It begins when he is confronted by some dismal results on one project and a significant success, attributed to Lean, on another. Three sections –  Lean in a Construction Context  Implementing Lean in a Construction Organization  Using Lean to Maintain an Edge frame the story and speak to issues important to every organization adopting Lean Construction. This is not a book about adopting Lean Construction or applying it on a project. By “Lean” here I mean the principles and practices drawn from Toyota and popularized by Womack & Jones (2003) — Value, Value Stream, Flow, Pull, Perfection. Lean Construction3 is defined by fundamental concepts, basic practices and a common vocabulary. Together these create a new paradigm for managing work in projects from concept to completion. While the book may be useful to some, I found it disappointing for a variety of reasons. Even so, I recommend it for designers and contractors trying to establish a lean initiative and to their clients hiring organizations implementing lean principles and practices. More on that along the way.