The document describes a lean game that simulates building construction to teach lean principles. The game involves building a 13-floor structure by playing construction resource cards in order. It involves 6 phases that introduce constraints to reduce waste and cycle time through continuous improvement. Key lean concepts observed include 5S, waste minimization, reduced cycle time, and collaboration. A SWOT analysis and strategies are suggested to apply lessons to future project management.

1. How lean are we?
/10

2. How do we get there?

3. Let’s build a 13 storey building

4. Basics of game
■ Objective: construct a 13 storey building as quickly as possible, working with the
constraint parameters for each phase (1-6)
■ Each card represents resources (labour, materials, plant) to construct a trade
specific portion of one of the 13 floors
■ The four suits represent the specific trades or waste:
Player 1 (Clubs): Structural contractor
Player 2 (Diamonds): Mechanical & Electrical contractor
Player 3 (hearts): Finishes contractor
Spades are ‘waste’ or non-value adding activity
■ Each floor (row of cards) of the building is represented by the face value of the card
(ace = first, king = 13)

5. How to play
■ Cards are shuffled in a loose pile face up on the table.
■ Choose a spot on the table where the 3 players will place their cards
■ Use a timer to see how each phase takes, given the differing rules
■ Players select their cards from the loose pile and then place the cards from lowest
(ace) to highest (king) within their assigned ‘construction area’.
■ Game is complete when the ‘King of Hearts’ is played as the last of the finish
activities on the 13th floor.

6. Table layout
Finish
Cards
(hearts)
M&E
(diamonds)
Structural
(clubs)
Loose pile of
cards
Timer

7. How to play cont’d
■ Order of play:
– Cards are placed from lowest (ace) to highest (king) according to their suit
– Each floor of the building is represented by the face value of the card (ace
= first, king = 13th)
– Structural cards (clubs) may be placed independently of other suits, but
must be placed in sequence from ace (low) to king (high)
– M&E cards (diamonds) must also be placed in ace-king sequence, and are
only placed AFTER the structural card on any given floor.
– Finish cards (hearts) are also placed in ace-king sequence, and can only
be placed AFTER both the structural and mechanical cards are placed for a
given floor.

9. Phase 1 (unilateral construction chaos)
Set up: all cards are face up in a loose mixed pile
Rules:
1. Players may pick up only the card they can play
2. No sorting of the cards is allowed
3. No talking, collaboration or team work
Players will play phase 1 twice.
- First time is practice – orientation to play game
- Second time – go for your best time possible.

10. Phase 1: Post-play discussion
■ How long did your team take to complete Phase 1
– Did you do better the 2nd time?
– Is this faster/slower than expected?
■ Where there any QC problems?
■ What are your suggestions to improve performance time?

11. Phase 2 (Improved site laydown
organisation)
Set up: all cards are face up in a loose mixed pile
Rules:
1. Players may gather all their cards.
2. Player may sort their cards during play
3. No talking, collaboration or team work
Prediction:
■ Is it faster if players sort cards while the clock is running?
■ How long will it take your group to complete this phase?

12. Phase 2: Post-play discussion
■ Was your team faster or slower? Why?
■ What might you change to further improve performance?

13. Phase 3 (Collaboration)
Set up: all cards are face up in a loose mixed pile
Rules:
1. Players may gather all their cards.
2. Player may sort their cards during play
3. Players may talk and collaborate, assist each other
Prediction:
■ Will collaboration result in faster time?
■ How long will it take your group to complete this phase?

14. Phase 3: Post-play discussion
■ Was your team faster or slower? Why?
■ What might you change to further improve performance?

15. Phase 4 (Reducing waste)
Set up: set aside all spades to the edge of the playing area, remaining cards are face up
in a loose mixed pile.
Rules:
1. Players may gather all their cards.
2. Player may sort their cards during play
3. Players may talk and collaborate, assist each other
Prediction:
■ How long will it take your group to complete this phase?

16. Phase 4: Post-play discussion
■ Was your team faster or slower? Why?
■ What might you change to further improve performance?

17. Phase 5 (Improved material
management)
Set up: set aside all spades to the edge of the playing area, remaining cards are
stacked in their suits (not sorted by face value).
Rules:
1. Players may gather all their cards.
2. Player may sort their cards during play
3. Players may talk and collaborate, assist each other
Prediction:
■ How long will it take your group to complete this phase?

18. Phase 5: Post-play discussion
■ Was your team faster or slower? Why?
■ What might you change to further improve performance?

19. Phase 6 (Optimized resource
management)
Set up: set aside all spades to the edge of the playing area, remaining cards are
stacked in their suits and sorted by face value.
Rules:
1. Players may gather all their cards.
2. Player may sort their cards during play
3. Players may talk and collaborate, assist each other
Prediction:
■ How long will it take your group to complete this phase?

20. Phase 6: Post-play discussion
■ Was your team faster or slower? Why?
■ What might you change to further improve performance?

21. Lean principles / concepts observed
■ Kaizen – continuous process improvement, “pursuit of perfection”
■ Waste minimisation – reduce anything that does not add value
■ 5S – sort, shine, set, standardise, sustain or maintain order
■ Reduce cycle time – decreasing the amount of time to complete a cycle
■ Collaboration – not specific to ‘lean’ but related to the lean principle of transparency

22. Lean principles / concepts observed
■ Kaizen – continuous process improvement, “pursuit of perfection”
■ Waste minimisation – reduce anything that does not add value
■ 5S – sort, shine, set, standardise, sustain or maintain order
■ Reduce cycle time – decreasing the amount of time to complete a cycle
■ Collaboration – not specific to ‘lean’ but related to the lean principle of transparency

23. Lean principles by phase
Principle Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6
5S
Collaboration
Waste reduction
Reduced Cycle time
Kaizen Continuous improvement

24. SWOT Analysis – moving to a future
state
■ From a PM perspective, what are your organisational Strengths and Weaknesses in
moving towards a future state. (Internal factors)
■ From a PM perspective, what are your organisational Opportunities and Threats in
moving towards a future state. (External factors)

25. SWOT Analysis
Strengths (internal) Weaknesses (internal)
Identify what your project/organisation
currently does well
Identify areas where you think your
project/organisation needs to improve
Opportunities (external) Threats (external)
Identify opportunities that your
project/organisation needs to seize
upon
Identify external drivers and pressures
that are or could potentially hold you/
your project team back

26. SWOT Analysis
Strengths (internal) Weaknesses (internal)
Advantages
Uniqueness
Skills
Selling points
Limitations
Lack of effort
Lack of strategy
Problems
Opportunities (external) Threats (external)
Improvements
Performance
Customer behaviour
Upward trends
External trouble
Obstacles
Competitors
Downward trends

27. SWOT Strategies
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities
SO Strategies:
Use strengths to take advantage
of opportunities
WO Strategies:
Take advantage of opportunities
by addressing and overcoming
weaknesses
Threats
ST Strategies:
Use strengths to avoid threats
WT Strategies:
Address and minimise
weaknesses with the aim of
mitigating and avoiding threats