Project Management guide · Project management fundamentals
Lean Project Management: Principles and Practices
Lean project management applies Lean thinking to projects: deliver what customers value, with as little waste as possible, through smooth flow and continuous improvement.
Key takeaways
- Lean project management focuses on value and eliminating waste.
- Waiting, rework and too much work in progress are common project wastes.
- Lean complements Agile.
Lean principles applied to projects
| Principle | In a project |
|---|---|
| Value | Define success from the customer's perspective |
| Value stream | Map every step from request to delivery |
| Flow | Reduce handoffs and waiting between tasks |
| Pull | Start work when capacity and demand exist |
| Perfection | Improve continuously through reviews |
Waste in projects
- Waiting for approvals, information or other teams.
- Overproduction: features or documents nobody needs.
- Rework from unclear requirements.
- Too many projects in progress at once.
- Handoffs that lose knowledge.
- Unused skills of team members.
See Lean manufacturing for the classic seven wastes.
Lean tools for projects
- Value stream mapping.
- Kanban boards and WIP limits.
- Last Planner System in construction; see Agile in construction.
- A3 problem-solving reports.
- Root-cause analysis such as the fishbone diagram.
Lean vs Agile
Lean focuses on flow and waste across the whole system; Agile focuses on iterative delivery and feedback within teams. They are complementary, and many organisations use both.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Lean the same as Lean Six Sigma?
No. Lean Six Sigma combines Lean's focus on flow and waste with Six Sigma's focus on reducing variation. See Lean vs Six Sigma.
Can Lean be used in any industry?
Yes. It started in manufacturing but is used in healthcare, software, construction and services.
What is Lean project management?
Applying Lean principles to projects: define value from the customer's view, map the value stream, improve flow, pull work and improve continuously while eliminating waste.
What are the five Lean principles?
Value, value stream, flow, pull and perfection.
What is waste in Lean project management?
Anything that does not add value for the customer, such as waiting, overproduction, rework, too much work in progress, handoffs and unused skills.
What tools are used in Lean project management?
Value stream mapping, Kanban boards and WIP limits, the Last Planner System, A3 reports and root-cause tools such as the fishbone diagram.
What is the difference between Lean and Agile?
Lean focuses on flow and waste across the whole system; Agile focuses on iterative delivery and feedback within teams. They complement each other.
What is an A3 report in Lean project management?
A one-page problem-solving format, named after the paper size, covering background, current state, root cause, countermeasures and follow-up.
Where did Lean come from?
From the Toyota Production System developed in Japan from the 1950s onwards. See Lean manufacturing.
What is kaizen in Lean project management?
Continuous improvement through small, regular changes, often suggested by the people doing the work.
How do you start using Lean on a project?
Map how work currently flows, identify the biggest delays and waste, limit work in progress and review improvements regularly.