Applying lean principles to project management provides a simple, flexible, and tailored approach to projects of any scale. This allows SMEs to maximise their competitive advantages, such as flexibility and innovation, while minimising bureaucracy and waste.

Introducing the Lean Project Delivery System (LPDS) Framework

The LPDS framework aligns the five conventional project phases with Womack and Jones’ five core Lean principles: Identify Value, Map the Value Stream, Create Flow, Establish Pull, and Pursue Perfection.

In this five-part series, we will look at each of these principles in turn and how they can be applied to project delivery.

Part 4: Monitoring and Control | Pursuing Perfection

Once a project is up and running, attention turns to monitoring and control.  From a Lean perspective, this is not about heavier reporting or tighter oversight, but about maintaining visibility, ensuring quality, and enabling continuous improvement, without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.

The key question is: how do we stay on top of progress and keep stakeholders informed without slipping back into heavy, low-value reporting?

Below are several practical, Lean-aligned approaches that help achieve the right level of control.

Management by Walking Around (MBWA)

One of the most effective (and often overlooked) approaches is Management by Walking Around (MBWA). This aligns strongly with Lean thinking by encouraging direct observation, fast feedback, and early problem identification.

Project managers should interact frequently with the project team, ideally face-to-face where possible.  This helps surface issues early, reinforces an open and collaborative culture, and demonstrates visible leadership.

Real-Time, Web-Based Status Reporting

Where formal reporting is required, consider using an electronic, web-based system (e.g. SharePoint or similar collaboration tools) rather than bulky, time-consuming reports.

Real-time status reporting improves visibility, supports better decision-making, and ensures that all stakeholders are working from a single, up-to-date source of information, without creating unnecessary administrative effort.

A3 Status Reporting

For both internal and external communication, adopting an A3 status reporting approach can be highly effective.

By limiting reports to a single A3 page, teams are forced to focus on what really matters: key risks, issues, delivery progress, and wins.  This Lean technique helps eliminate “fluff” and keeps discussions centred on value and outcomes rather than volume of documentation.

Non-Bureaucratic Change Management

Finally, ensure that a non-bureaucratic change management process is in place. Change is inevitable, but it does not need to be complex.

Simple visual tools such as a Kanban-based change log can be used to track, prioritise, and manage changes transparently.  This provides the right level of control while preserving flow and avoiding unnecessary process overhead.

Closing Thoughts

Monitoring and control, when viewed through a Lean lens, becomes a learning mechanism rather than a governance burden. The aim is not perfection through control, but continuous improvement through visibility, feedback, and simplicity.

In the final part of this series, coming next week, we will look at project closure and how Lean teams deliberately capture learning to improve the next project.