Pulse Check
SMART Planning + Daily Productivity Focus
Performance doesn’t begin with tools. It begins with clarity. The Pulse Check is a morning rhythm that sets intention, sharpens focus, and aligns expectations. It transforms planning into a live system, one that activates awareness, captures variation, and drives flow-centered performance across the crew.
Phase 1: SMARTSafe Execution Planning
Every day starts with a SMART plan: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These plans are anchored in both safety and performance outcomes. Each crew member understands the goal, the measurement, and their role in successful delivery.
Phase 2: Barrier + Constraint Awareness
With expectations set, workers are primed to recognize variation. As obstacles emerge, the system captures barriers, waste, and inefficiencies using Lean Construction principles:
- Barriers – Physical, procedural, or communication blocks
- Waste – Unnecessary motion, delay, overprocessing
- 5S Integration – Reinforces organization, visual order, and flow readiness
Phase 3: 4Ds + Flow Review
Crews assess the work plan using the 4Ds Framework:
- Dumb – Tasks that lack logic or clarity
- Dangerous – Risk-laden steps or unmitigated hazards
- Difficult – Steps that require unnecessary effort or complexity
- Different – Situations that deviate from standard and create confusion
This focus elevates situational awareness and helps crews proactively shape the system for success.
CORE, ACT, and CARE in Action
Workers apply the CORE model to assess their readiness and surroundings. When variation is seen, the ACT model drives constructive conversations (see it, feel it, name it, own it, shape it). CARE ensures the conversation is rooted in empathy, not blame. It activates appreciative inquiry and solution-minded dialogue.
BootLinking for Systemic Learning
Captured insights are documented and BootLinked to leadership. This enables visibility, response, and recognition. It’s not just about fixing today’s issues. It’s about improving the system for tomorrow.
Available in Both Print + Digital Formats
Pulse Check tools are available in field notebooks or web-accessible forms. This gives teams a consistent, repeatable method to improve daily performance, reduce rework, and move from awareness to accountability.
The Pulse Check isn’t a form. It’s a mindset. A shift from reacting to shaping. From compliance to contribution. From static planning to continuous performance evolution.