Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

The Parade of Trades—Teaching Flow in Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino

Jun 18, 2025

Luca Cotta Ramusino, a Lean advocate with a rich background in construction, shares insights on agile transformation. He emphasizes the importance of buy-in from crews by demonstrating the personal benefits of Lean methods. His innovative 'Parade of Trades' simulation reveals how synchronization and predictability can outperform sheer speed in construction projects. Luca also discusses fostering team independence and internal expertise, cautioning against reliance on external consultants. His approach encourages self-reflection on making change practical and valuable.

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ADVICE

Get Crew Buy-In First

Get buy-in from the actual construction crews, not just management, when introducing Lean methods.
Show crews "what's in it for them" to overcome culture shock and resistance to new techniques.

ANECDOTE

Karate Kid as Teaching Metaphor

Luca uses the "Karate Kid" story where Mr. Miyagi teaches karate through repetitive chores.
This method builds skills indirectly, much like how Lean exercises prepare crews for new workflow.

ADVICE

Teach Flow Via Simulation

Use simulations like the "Parade of Trades" game to show teams that predictability matters more than speed.
Demonstrate that crews moving faster alone get bottlenecked if others ahead are slower.

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Agile in Construction: The Parade of Trades—Teaching Flow in Construction, With Luca Cotta Ramusino

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

Luca learned the hard way that you can't just parachute consultants into construction sites and expect Lean methods to stick. His change strategy focuses on getting buy-in from crews by showing them "what's in it for them." He starts with exercises that provide insight into how Lean ideas apply to their specific jobs, like the "Parade of Trades" simulation that demonstrates how one crew moving at twice the speed still gets stuck behind slower crews ahead. This reveals that predictability of progress matters more than speed of progress. Once teams become familiar with these concepts, Luca transitions from directive teaching to facilitating meetings and conversations, moving into the background to help teams become more sustainable in their Lean practices.

In this segment, Luca refers to the movie Karate Kid from 1984, and to Theory of Constraints.

Self-reflection Question: How do you ensure that change initiatives show clear value to the people who must actually implement them?

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About Luca Cotta Ramusino

Luca is a passionate Lean advocate with roots in the construction industry, now guiding teams through agile transformation. He thrives on exploring uncharted territory, then helping clients navigate it with confidence. Ask him how Lean and agile methods can unlock your team's potential in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environment.

You can link with Luca Cotta Ramusino on LinkedIn.