LEAN DESIGN FACILITATION

Process Mapping

Project Visioning

Let me share a secret with you: the first time I went through the Lean design process, I absolutely hated it! Fast forward 19 years, and I’ve become a total Lean evangelist.

Mock-ups

Tabletop Planning

Early in my career, while working on the Seattle Children’s Hospital Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center (SCH), I struggled to grasp the value of Lean design. The process—building and testing endless options—seemed unnecessarily time-consuming.

But as the project wrapped up, it clicked: Lean wasn’t just about eliminating waste—it was a game-changer for creating smarter, more efficient designs with higher client and user satisfaction. These are the elements of Lean that I believe bring the most value to the design process:

  • Consensus: True consensus happens when everyone feels heard. Lean fosters collaboration by exploring all ideas, even unconventional ones, leading to designs that users understand and own—reducing post-construction changes.

  • Collaboration: Lean brings together clients, users, architects, engineers, and contractors to create a cohesive team where everyone contributes critical insights.

  • Testing & Refinement: Iterative testing allows us to optimize designs for functionality and efficiency before construction begins.

After learning from top Lean facilitators and leading numerous projects, I’ve seen its transformative impact. Don’t just take my word for it—watch this video from EvergreenHealth’s Family Maternity Center, where I led the Lean design process during its schematic phase at Ankrom Moisan Architects.

Clients new to Lean design often worry about cost, schedule, and time commitments. However, every Lean project I’ve worked on has delivered lower costs, shorter timelines, and empowered users.

Many also ask if Lean works for smaller projects. I treat it like an à la carte menu—you don’t need to use everything. I incorporate Lean tools into my standard process because they consistently improve results and client satisfaction.

LEAN DESIGN TOOLS

  • Patient Journey mapping

  • Process mapping: Current and future state analysis

  • Value stream mapping

  • Tabletop space planning & testing

  • Mapping flows / Spaghetti diagram

  • Full-scale printed interior elevations

  • Cardboard mock-ups and scenario testing

  • Virtual reality mock-ups and scenario testing

  • Renderings and 3D model fly-throughs

  • Introduction to lean design methodology for firms or projects

  • Facilitation and planning of Integrated Design Events (IDE)

  • Existing facility observation and analysis

  • Clinic simulation exercise

  • Pull-planning

  • Development of project vision, goals and charter

  • Prioritization matrix

  • Visioning exercise

  • Program review and adjacency matrix