What ASKM Associates does

ASKM Associates is a boutique management consulting firm headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts, specializing in Lean Construction methodology, the Last Planner System (LPS), and organizational transformation for the U.S. construction industry. Founded in 2012, the firm operates with two named principals — Colin Milberg (Principal, Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley studying Lean Construction under the founders of LCI, with 20+ years of construction management experience and 7 years of university teaching) and Lisabeth Kirk (Partner, 18+ years of consulting writing, editing, and strategic planning facilitation since 2006). The firm's service portfolio spans virtual training, on-site project training, organizational Lean transformation, strategic planning facilitation, and a proprietary library of Lean Construction simulations (Parade of Trades, Batch-Pull-Balance, PDSA Puzzle, Make Ready Visualization, and Virtual Last Planner Training) that are licensed to instructors and used in AGC certification cohorts.

ASKM generates revenue through professional services engagements including education, training, facilitation, and coaching in Lean Construction practices. The firm pioneered the virtual delivery of the AGC Lean Construction Education Program for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America in 2020 and has since delivered seven virtual series for AGC chapters nationwide. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; engagements appear to be project-based and recurring at the client and association level. The go-to-market motion is sales-led with a direct consultation funnel (Calendly-scheduled one-on-ones with Principal Colin Milberg), complemented by event-driven delivery through the AGC partnership and community-led demand generated through LCI chapter leadership and International Group for Lean Construction advisory board participation.

The firm's technology is centered on methodology and instructional design rather than software platforms — Lean principles translated from the Toyota Production System to construction, packaged into interactive simulations and structured training curricula. Distribution is entirely direct-to-client with no resellers or intermediaries; the firm maintains a professional website, LinkedIn company page, and email newsletter signup as primary marketing assets, and lists partnerships with the Lean Construction Institute, Construction Accelerator, Rising Terrain, and TouchPlan.

Name

ASKM Associates

Legal name

ASKM Associates

Website

https://askmassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASKM Associates is a two-person boutique consulting firm that delivers Lean Construction training, Last Planner System implementation, and organizational transformation services to U.S. construction organizations, primarily through AGC-certified virtual training programs and on-site project coaching.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Management Consulting

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Manufacturing & Operations Excellence (Lean/Six Sigma) (BPAHAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Production & Manufacturing Operations (TPM, OEE, SMED) (EDABAKAK)

Keywords

• Lean construction consulting
• Last Planner System training
• Construction management consulting
• Lean certification programs
• Organizational transformation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Consulting and Training: ASKM generates revenue through education, training, facilitation, and coaching services in Lean Construction Practices. Services are delivered through virtual training sessions, on-site project training, and organizational transformation programs. Revenue appears to be project-based and recurring client engagements.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ASKM Associates provides education, training, facilitation, and coaching services in Lean Construction Practices for the construction industry. The firm translates Toyota Production System principles into construction project management, helping organizations, project teams, and individuals implement the Last Planner System, optimize production workflows, and drive organizational transformation through virtual and on-site engagements.

Product overview

ASKM Associates is a Lean-focused consulting firm offering a portfolio of training and consulting services for the construction industry. The core offering centers on Lean Construction practices, translating Toyota Production System principles to construction management. The product portfolio includes multiple training modalities (Virtual Training, Project Training, Organizational Transformation), simulation-based learning tools (Parade of Trades, Batch-Pull-Balance, PDSA Puzzle Simulation, Make Ready Visualization), and certification programs (AGC CM Lean Training). The company is led by Principal Colin Milberg who holds a Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley studying Lean Construction under the founders of the Lean Construction Institute. Services range from introductory workshops to comprehensive organizational change management, all centered on the Last Planner System methodology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASKM Virtual Last Planner Training: Interactive and immersive virtual simulation providing in-depth practical exposure to LPS (Last Planner System). Suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners.
• AGC CM Lean Training and Certification
• Parade of Trades
• Batch-Pull-Balance
• PDSA Puzzle Simulation
• Make Ready Visualization

Products and services

• Virtual Training Remote delivery of Lean Construction training programs covering Lean Basics, the Last Planner System, and creating a strong learning culture for teams or companies. Designed for construction professionals and organizations.
• Project Training On-site coaching for project teams learning the Last Planner System and inspiring internal Lean Champions across residential, academic, and commercial construction projects.
• Organizational Lean Transformation Comprehensive consulting services to bring companies to higher levels of efficiency and productivity using assessments and tools, encouraging organizational participation and ownership in Lean adoption.
• Introduction to Lean and the Last Planner System Foundational training introducing Lean Construction principles and the Last Planner System methodology to construction professionals and organizations.
• Strategic Planning Facilitation Strategic planning facilitation and deployment services including clearly defined vision creation and consistent internal/external organizational messaging for construction organizations.
• AGC CM Lean Training and Certification Virtual delivery of the AGC Lean Construction Education Program providing CM Lean certification through interactive simulations, breakout room discussions, and comprehensive coursework for construction professionals.
• Simulations and Resources for Instructors A portfolio of proprietary simulations and downloadable resources for educators and instructors teaching Lean Construction concepts, including the Parade of Trades, Batch-Pull-Balance, PDSA Puzzle, and Make Ready Visualization tools.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ASKM pioneered virtual delivery of the AGC Lean Construction Education program for AGC of America in 2020. They have delivered seven virtual series for AGC Chapters across the country, providing CM Lean certification training with interactive simulations, breakout rooms, and group discussions.
• Lean Construction Institute (LCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLean Construction Institute is a key strategic partner. Colin Milberg co-founded LCI San Diego and LCI Southern New England chapters, was on the core group for LCI New England, and was a member of the International Group for Lean Construction advisory board. ASKM Associates works with LCI on visualization resources and promotes LCI events and programs.
• Construction AcceleratorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization. ASKM Associates collaborates with Construction Accelerator on construction industry initiatives.
• Rising TerrainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization. Rising Terrain appears to be a construction industry partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Lean Enterprise Institute: A broader Lean management organization that, while focused beyond construction, trains practitioners who subsequently work in Lean Construction — shaping the talent pool and methodology ASKM relies upon.

Emerging players

• TouchPlan: A construction planning and scheduling platform explicitly designed around the Last Planner System. TouchPlan is both an ASKM integration partner and a technology-enabled alternative to pure-services Lean delivery.
• ALICE Technologies: An AI-driven construction planning and optimization platform. While tech-led rather than services-led, ALICE competes for the same Lean transformation and production-system optimization budgets ASKM pursues.

Broad incumbents

• Autodesk Construction Cloud: A major construction technology suite (including PlanGrid) used by ASKM's target customers. Autodesk competes for organizational transformation spend by bundling digital project execution tools with adjacent consulting services.
• Procore: A leading construction management software platform. Procore embeds Lean-adjacent project planning features and partners with consultants, competing for the same enterprise Lean transformation wallet as ASKM at a vastly larger scale.
• Trimble: A broad construction technology vendor offering project, resource, and planning tools used by the same construction organizations ASKM serves. Trimble competes indirectly by offering software-enabled Lean workflows.
• Deloitte Construction Services: A large professional services firm with a dedicated construction practice offering operational transformation and Lean implementation. Deloitte competes for enterprise-level transformation mandates where ASKM's boutique scale is a constraint.

Direct peers

• Lean Construction Institute: The industry body for Lean Construction, with which ASKM's Principal has deep founding and advisory ties. LCI runs overlapping education programs, certifications, and community events that directly compete for the same training budgets ASKM targets.
• Lean Project Consulting: A boutique Lean Construction consulting firm offering LPS implementation, training, and organizational transformation services that directly overlap with ASKM's core service lines and target customers.
• Construction Accelerator: A construction industry content and training organization listed as an ASKM partner, producing Lean-adjacent educational content and resources that overlap with ASKM's training and simulation offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/askmassociates/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASKM Associates