I’m no Aaron Franklin, but I love barbecuing—especially when using my trusty Big Green Egg! There’s nothing quite like a perfectly smoked brisket to make family and friends happy on a scorching summer day. Now that we’re deep into BBQ season in Texas, I thought I’d use this opportunity to walk you through a quick Pull Planning exercise, which I’ll use to help me figure out when I need to start prepping my brisket. These real-life (non-construction) examples can help articulate a Pull Plan’s core concepts. Here we go with our pull planning example…
Pull Planning Example
Step 1: The Activities
So, I’ve taken out my stickies and begun jotting down all the activities I need to complete to serve the perfect Texas BBQ feast:
- Slice and serve brisket
- Cool brisket
- Smoke brisket
- Bring the smoker to the right temperature
- Season brisket
- Trim brisket
- Unpackage a 12lb brisket
Step 2: The Durations
Next, it’s time to estimate how long each of these activities should take:
Slice and serve brisket = 15 minutes
Cool brisket = 2 hours
Smoke brisket = 12 hours
Bring the smoker to the right temperature = 1 hour
Season brisket = 5 minutes
Trim brisket = 15 minutes
Unpackage a 12lb brisket = 5 minutes
Step 3: The Handoffs
Almost every activity has a “handoff,” meaning a predecessor or something must be done before the next step can be taken. In other words, each activity depends on the one before it. For instance, I need to cool the brisket before I can slice and serve it; before I cool it, I have to smoke it in my Big Green Egg. Here are all of my stickies—in order, from end to beginning—with the activities, durations, and handoffs listed:
Let’s say my goal is to have this ready at 6:00 pm on Saturday. By adding up all the durations—15 minutes + 2 hours + 12 hours + 1 hour + 5 minutes + 15 minutes + 5 minutes—I learn that I’ll need to have my 12 lb. brisket in hand at least 16 hours and 10 minutes before dinner, which means I’m going to kicking things off at 2:20 am on Saturday morning.
The mantra of BBQ aficionados is “low and slow.” This means cooking the meat at a low, consistent temperature for an extended period, allowing the smoke to work its magic gradually. The result is meat that’s tender, juicy, and infused with smoky goodness. This process is a labor of love that requires patience—and, sometimes, ridiculously early bedtimes.
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Keyan Zandy, Skiles Group
Keyan is a longtime Lean enthusiast and advocate with a curiosity for how Lean processes and tools can improve teambuilding and teamwork in construction. As Skiles Group’s CEO, Keyan is responsible for driving corporate growth and guiding the company’s strategic direction while maintaining a dual focus on client service and nurturing a progressive company culture. With an emphasis on technological advancement, continuous improvement, and innovation in construction, Keyan shepherds the firm’s commitment to improving project delivery processes via Lean Construction and Lean project planning initiatives. He is the co-author of The Lean Builder: A Builder’s Guide to Applying Lean Tools in the Field, which simplifies and clearly articulates the benefits of seven primary Lean concepts, and delivers them in a highly-relatable, immediately-applicable, and field-friendly manner. Keyan also serves as Chairman for Smart Safety, an award-winning crisis management communication and emergency response tool.
