IGLC.net
EXPORT DATE: 19 June 2026

@CONFERENCE{Ng2026,
author={Ng, Pearl Li and Rahmani, Farshid and Le, Tiendung and Maqsood, Tayyab },
editor={Hamzeh, Farook and Poshdar, Mani and Garcia-Lopez,, Nelly P. },
title={Agile-lean hybridisation in construction}, 
journal={Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34)}, 
booktitle={Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34)}, 
year={2026},
pages={1156-1167},
url={http://www.iglc.net/papers/details/2521},
doi={10.24928/2026/0222},
affiliation={PhD Candidate, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia, S3817516@student.rmit.edu.au, orcid.org/0000-0002-2172-9605 ; Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia,  farshid.rahmani@rmit.edu.au, orcid.org/0000-0002-2312-807X ; Associate Professor, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia, tiendung.le@rmit.edu.au, orcid.org/0000-0002-6048-8883 ; Associate Dean, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne, Australia, tayyab.maqsood@rmit.edu.au, orcid.org/0000-0001-7166-8110 },
abstract={Persistent fragmentation and slow feedback at the design and construction phases undermine planning reliability and increase waste. While Lean Construction and Agile Ways of Working are often seen as complementary, empirical evidence explaining how Agile is hybridised in practice and how such hybrids reinforce Lean outcomes remains limited. This paper reports findings from a Straussian Grounded Theory study of 22 professionals across the Australian Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. The authors identified five clusters of hybrid practices enacted across design and construction: short-cycle planning and coordination, visual management, iterative design with early validation, rapid issue escalation, and hybrid Agile–Lean teaming. The findings demonstrated how these practices contribute to Lean outcomes, including waste reduction, improved flow, planning reliability, and continuous improvement. Building on these findings, the authors propose an Agile-Lean Hybridisation Model that explains when and why particular practice patterns are effective across project phases and governance contexts, positioning Agile learning cycles at points of high uncertainty and low irreversibility while Lean practices maintain stable flow and reliable commitments. This study contributes a practice-level theory of hybridisation and a contextual selection framework for designing phase-appropriate Agile–Lean hybrids in construction. },
author_keywords={Lean construction, agile, flow, waste reduction, planning reliability. },
address={Singapore, Singapore },
issn={2789-0015 },
publisher={ },
language={English},
document_type={Conference Paper},
source={IGLC},
}