Direct work observations for workflow improvement and ISO 18404 competency development

Al Hour, N, Ebbs, P and Manu, E ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9002-3681, 2025. Direct work observations for workflow improvement and ISO 18404 competency development. In: Seppänen, O, Koskela, L and Murata, K, eds., Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 33). International Group for Lean Construction, 1573- 1584.

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Abstract

Direct Work Observation (DWO) is a fundamental Lean technique used to interact with site teams and observe critical activities to improve processes. The process of DWO includes planning the study, observing processes, collecting data, interacting with site teams and identifying areas for improvement. DWO are also reported as first run studies and time & motion studies, however, their use aligned with ISO 18404 competency development is unexplored. By sharing how DWOs were conducted, and the approach taken, this paper explores the dual role of DWOs to improve workflow and support Lean professionals in achieving ISO 18404 certification. Out of 25 DWOs conducted across a UK highway alliance, three DWOs are explored in this paper because they involved ISO 18404 candidates who were seeking to develop their portfolio of evidence whilst improving workflow. Insights from interviews with ISO 18404 candidates reveal that DWOs contribute significantly to both ISO 18404 hard and soft skill development, aligning with the framework’s requirements. Some challenges were also identified, such as lack of make-ready that contributed to waste and inefficiencies, the danger that site teams could feel they were being audited, and the risk that enough follow-ups to DWOs are not conducted to measure improvement effectiveness.

Item Type:	Chapter in book
Description:	Paper presented at the 33rd International Group for Lean Construction Conference, Osaka and Kyoto, Japan, 2-6 June 2025.
Creators:	Al Hour, N., Ebbs, P. and Manu, E.
Publisher:	International Group for Lean Construction
Date:	30 May 2025
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.24928/2025/0219 DOI 2460394 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	30 Jun 2025 15:24
Last Modified:	30 Jun 2025 15:28
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53857

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