10:15 - 10:45 AM

Choosing by Advantages (CBA) is a powerful decision-making system that can significantly enhance project decision-making processes. Developed by Jim Suhr in 1986, CBA focuses on the importance of advantages among alternatives, providing a structured and transparent approach to complex decisions. In this session, Anette, Randi, and Paz will share how CBA improves project outcomes by fostering collaboration, reducing bias, and creating an auditable decision trail, and also how this approach has proven effective in various project scenarios, from selecting building materials to choosing contractors and more.

ANNETT SCHÖTTLE, RANDI CHRISTENSEN, and PAZ ARROYO 

By Paz Arroyo, Annett Schöttle, Randi Christensen

Copyright 2025 

Yes! We have signed a contract with Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group! 

This book offers a practical framework and guidelines for group decision-making where multiple stakeholders have to come to a resolution. We introduce the reader to the Choosing by Advantages (CBA) decision-making system, explaining its principles and methods.  The book also includes research and practical cases from our professional experience in the construction industry.

We are eagerly anticipating the release of our book!

You can add it to your whish list and preorder in various vendors around the world.

We will keep you updated in new dates!

Choosing By Advantages (CBA) is a powerful system to make collaborative decisions for design and construction that aligns with lean thinking.

Project teams have to make many decisions; waiting for the owner or architect to make them in isolation is not a wise strategy. Teams that systematically use CBA in a collaborative fashion significantly decrease negative design iterations, save time and money for the owner, and reduce team frustration. CBA helps teams align on what is relevant, understand why decisions were made on a project, and find innovative design and construction solutions.

This workshop will provide the basis for CBA. Through exercises, we will discuss best practices to manage the decision-making process.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the importance of decision-making methods.
2. Learn the basics of CBA.
3. Understand the difference between CBA and other decision-making methods.
4. Create a transparent rationale for group decisions.

LCI Northern California Chapter presented a CBA workshop.

Looking to learn CBA, this is a great opportunity if you are in the area.

 Everyone involved in the building design and construction industry should use Choosing By Advantages (CBA) to promote informed decision-making. CBA ensures thorough consideration of all options, leading to better-designed buildings, efficient resource allocation, and minimized risks, ultimately enhancing project outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction.

The speakers will provide a high-level explanation of the CBA process explaining how it functions including the unique steps required and the terms used. Then, the speakers will coach the audience, in groups of four, while they use CBA to decide where a group of four wildly different people pick a location for a common vacation.

The Choosing By Advantages (CBA) process emphasizes identifying advantages (not disadvantages) in decision-making. Stakeholders list objectives, generate options, and assess advantages. Values are assigned to advantages, alternatives evaluated, cost considered and the most advantageous alternative selected. CBA ensures transparency, thoroughness, and objectivity, particularly in complex decisions. 

The construction sector has traditionally been male-dominated. Therefore, we believe it is of utmost importance to spotlight the remarkable journeys of women who are paving the way and holding leadership positions in this field. By sharing the learnings, challenges, and most significant decisions of their careers, we strive to inspire and empower individuals on their professional path. This is the first international event dedicated to Women in Lean. Join us!  

Organised by Raquel Reck, Bárbara Pedó, and Manoela Conte, and promoted by Climb Consulting Group and Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB).  

Agenda Introduction and welcome remarks; Case 1: Patricia Tillman; 

Case 2: Randy Christensen, Annett Schöttle, and Paz Arroyo; Round table discussion and Q&A session with the audience.  

See the recording in the link

Choosing By Advantages (CBA) is a powerful system to make collaborative decisions for design and construction that aligns with lean thinking.

Project teams have to make many decisions; waiting for the owner or architect to make them in isolation is not a wise strategy. Teams that systematically use CBA in a collaborative fashion significantly decrease negative design iterations, save time and money for the owner, and reduce team frustration. CBA helps teams align on what is relevant, understand why decisions were made on a project, and find innovative design and construction solutions.

This workshop will provide the basis for CBA. Through exercises, we will discuss best practices to manage the decision-making process.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the importance of decision-making methods.
2. Learn the basics of CBA.
3. Understand the difference between CBA and other decision-making methods.
4. Create a transparent rationale for group decisions.

Randi Christensen was invited to present at the Lean working group under ENCORD (European Network of Construction Companies for Research and Development). The theme was: How does Lean support Circular Economy on projects? Firstly, Randi presented the close connection between Lean and sustainability. By focusing on value creation - also for the future generations - and by reducing waste, we will get better and more sustainable projects. As a specific example Choosing by Advantages was presented as a tool to support cross-disciplinary assessments of e.g. design solutions. The following workshop gave many examples on how other lean tools also support CE. 

Annett and Randi will present how CBA can be used to support sustaianble project delivery at the European Lean Construction Conference. 

The Conference is designed to bring together Lean Construction practitioners across the continent in order to share stories, best practices, and lessons learned. Europe as a continent has diverse Lean Construction practitioners, different cultural barriers and unique approaches to applying Lean Construction. Our goal with this conference is to help the European Lean Construction community unite, share best practices, learn from each other and improve together.

Randi presented how Lean supports Sustainable project delivery at the Danish Lean Construction Conference August 25 2021. Lean is green - Årskonference 2021 - Værdibyg (vaerdibyg.dk) 

 Paz Arroyo participated in the LCI Peru Lean Talk moderated by Jose Guzman. The presentation and discussion is in Spanish on March 2021. The presentation title was "Tomando Decisiones Colaborativas" ("Making Collaborative Decisions").  More information in the following link: https://www.lciperu.org/conferencias-lean-talk

The construction and highways industry have a huge impact on our society and peoples lives. Infrastructure is necessary for economic growth but also can impact our neighbors and wildlife negatively. Critical decision making methods that enable us to balance multi criteria is therefore absolutely key to ensure sound and transparent decisions.

Randi has implemented the decision method ‘Choosing by advantages’ on several infrastructure projects and will over two lunch and learn sessions share ideas and experience based on projects from the UK and Scandinavia.

On August 6th, Randi will give and introduction to the multi criteria decision method, Choosing by Advantages covering the tabular method and terminology.

Annett Schöttle and Paz Arroyo will present on Gender Bias in Construction Industry at the 6th Construction Innovation Meetup of Climb Consulting Group - Brazil. 

March 25th 2020 - 4:30 p.m. Ireland Time.

See the link for youtube recorded webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm5ZI_qgVME&feature=youtu.be

Paz Arroyo will present on Choosing by Advantages at the Lean Construction Ireland (LCi) Webinar series. 

March 25th 2020 - 4:30 p.m. Ireland Time.

See the link for registration details at https://leanconstructionireland.ie

Paz Arroyo, Glenn Ballard and Stan Chiu, presented at the P2SL - LCI Lean Design Forum. 

Are we, in design of our projects, doing set based design in the right way? The presentation will propose a NO answer to that question. What’s missing is aligning design criteria prior to trying to produce a design. 

Currently, it appears that we do not keep the data needed to identify misalignments prior to starting design; the result of which is increased frequency and extent of rework in design and sometimes also in construction. 

Set Based Design involves generating, evaluating and selecting from design alternatives. Lean Product Development uses Trade-Off Curves to do that, while Lean Construction uses Choosing by Advantages. The roundtable will investigate similarities and differences of the two methods, and explore if only one should be used in both domains, if each domain should have its own method, or if the two methods could be combined into a new method superior to both Trade-Off Curves and Choosing by Advantages, and applicable to both Lean Product Development and to Lean Construction.

Paz Arroyo (DPR Construction) and David Long (Turner Construction) facilitated a Choosing By Advantages 1-day Workshop at UC Berkeley, California for the 2019 P2SL - LCI - Lean Design Forum on Wednesday 23 January 2019.

Our Directors, Paz and Randi, will contribute to IGLC Industry day. The purpose of industry day is to provide an opportunity to share current best practice and challenges from both local and international projects. Specific keynote speakers and panelists have been identified based on their experience and knowledge of Lean Project Delivery both locally and Internationally. 

Our directors, Paz and Annett  will facilitate a workshop on Choosing by Advantages during workshop day at International Group of Lean Constructions annual Conference, July 1, 2019 

Read about how CBA is used on Highways Engalnd's biggest project Lower Thames Crossing: