Preventing the Parade of Delays in Takt Production

Abstract

In recent years, takt has become an increasingly more common method to structure work in construction projects. Because of the tight coupling of activities in takt, ensuring that activities are done on time is crucial. The literature stresses having good takt plans and discusses how to react to delays in the takt production. However, there exists little literature about how site management can work proactively during takt execution to prevent delays. This paper presents a case study of Consto – a major construction company in Norway – and their experience working proactively to prevent takt production delays. The paper identifies several causes for delays experienced in the company and several approaches used in the case company to prevent them. We found that if delays were not prevented, they tended to propagate and compound through the production system, leading to a parade of delays. Furthermore, working proactively to prevent delays is contingent on having a high degree of buy-in and commitment from all trades participating in the takt. A key to achieving this was to involve all the trades in the takt planning process actively.