Ep. 720 - Lean Onboarding Series - Cycle Times

Continuing the onboarding series, Jason Schroeder explains cycle times through Kingman's formula, a production law that says real task durations are never just the idealized estimate at 100 percent productivity. He walks through how variation and a crew's early learning curve push a four day task closer to five or more, and why that matters when committing to durations in a schedule or Takt wagon. Using a football analogy about teams only winning when they have practiced their plays repeatedly, he makes the case for promising realistic durations, building in buffer, and using that buffer to practice and improve until variation shrinks and productivity rises. Additional Resources: ==================== • Playlist -    • What Is Scheduling In Production Planning?   • Related Podcast - Do Not Shorten Durations — https://elevateconstruction.libsyn.co... • Related Podcast - Labor Productivity Principles — https://elevateconstruction.libsyn.co... • What to Watch Next -    • Takt Time vs. Cycle Time: The Crucial Diff...   • What to Watch Next -    • How To Calculate Takt Time And Cycle Time   • Jason's Book - Takt Planning: Lean Construction Scheduling With The Takt Production System® & Last Planner® — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKSSMTJ1 • Suggested Book - This is Lean: Resolving the Efficiency Paradox — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZZS7Q0 • Miro Board - The Takt Production System — https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVN6c-nUc=/ • Blog - https://elevateconstructionist.com/le... Key Moments in this Podcast: ========================== 00:38 - Defining cycle time and task duration 01:16 - Introducing Kingman's formula as translated to construction 01:42 - Why real cycle times include variation and below-perfect productivity 02:05 - A four-person crew example: why four days becomes closer to five and a quarter 02:43 - Why awareness of crew productivity matters when committing to durations 03:07 - Being careful with promises when packaging durations into a schedule 03:22 - Starting with a realistic duration and working down using buffer 03:54 - The football analogy: championship teams practice their plays repeatedly 05:01 - Applying the same practice mindset to construction cycles 05:23 - Closing summary: promise the right durations and keep improving them Real task durations include variation and a learning curve, so promise realistic durations, protect a little buffer, and use that buffer to practice and improve every cycle. On we go, getting better with every repetition. Resources ======================== Check out our website for more info: https://www.elevateconstructionist.com/ Access resources to elevate your operations: https://elevateconstructionist.com/re... Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: https://elevateconstructionist.com/po... Check out our training programs and certifications: https://elevateconstructionist.com/tr... Subscribe to my YouTube channel:    / @jasonwilliamschroeder   Learn More About Jason ======================== Jason Schroeder is the founder and COO of Elevate Construction IST, a company focused on elevating construction by providing valuable insights, effective solutions, and high-quality training. With his extensive experience in the construction industry, he created the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp, immersive training courses designed to produce high-performing leaders who can lead their teams in the right direction. Through Elevate Construction IST, he aims to scale his training programs throughout the nation to help more construction companies elevate their operations to the next level. ======================== Email: jasons@elevateconstructionist.com Phone: +1 (602) 571 8987 #Construction #ProjectManagement #Leadership