@inproceedings{Pasquire2017_1409,
  author = {Pasquire, Christine and Ebbs, Paul},
  title = {Shared Understanding: The Machine Code of the Social in a Socio-Technical System},
  booktitle = {25th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction},
  year = {2017},
  pages = {365--372},
  address = {Heraklion, Greece},
  issn = {2309-0979},
  doi = {10.24928/2017/0342},
  url = {https://www.iglc.net/papers/details/1409},
  abstract = {The emergence of the explicit need for shared understanding as an underpinning flow in lean construction has generated some debate and exposed a need to provide a better explanation. Following an investigation comprising of a total of 27 interviews and several workshops, the data identifies and connects the relationship between inappropriate understanding and constraints to flow - represented through a conceptual model. The research further identified that introducing lean construction concepts associated with the Last Planner® System caused the participants to realise the importance of a shared understanding when previously they had not raised it as a source of constraint or problem. The research concludes that a shared understanding is critical to the social aspects of a sociotechnical system and needs to be precise and project specific to achieve the desired outcomes. In this way, a shared understanding can be considered to be the equivalent of a machine code in an operating system - if the understanding breaks down then so does the project delivery system.},
  keywords = {8th flow; common understanding; shared understanding; lean construction},
}