Lean Management

Faculty

Faculty of Agricultural Science and Landscape Architecture

Version

Version 1 of 21.08.2025.

Module identifier

44M0533

Module level

Master

Language of instruction

German

ECTS credit points and grading

5.0

Module frequency

only winter term

Duration

1 semester

 

 

Brief description

The control, organisation and communication on the construction site are core tasks of site management. The module serves to learn LEAN methods and tools for planning and controlling the construction site. 
The aim is to manage the construction site effectively while avoiding detours, optimising construction processes and coordinating results. To achieve this, the organisation must be lean and efficient. The lean principles are already applied in the planning phase. 
The goal of lean management is to only perform actions that have a customer value and are customer-oriented. To achieve this, the requirements and wishes of the customers for the construction site are of great importance. In the field of lean management, processes are examined more closely in order to avoid waste. For example, the module teaches students methods for visualising the construction site process in order to reduce misguided communication. The interdisciplinary (also temporary) cooperation of different teams in the construction project is important for a smooth construction process. The common construction project goal is promoted.

Overall workload

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

Teaching and learning methods
Lecturer based learning
Workload hoursType of teachingMedia implementationConcretization
30Seminar-
15Lecture-
Lecturer independent learning
Workload hoursType of teachingMedia implementationConcretization
20Preparation/follow-up for course work-
85Creation of examinations-
Graded examination
  • Homework / Assignment or
  • Written examination or
  • oral exam
Literature

Ballard, Glenn. 2008. The Lean Project Delivery System: An Update. In: Lean Construction Journal, 1–19.

Ballard, Glenn. 2002. „The Last Planner System of Production Control“. PhD Thesis, Birmingham: The University of Birmingham, UK.

Ballard, Glenn. 2000. Lean Project Delivery System. Lean Construction Institute, Berkley, CA.

Ballard, Glenn und Gregory A. Howell. 2003. Lean project management. In: Building Research and Information. 31(2): 119-133.

Balle, Michael. 2014. Lead with respect. Cambridge, MA: Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc.

Balsliemke, Frank. 2015. Kostenorientierte Wertstromplanung: Prozessoptimierung in Produktion und Logistik. Essentials. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler.

Bauch, Christoph. 2004. „Lean Product Development: Making waste transparent“. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gattermeyer, Wolfgang, Hrsg. 2001. Change Management und Unternehmenserfolg: Grundlagen - Methoden - Praxisbeispiele. 2., Aktualisierte und erw. Aufl. Wiesbaden: Gabler.

German Lean Construction Institute (GLCI), Hrsg. Publikationen und Downloads. GLCI Lean Construction. Begriffe und Methoden. GLCI Lean Logisitik Leitfaden: glci.de/institut/downloads/

Kraft, Bodo und Axel Zöll. 2014. „Von der Langstrecke zum Sprint - Agile Methoden in traditionellen Unternehmen“. In Projektmanagement und Vorgehensmodelle 2014 - Soziale Aspekte und Standardisierung. GI Edition Proceedings. Stuttgart: Ges. für Informatik.

Schuh, Günther. 2013. Lean Innovation. Berlin: Springer.

Seeck, Stephan. 2010. Erfolgsfaktor Logistik klassische Fehler erkennen und vermeiden. Wiesbaden: Gabler.

Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, Hrsg. 2014. 222 Keywords Logistik: Grundwissen für Fach- und Führungskräfte. 2., Aktualisierte Aufl. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler.

Verein Deutscher Ingenieure – VDI. 2019. VDI-Richtlinie VDI 2553 – Lean Construction. Berlin: Beuth.

Weuster, Arnulf. 2008. Unternehmensorganisation. Organisationsprojekte – Aufbaustrukturen. 3. Auflage. München und Mering: Rainer Hampp Verlag.

Womack, James P. und Daniel T. Jones. 2013. Lean Thinking Ballast abwerfen, Unternehmensgewinne steigern. 3. aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage. Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag.

Zollondz, Hans-Dieter. 2013. Grundlagen Lean Management: Einführung in Geschichte, Begriffe, Systeme, Techniken sowie Gestaltungs- und Implementierungsansätze eines modernen Managementparadigmas. Edition Management. München: Oldenbourg Verlag.

Applicability in study programs

  • Building – Environment – Management
    • Building – Environment – Management M.Eng. (01.09.2025)

    Person responsible for the module
    • Thieme-Hack, Martin
    Teachers
    • Thieme-Hack, Martin
    • Ehlers, Michael
    Further lecturer(s)

    Dipl.-Ing. Björn Wienforth