Case Study in the Application of the Last Planner® System

The purpose of this paper is to identify the perceived benefits and challenges in the application of the Last Planner® System (LPS) in an Irish context. A case study research method was applied to one Irish case study organization. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed from primary and secondary data. Limitations of the study include utilisation of a single case study and the part time role of the researchers. Five key perceived benefits of LPS were identified including; Improved planning accuracy, Real time control, Proactive control, Engagement, and Design quality for construction. One key challenge identified, was a lack of time required for implementation. Insufficient training and resistance to change were not found to be issues compared to the literature review. Two different challenges were identified including lack of customization to suit different client sectors and lack of a standardized approach to deployment across projects. Further research is recommended to (a) understand these additional challenges (b) follow up of this study in the future of the case organization and (c) include additional Irish case studies.