S8E179: Valuing the Project Timeline with Ali Mafi

In this episode, Val and Dale interview Ali Maffey about project management and the importance of lean thinking. They discuss the challenges of project planning, the role of technology in project management, and the complexity of project management tools. They also delve into the difference between identifying threats and shortening programs, the flaws of long-term planning, and the benefits of small projects. The conversation concludes with final thoughts and anecdotes from Ali.Takeaways

• Lean thinking is crucial in project management as it focuses on eliminating waste and improving efficiency.
• Project planning can be challenging, especially when it comes to long-term planning and forecasting risks in novel projects.
• Technology plays a significant role in project management, but it can also add complexity and hinder progress if not used effectively.
• Identifying bottlenecks and addressing them is essential for successful project execution.
• Improving project management requires a collective effort from all project professionals, and a focus on collaboration and breaking down silos.

Ali started on-site as an engineer in Terminal 4 in 1980. I worked my way up to the project management role and, after two projects, decided how projects worked wasn't for me. Nothing seemed to work and I felt that it wasn’t intellectually engaging. It was all chasing sub-contractors and engaging in energy-sapping toxic behaviours such as blaming and defensive reasoning.

Ali left construction to do an MBA and then worked at a large automotive company looking at life cycle cost and productivity. It was during this period that I discovered an environment where things worked. The right colour door arrived at the right colour car every time.

Ali came back to construction and joined Balfour Beatty Civils and Rail major projects. Early on, I was asked, based on my automotive experience and MBA, to join the Business Improvement Team (BIT) which was probably the first of its kind in construction.

The BIT was made up of 5 of the smartest people I have met in construction. We then spent 6 years testing out everything and anything we read or heard about.

Ali started with implementing TQM before Lean Thinking. We helped Eli Goldratt with his first trial of Critical Chain. We met Gelen Ballard soon after his Last Planner paper was published. We tested out ideas from Semco and Riccardo Semler, setting up self-managing front-line teams on major projects.

In 1999, Ali was seconded to Egan’s M4I (backed by the cabinet office) as an innovation advisor. I helped develop the Construction National KPIs, promote offsite manufacturing, and encourage the use of partnering PPC2000 forms of contract.

Ali also set up and ran the first Lean Thinking training workshops in construction.

Ali was also responsible for validating the innovations claimed by the 68 Egan complaint demonstration projects and producing the ministerial report for the parliament.

In 2004 he helped set up Lean Thinking Ltd and became a member of Buildoffsite. At a later date, he supported the first BIM trial project.

Ali has been involved with more than 200 projects and have experimented with more ideas, tools, techniques, initiatives, etc, on more live projects for a longer period than probably anyone else in the industry globally.

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