Welcome, everybody, out to podcast number 1323. In this podcast, I'm going to begin the verbal recording or the reading or the describing of the book, Elevating Preconstruction Planning, formerly known, that's funny, as the first planner system book. If you're into that, stay with us.

OK, welcome, everybody. I hope you're doing well. I'm excited.

This is going to be a brief little intro because I'm going to start reading through this book. I've already done this for the TAC Planning book and the TAC Steering and Control book, and this is where we are now. So the Elevating Preconstruction Planning or the first planner system, this is really about making sure that you know what system we're trying to design on the construction project and you know how to design it and you know how people will interact with it.

I do want to start out with a shout out to Darryl and Joel. You'll find them in the first part of the book. Shout outs to them.

They helped me with this work and I really appreciate it. The Integrated Production Control System has three components. The first planner system, the TAC production system, and the last planner system.

They cover the planning of a project, the project systems for running a lean project, and scheduling and controlling a project. Each system must be understood independently and as it relates to the other two. Only when you are operating with the Integrated Production Control System, unifying all phases and teams, are you able to reduce variation to the point of no impact, control the flow, and predict project success.

And so again, first planner, TAC, last planner, put together with a people first mindset is really where we need to go. So let me give you a couple of brief descriptions here. I'm assuming you're very familiar with the last planner system, so I'll keep the recap brief.

The system is designed to involve the last leaders of the project team in the planning cycle. Connecting early decision makers with frontline leaders enables better planning and commitment throughout the team. It's comprised of the meeting system, key planning deliverables, and behavioral expectations.

These last planners coordinate and commit to short interval plans that will align the labor, materials, information, and permissions together in an execution plan. The fact that we have a last planner system automatically implies and necessitates the creation of the first planner system. And then Kate wrote in the bottom, I'm your huckleberry, meaning that's the purpose for this book.

If you want more information on the last planner system, read the book, TAC Steering and Control, or read the book, The Lean Builder, by our buddies over there, Joe Donnarumo and Keon Zandy. OK, the TAC production system, every lean transformation should begin with production or TAC planning. This system sets tasks to a specific pace, improving efficiency, reducing waste and ensuring smooth workflow through standardized zones and visual management tools on our projects.

We'll keep a high level approach in this book so for more information you can reference our last book, TAC Planning, to fully understand the system. But basically what you have with a TAC plan is you have a macro norm level TAC plan, zone maps, a logistics plan, and you've basically aligned supply and demand in a production rhythm. And so that's key.

The first planner system, this book will walk you through how to properly plan and set up a project by covering the design and pre-construction phase and the system that must be set up for lean project delivery. So you plan the project and you plan the project according to the system that must be in place and the trade partners are the ones that benefit from it. So in the book we have some really nice outlines for the IPCS where it says first planner TAC to the last planner.

But basically I want to give the here's what I want to do. I want to give the overview or the statement that we overlaid the theory of constraints. We overlaid this is lean.

We overlaid the Toyota way. We overlaid, like I said, all the rules of flow, lean thinking from lean core, the AGC lean course, DBIA frameworks, IPD frameworks. We even as silly as it sounds overlaid military doctrine and the systems of the human body. 

Basically, we just went through every known reference to come up with the outline and it all flows to the format to add value to the format. And we call that the integrated production control system. And this is the framework that you must have on your project for it to go well.

And it works as a system in systems thinking. And so the main things are you have to have the right external factors. You have to you have to plan your project and pre-con plan the right system on a rhythm of with the last planners at when they're on board and then make sure that you have a trade partner preparation process that on boards them to that system and then have the right accountability, quality and KPI trackers as a part of the overall framework.

And so we've done that. It's shown beautifully in the book, in my opinion. One thing I want to say before I finish here is that respect is first.

The first planner system is successfully implemented when the team and the individual are healthy and balanced. We believe that a work-life balance means that we can be fulfilled and successful at work and therefore take our satisfaction and contentment home and continue to build upon those feelings. Grouchy at work generally means grouchy at home and we're champions of breaking that cycle. 

Construction is energizing and exciting. We believe in winning at work and winning at home. We've covered these in these topics in Elevating Construction Senior Superintendents Book One, also titled Elevating Construction First Planners Book One. 

With the team and individual healthy and balanced, we're ready to implement the systems needed to win on the project. Another thing is the IPCS is form and focus. The Integrated Production Control System is designed to get the form and everything they need every single day.

They are leading the crews that actually build the damn thing. I can't emphasize enough that they are the unsung heroes and deserve all the help and support that we can possibly give them. You must facilitate their success.

If you hear someone blaming the foreman for a project in trouble, tell them they're an ass. I'm just kidding. That's not respect for people.

Direct them to the IPCS because they are confused about who is responsible for the faulty system. General contractors are here to provide the system, the processes, the quality and safety expectations, the materials, layout, information, the plans, stability and respect so that trades can bring their training, their labor, their tools and equipment and do a good job. We've also written the book Elevating Construction Foreman to help you with this.

So I'm going to leave it at that. This is a brief introduction, but these are going to be longer podcasts as I go through the overall first planner system as a part of the Integrated Production Control System. And we're going to have some fun.

And I really, really hope you'll spend some time with me because once we get grasp this concept, we can finally properly enable our last planners. If you're into that, stay with us. On we go.

Please join us next time in elevating the entire construction experience for workers, leaders and companies coast to coast. If you're enjoying the show, please feel free to share with your construction colleagues and help us spread the word by rating, subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast listening platform. We really appreciate it.

We'll catch you next time on the Elevate Construction Podcast.