Towards mobile lean communication for production management

This paper reports on an ongoing case study of a mobile computing pilot project at Sweden’s largest con-struction company, Skanska AB. The company has recognized the potential of a mobile computing platform based on the tablet computer user device for construction site management teams. A global initiative within the company has started with the aim of improving information management and project communication at production site operations with the use of tablet computers. The paper portrays Skanska’s ambition towards the creation of usefulness and benefit of the tablet platform for the site based mobile workforce in the initial development and implementation process. The evolving mobile computing project has so far been directly influenced by the needs of intended end users and pro-gressed in a trial and error fashion. The paper also discusses the role of mobile computing and project communication in a wider industrialization perspective; integration of project organization and technology that enables an effective platform for collaboration to facilitate leaner communication in the construction process.