33rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 33) - Osaka and Kyoto, Japan - 2025

https://doi.org/10.24928/2025/0217

What Types of Problem-Solving are Used in the Last Planner System?

Trond Bølviken1, John Skaar2, Bo Terje Kalsaas3 & Lauri Koskela4

1Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Agder, N4846 Grimstad, Norway, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-4834-2408
2PhD Student/Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Agder, N-4846 Grimstad, Norway, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-00032290-2374
3Professor emeritus, Dr. Ing., Faculty of Engineering and Science, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Agder, N-4846 Grimstad, Norway, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-43831683
4Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-4449-2281

Abstract

The paper presents the framework of Four Types of Problems, published by Art Smalley in 2018, and uses the framework to discuss how problems are solved in the Last Planner System. A problem is defined as any outcome other than the desired performance at any given time. The framework categorizes problems and problem-solving into four distinct types: Troubleshooting, Gap from Standard, Target Condition and Open-ended. The first two types are about maintaining a current standard (to reach the bar), while the two latter are about raising the standard (to raise the bar). The paper finds that Troubleshooting is in fact a dominant way of solving problems in the Last Planner System. Given that Last Planner is generally held to be a pro-active planning approach where tasks are being made ready for execution, this might seem surprising. Among other things, the reason lies in the project-based nature of construction.

Keywords

Problems, problem-solving, Last Planner.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Bølviken, T., Skaar, J., Kalsaas, B. T. & Koskela, L.. (2025). What Types of Problem-Solving are Used in the Last Planner System?. In Seppänen, O., Koskela, L., & Murata , K. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 33) (pp. 448–458). https://doi.org/10.24928/2025/0217

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Bølviken, T., Skaar, J., Kalsaas, B. T. & Koskela, L.. (2025). What Types of Problem-Solving are Used in the Last Planner System?. IGLC33. https://doi.org/10.24928/2025/0217

 

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