Exploratory study of visual management application in Peruvian construction projects

Visual Management (VM) is a powerful managerial strategy that can improve the performance of construction projects by enhancing the transparency and communication. Several VM tools and approaches originally developed in the manufacturing context have been implemented in construction. However, the literature has scarce information about research on the application of VM as a managerial strategy in construction. This study explores the condition of VM in Peruvian construction projects. It identifies the VM tools, drivers, maturity level, benefits, and barriers to future implementation opportunities by running a national survey, and interviewing construction workers on ten different projects. The main findings are; (a) the current implementation of VM in Peru is limited, (b) the industry type, company type, and project size impact in different ways the application of VM, (c) the maturity level of VM application is Medium at Stages 1 and 2, and Low at Stage 3, (d) there are also some significant barriers to implementing VM. Some recommendations to move from Low application to Medium or from Medium to High are being presented as the contribution of this research, as well as, suggestions for further studies in this topic. The major limitations of this research are that the study discusses the issue mainly for the construction phase, and the projects analyzed are highly concentrated in Lima.