How one construction firm built a thriving improvement culture by meeting people at the gemba (webinar)
In this practical webinar, Matthew Canistero, Operations Analyst at J.C. Cannistraro, shares how his company transformed a stalled Lean effort into a highly engaged, technology-enabled improvement culture.
Hosted by Mark Graban of KaiNexus, this session explores how Cannistraro moved from tracking ideas in Google Sheets to capturing thousands of real improvements directly at the place where work happens.
The key insight: technology is not just how they improve — it is often what they improve.
From a Learning Culture to an Improvement Culture
Cannistraro already had a strong learning culture fueled by young employees, co-ops, and heavy use of 3D modeling technology in design and fabrication. People were curious and asking “why?”
The challenge was turning that curiosity into action.
An early internal Kaizen challenge generated enthusiasm but quickly “ran out of gas.” Ideas slowed to a trickle because the system for capturing and managing them created friction.
Why Their First Improvement System Failed
Tracking improvements in spreadsheets and paper created delays between:
- Having an idea
- Documenting the idea
- Sharing the idea
That delay was enough to kill momentum. Improvement felt like extra work instead of part of the work.
This realization led them to a crucial principle:
Improvements happen at the gemba. Capture them there.
Two Types of Improvements: A Critical Distinction
A major breakthrough came when Cannistraro stopped treating all improvements the same.
They created two paths:
Adopted Improvements – changes someone has already made on their own that require no approval and little coordination.
Opportunities for Improvement – ideas that require collaboration, approval, or cross-department work.
This distinction dramatically increased flow efficiency by removing unnecessary waiting for simple ideas.
Flow Efficiency Applied to Improvement Work
Matthew introduces the Lean concept of flow efficiency (work time vs. wait time).
By designing their system to minimize waiting, employees could:
- Make a change
- Log it quickly
- Share it with others
Instead of ideas sitting in a queue waiting for review, value was delivered immediately.
Technology as Both Tool and Target of Improvement
Roughly 80% of their improvements involve technology:
- CAD/modeling shortcuts
- Outlook notification settings
- File handling
- Data upload automation
- Field iPad usage
- Safety organization on job sites
Because their daily work is already technology-driven, using a technology platform to capture improvements created a natural fit and a reinforcing loop.
Why the Shop Floor Was Harder
Interestingly, the fabrication shops — where less technology was used — had fewer improvements logged.
This revealed an important lesson:
If technology is not part of the workflow, a technology tool for improvement feels disconnected.
They are now working to bring more digital visibility into the shop to close that gap.
Don’t Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good
Cannistraro intentionally removed approval steps for many improvements. Employees are trusted to improve their own work without waiting for permission.
This trust increased participation and reduced the friction that often kills improvement programs.
What They Learned
Matthew summarizes several lessons that apply to any industry:
- Define what success looks like before configuring a system
- Build routines that make improvement habitual
- Acknowledge improvements publicly and frequently
- Avoid mandatory quotas and financial incentives that distort behavior
- Use technology to socialize and spread good ideas
- Treat the improvement system itself as something to continuously improve
Key Takeaway
Cannistraro didn’t succeed because they bought software.
They succeeded because they redesigned how improvement fits into daily work, reduced friction, trusted employees, and used technology to support — not control — the culture they wanted to build.
Improvement stopped being an event.
It became a habit.
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