What Qualifies as a Takt plan?
I think sometimes we are too strict about Takt planning formats. We should be strict about Takt planning standards, but the format is very flexible. Let’s see what I mean…
This is what a typical Takt plan looks like:
It is beautiful and well organized.
So, here is a question for you:
“Is this a Takt plan?”
To find out, let’s look at the definition of a Takt plan:
To be a Takt plan, your schedule must…
Be a visual schedule showing time and space
Show work, trade, and logistical flow
Be scheduled on a rhythm
Be planned with the appropriate buffers
Stabilize the pace of work with one-process flow and limiting work in process
Have a reasonable overall project duration
If your plan does not meet these requirements, it is not a Takt plan.
So, does our last visual meet the criteria? YES!!! See the visual below to see how.
Additionally, if you collapsed the bar chart into a single row, you would see it in this format:
It looks a lot like a Takt plan to me. So, what makes this different than most look ahead schedules the industry uses? I will tell you:
1. It is color-coded by trade
2. The format does not show weekends
3. The schedule was planned first by breaking out areas or zones
4. It meets all the requirements of a Takt plan
If it was black and white, with weekends, without area breakouts, and not planned on a rhythm with buffers, I would not call this a Takt plan. Below we describe the difference between a normal industry Bar Chart and a Multi-row Takt plan.
Bar Chart Definition:
Multi-row Takt Plan:
A Multi-row Takt Plan is a simple schedule and shows a graphical presentation of work activities categorized by a time scaled bar line AND zone location. Crews and scopes of work are color codes so you can see trade flow.
So, why does this matter?
In order to allow Takt to fully scale throughout the industry, we have have to be open to more dynamic formats while staying true to Takt planning best practices. I hope this has been insightful as you travel along your Takt journey.
If you want to learn more we have:
Takt Training " Takt Fundamentals"
A great podcast called "The Elevate Construction Podcast with Jason Schroeder"
The leanTakt YouTube Channel dedicated to showcasing how to do takt and sharing.
The leanTakt Website with tons more resources and content www.leanTakt.com
The Takt Book "Takt Planning and Integrated Control" by Jason and Spencer
Builder, Foreman, and Field Engineer Bootcamps " Upcoming Events"
Further light and knowledge from our Expert counterparts in Germany Takt.ing
If you need help with anything you can always reach out to either Jason Schroeder or Spencer Easton.
On we go!
So even if the trade using different takt time to other trades in the same zone still called takt plan? I thought it has to be all of the trades are balanced and using same takt time duration in the same zone to be called takt plan, as what I read on IGLC papers about TTP and TPTC. But please correct me if Im wrong.