Pull planning is a pain, but it's valuable when done correctly. Jason breaks down the difference between pull planning (a technique) and phase planning (planning up to milestones), then dives into how to implement pull planning the right way. He shares Principle 14 from his book: Pull not Push, pulling contractors into areas when ready creates flow, while pushing them on top of each other causes delays, waste, and quality issues. Jason walks through the backwards pull methodology (right to left from the milestone), explains why going backwards forces creative thinking and flushes out constraints, and shares Elevate Construction's virtual pull planning system with homework templates and Blue Beam setup. The hierarchy is clear: flow where you can with Takt, pull when you can't, and push when you must, but CPM push systems are wasteful and detrimental.
What you'll learn in this episode:
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Pull planning vs phase planning: Pull planning is a technique for planning phases up to milestones, you can also use Takt, traditional methods, or other approaches
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Principle 14: Pull not Push, pulling contractors when ready creates flow; pushing them on top of each other causes delays, waste, and poor quality
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The backwards pull: Work right to left from the milestone, list predecessors/constraints on each tag, and don't move forward until all needs are addressed
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Why backwards works: Forces creative thinking, flushes out constraints and handoffs that would delay work if not identified early
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Elevate Construction method: Homework template, swim lanes, Blue Beam sessions, color coding, and trust-building before commitment
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The hierarchy: Flow where you can (Takt), pull when you can't (pull planning), push when you must (CPM)—but avoid push systems whenever possible
Flow where you can, pull when you can't, push when you must.
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Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:
· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg
· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt
· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured
· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw