Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

The Culture Shock of Applying Agile and Lean to Construction | Luca Cotta Ramusino

Jun 17, 2025

Luca Cotta Ramusino, a Lean advocate with a rich background in construction, shares his insights on integrating Agile methods into the industry. He discusses the initial culture shock he faced when adapting manufacturing principles to construction's unique challenges. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration over competition and how visual management can enhance efficiency. Luca emphasizes the need for shared goals among diverse teams to prioritize the customer’s needs, alongside the transformative power of Lean thinking in construction.

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INSIGHT

Lean Principles Adapt to Construction

Lean principles can transform construction despite its unique one-off project nature.
Visual management and continuous improvement apply beyond manufacturing to construction effectively.

INSIGHT

Visuals and Swarming Speed Fixes

Visual management helps problems surface quickly, critical to saving costly fixes in construction.
Swarming, or collective problem solving, accelerates fixing issues, inspired by Toyota's Andon Cord practice.

ANECDOTE

Competitive 'Pie' Mentality on Site

Different contractors on site see the project as a 'pie' to divide competitively, impeding collaboration.
True project success requires focusing on customer value rather than individual slices of the work.

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Agile in Construction: The Culture Shock of Applying Agile and Lean to 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 experienced a culture shock when first applying Lean thinking to construction, struggling to see how methods designed for cars and assembly lines could work in one-off construction projects. However, he discovered that collaboration in construction isn't about boss relationships—it's about people coming together to deliver value from the customer's perspective. The key insight: when multiple contractors compete for their share of income, the real goal becomes finding ways to complete "the work" efficiently. Competition exists, but the ultimate focus must remain on delivering what the customer truly needs, not just what individual trades want to accomplish.

In this segment, we refer to the concept of an Andon Cord, and Swarming from Lean.

Featured Book of the Week: The Machine That Changed the World & The Toyota Way

These two books provided Luca with his "aha!" moment in understanding Lean construction. The Toyota Way, available in both English and Italian (with additional Italian company case studies), initially created a culture shock as Luca struggled to apply automotive methods to construction's one-off projects. However, these books revealed how Lean thinking could transform construction through visual management to surface problems quickly and swarming practices to fix issues faster. The books taught him that Lean principles transcend industries when properly adapted to different contexts.

The Machine That Changed The World, by Womack, Jones, and Roos.

Self-reflection Question: What industry practices have you dismissed too quickly without considering how they might adapt to your unique context?

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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.