WORKSHOP DAY

The IGLC33 Organising Committee is very happy to have received many proposals for the Workshop Day. The review of proposals is currently ongoing but we are already proud to announce the following workshops and update:

Advancing lean and safe construction training for the future tech-savvy workforce

This workshop targets leaders in high-tech industries, like Japan, and its adopters in the rest of the world that are interested in the next generation of assistive technology that brings together lean and safety theories in practical applications. For example, Japanese construction companies and worksites are leading in the design of lean and safe construction work environments (site layouts). This workshop will reflect upon some of these best practices and case studies from Japan and the Nordics, and introduce how the rest of the world can learn from adapting their expertise. This will include lively discussions among the participants about the various requirements, potential benefits and remaining limitations, and at the end of the workshop return novel insights into how learning with IT assists in data-driven approaches to create lean and safe workplaces.

Workshop holders
Jochen Teizer, Professor, University of Denmark, Denmark.
Jürgen Melzner, Professor, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany

Other information
Duration: Half day.
Maximum participants: 50.
Suitable for:

How emerging technology can achieve kaizen in a human-centred cyber-physical built environment

This workshop brings together industry experts, researchers, and students to explore how digital, physical, and cyber-physical technologies can revolutionise ‘kaizen’ — the lean principle of continuous improvement — within a human-centred, sustainable built environment and Society 5.0. Through an interactive lean-based game, hands-on prototype demonstrations, and dynamic discussions, participants will experience Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and robotics in action, uncovering their potential to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. By engaging directly with emerging technologies, participants could challenge conventional thinking, exchange insights, and co-create forward-thinking solutions that merge lean methodologies with cutting-edge advancements, shaping the future of industry and society.

Workshop holders
Dr. Clara Cheung, Reader in Engineering Management, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Dr. Tsukasa Ishizawa, Project Associate Professor, University of Tokyo, Japan

Supported by:
Dr. Ming Shan Ng, Professor, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan
Dr. Alex Orsholits, Researcher, University of Tokyo, Japan
Dr. Akilu Yunusa-Kaltungo, Reader, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Other information
Duration: Full day.
Maximum participants: 70.
Suitable for:

The ‘Flow Walk’ - a collaborative approach to identify and deal with risks

Through practical exercises and case studies the workshop will demonstrate how various new and more established lean tools are used in IRMA (Integrated Risk Management Approach) 360, to collaboratively identify and deal with risks including make-ready constraints. The main exercise in the workshop is the ‘Flow Walk’ which is a new divergent and convergent collaborative risk management technique that identifies risks (threats, opportunities, assumptions, and make-ready constraints) through the eight Pre-requisite Flows of Lean. Data from the UK and Japan will be used to provide a real world experience of the Flow Walk. The workshop will conclude with break-out discussions to compare the nuances between Japanese and UK construction projects along with three Flow Walk case studies from the UK, Middle East and Brazil to further demonstrate how the Flow Walk and IRMA 360 is used in practice to enhance the Last Planner System but in particular the make-ready and learning functions.

Workshop holders
Paul Ebbs, Lean Transformation Director, Curo Construction, United Kingdom
Dr. Emmanuel Manu, Assistant Professort, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom

Supported by:
Prof. Zofia Rybkowski, Texas AM University, United States of America
Marcus Fireman & Bernardo Etges, Climb Group
Potentially a Japanese colleague to be added

Other information
Duration: Full day.
Maximum participants: 40.
Suitable for: This workshop is aimed at more advanced lean practitioners, coaches, and academics as it is about identifying and dealing with flow blockers. It is possible to use the Flow Walk as a stand alone tool so beginners are welcome and will also find it interesting to observe the level of collaboration required to expose and deal with flow blockers.  

Another 11 workshops are currently under consideration and have received a list of recommendations and comments for its further development. The following proposals are very likely to be offered:

Lean Robotics for future-ready construction: Hands-on with the GearsBot Simulator

This workshop is designed as a full-day interactive session, structured to progressively build participants’ understanding and practical application of automation and robotics in Lean construction settings. The first half of the day will focus on introducing synergies between Lean and automation, followed by a hands-on tutorial on the GearsBot simulation platform. In the second half of the workshop, teams will engage in a collaborative challenge where they will propose and implement innovative strategies for integrating robots within the simulated environment to support Lean construction practices.

This workshop is suitable for individuals at all levels. The focus on effective coordination through conversations, building trust, and managing moods applies to leaders at all levels. It has been delivered to C-suite leadership teams and project leaders of all levels.

Workshop Holders:
Dr. Samuel A. Prieto (Postdoctoral Associate), S.M.A.R.T. Construction Research Group, New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Prof. Borja García de Soto (Associate Professor). S.M.A.R.T. Construction Research Group, New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  

Other information
Duration: Full Day
Maximum Participants: 50
Suitable for:

What is missing? Lean Construction Introduction around the world compared

Lean Construction is introduced to people inconsistently around the world, yet the values and principles of lean are well defined. It would be beneficial to have a common basic introduction to these and why they matter so that when they people move between organisations or regions they be integrate quickly and build on their previous experience.  This interactive workshop will run through an Introduction to Lean Construction that has been developed by Lean Construction ANZ and seek feedback on whether:

  • Materials and activities resonate with attendees from different regions

  • Industry, organisational and cultural challenges vary between regions

  • There is consistency in "what is missing" from Lean training around the world and whether this workshop adequately addresses the gaps

  • There could be value in making the same Introduction to Lean Construction workshop and the Building Capability Programme available outside of Australia and New Zealand.

Workshop holder
Robert Hales, Market Director, Land Transport at Beca, Lean Construction ANZ Building Capability Programme Team, IGLC Member (IGLC32 Committee).

Other information
Duration: Half day.
Maximum participants: 75-100.
Suitable for:  This workshop would be suitable/interesting for a wide range of people, from people who have no experience in Lean Construction (as the workshop will provide them with an introduction to the values, principles and a set of basic tools) to the most experienced practitioners and academics as their feedback on the workshop will be essential to understanding the potential for this introduction to Lean Construction to be adopted more widely and as to how it could be improved.

Enhancing lean construction through the language action perspective

In the domain of effective coordinated action, language is not merely a tool for communication — it is the foundation upon which we build trust, commitment, and the capacity to coordinate action. This Essential Conversations Workshop is designed to cultivate a new understanding of how we speak, listen, and generate possibilities within our organisations and teams with moods and trust in the background of everything we do. Grounded in the ontological and linguistic insights of the Language Action Persepective (LAP), this workshop is not about learning to exchange information more effectively. Instead participants will learn fundamental skills to have more effective conversations, secure reliable promises, how to listen for concerns, build and repair trust and generate new possibilities for projects by developing deeper relationships and coordinating our actions effectively in conversation.

Workshop holder
Jason Klous, Principal, Midion.

Other information
Duration: Half day.
Maximum participants: 35.
Suitable for: This workshop is suitable for individuals at all levels. The focus is on effective coordination through conversations, building trust, and managing moods which applies to (project) leaders at all levels.

The following workshops are also under consideration:

Ethical, safe, and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in construction: Balancing innovation and accountability

Lean or not? Match-making of lean concepts in automation in construction

AI-powered construction progress monitoring and quality assessment: A lean approach to shaping future infrastructure

Building safer teams: Exploring psychological safety in the construction industry

Lean quality — The need for an integrated approach

Metrics for action

Leveraging “Design Thinking” to solve wicked problems

Enhancing visual management in Construction through a serious game

INFORMATION ON CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The content of the Workshop Day is under development. Experts, both researchers from academia and industry practitioners in the AEC industry and related fields, were invited to submit a proposal about their contribution to one of the three themes of the Workshop Day. Teams comprised of participants from both academia and industry are strongly encouraged.

Format Workshop Day

The Workshop Day will consist of workshops in any formats of a duration of 2 hours, half a day or a full day. This can include workshop techniques, technology/activity/workflow demonstrator projects, interactive games, digital/physical simulations, flipped-classroom exercises, feedback-based prototyping and so on. Deliverables can be done in any format including digital/physical on-site production, qualitative interviews, quantitative data collections, alpha/beta test of prototypes, gamification, game simulations, presentations with real-time feedback, interviews and/or panel discussions. The hosts are challenged to incorporate the theme ‘Lean in Japan vs. the World’ into their workshop. This could be by collaborating with experts from the different backgrounds, exploring various examples and cases, and/or by including knowledge from both ‘worlds’.

Guidelines

·      Team details: All participant(s)’ name(s), position(s) and affiliation(s);

·      What is the proposed topic/work title? What is the proposed duration of the workshop?

·      Which of the two themes does your proposal connect to, and how?

·      How do you incorporate elements of Japan and the rest of the world into your workshop?

·      How would you challenge and/or contribute to a discussion around that theme? (Include a description of the proposed workshop).

Synergies between Expo 2025 Osaka’s theme: ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’ and lean

Could you describe the link with the theme of the Expo 2025 event? (Note: the contributor is expected to read into the theme of the Expo 2025 event).

Shaping the Future of Construction

What makes your contribution part of the future of construction? And how? What is/are the expected contribution(s) to science/industry? What kind of opportunities do you see for collaboration in this area between academia and industry? How do you suggest or imagine implementing Lean in future society and the AEC industry? What are the challenges and how you plan to solve them? How can society implement Lean to co-create a future-proof ‘lean-based industry’? 

Key Dates

·      One-page proposal submission deadline: 31 January 2025 | Closed

·      Provisional acceptance of proposal and comments from local organisation: 28 February 2025

·      Submission of revised proposal: 31 March 2025

·      Final guidance for the proposal development: 30 April 2025

·      Workshop Day: 3 June 2025

 

Submission Process

To submit, all applicants must send their one-page proposal as an attachment in PDF in English with the abovementioned information to the following email address iglc33@iglc-conference.com with the email subject starting with "IGLC33 | Workshop Day proposal". Applicants may submit more than one proposal.