Adaptable or Collaborative Planning versus a Top-Down Approach
Top-down planning works well when it is clear what needs to be done and how. But where there is variability, judgment, creativity, non-routine work or exceptions, rigid planning can do more harm than good. As process variability increases, the cost of top-down planning goes up, while rigid adherence to inappropriate or misaligned plans or processes can prove counterproductive.
In businesses where there are many departments and teams across multiple shifts and roster patterns it can be extremely tough to coordinate work at the front line. This commonly results in tension and competition rather than collaboration between silos. This tension must be resolved to enable frontline leaders to coordinate safe and effective work where it happens. An effective visual commitment system is the key to changing this in complex variable organisations.
Collaborative or adaptable planning can overcome this failure of a top-down approach in the face of variability. The Last Planner System is a proven Lean Construction method that can improve outcomes in the mining industry. Dynamic scheduling is possible with the implementation of CiteOps’ scheduling tool which features Gantt charts, dependency management and resource allocation to practically address planning gaps.Â
Download our Commitment System Handbook for frontline superintendents, planners and supervisors.
