Production Control Principles

This paper reports the results of a search for the principles of production control. The search starts from the Last Planner4 system, develops its principles, functions and methods, then explores their applicability to designing and making, the primary types of work involved in project production systems. What differences in these types of work make a difference for control? What adaptations of principles, functions or methods and tools are needed for different types of work? The authors tentatively propose that the principles and functions derived from Last Planner are applicable to the types of work involved in project production systems, and that methods now in use can be successfully adapted for those types of work. The paper concludes with a description of needed research.