The Canadian Construction Association is moving its Lean Construction Communities of Practice (CoPs) online.

The association was forced to cancel its annual Lean Construction Institute of Canada (LCIC) convention that was scheduled for April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In place of that event, CCA has opted to launch three online training sessions that are focused on Lean CoPs.

The sessions begin on August 27 with an introduction to CoPs and an explanation of why Lean practitioners should join local CoPs. In it, LCIC chair Bob Hildenbrandt will explain the importance of these grassroots groups as a means of continuous improvement and fostering a culture of collaboration, and why every Lean practitioner should get involved.

Two more sessions follow. On September 3, presenters will discuss the process of starting a CoP, from assembling a core team of Lean practitioners to creating an annual plan.

On September 10, the focus shifts to CoP best practices. The session will provide helpful guidance and best practices to managing a Community of Practice to ensure everyone gets the most they can out of them.

“Communities of Practice are a great way to both keep a focus on our continuous improvement and build the culture of collaboration our industry needs,” Hildenbrandt wrote in a recent edition of the CCA’s newsletter. They are meeting places in which Lean practitioners can gather, learn, connect, and explore the ramifications of their ideas both for their own organizations and the larger industry.

“Productivity has never been more important than it is today,” added Hildenbrandt. “The pandemic has introduced particular challenges that continue to effect construction, such as project delays, shortages of materials and workers, and supply chain snags.”

Each LCIC session is based on material from the new LCIC Guide to Communities of Practice, which, among other best practice guidance, encourages CoPs to pair with their local construction associations.

Registration in the first session is free to all participants. Registration in the other two is free to LCIC members, and costs $50 for non-members for either session, or $75 for both.

More information about the sessions is available through the LCIC website.