Procedures

The generally accepted definition of procedure in a Lean company is that it is the “how” of an operation. It is closely related to the term “process”. A process would be the series of steps required to complete the operation, or the “what”. Think of the acronym SOP, which is Read more…

Overtime

Overtime is the period when an hourly wage earner works beyond his or her scheduled time, usually for an incremental boost in pay. State and federal employment laws govern how overtime can be used. Overtime is a useful tool for managing capacity during demand spikes. When a few extra orders Read more…

Overproduction

Overproduction is one of the seven wastes of Lean. It is the act of making a product or performing a service before the downstream customer asks for it. Overproduction is one of the leading causes of excess inventory. Overproduction is prevalent in push systems where upstream processes build according to Read more…

Operators

The term “operator” is frequently used to describe a shop floor worker in a production environment. While it seems to stem from the use of the term “machine operator”, it has been shortened and now is used more universally. The term is more positive than worker, headcount, or the demeaning Read more…

Morale

Morale is simply the attitude you have about work. Good morale means people are satisfied with their jobs and are willing to commit to the success of the company. With poor morale, people feel like the company is an adversary, and are reluctant to engage in much more that the Read more…

Lead Time

In the most common definition, lead time is the time that elapses from when a customer places an order until the order is received. A variation on the definition of lead time looks at the time from when raw material arrives at a facility until the finished product ships. This Read more…

Intermittent Problems

Intermittent problems are simply ones that don’t occur every time a process is performed. The inconsistency with which intermittent problems present makes them extremely hard to resolve. The most common form of intermittent problem is the computer glitch. Something happens once, and then the problem goes away for a while. Read more…

Inputs

Inputs are the factors that are necessary to complete a process. They may be environmental (heat, humidity), labor, material, or anything else that is required. Some inputs, though, are not intentional—the proverbial “flies in the ointment”. Controlling these inputs is critical to delivering high quality results from a process. Inputs Read more…

Improvements

Improvements are simply changes for the better. Lean and other continuous improvement philosophies all focus on using some sort of problem solving method to drive improvement. Improvements can range from new, better computer systems, to kaizen events, on down to moving a garbage can closer to the point of use. Read more…

Implementation

An implementation is simply the act of putting a plan into effect. It can also refer to a change in a strategy or a system. In continuous improvement, the term “implementation” commonly refers to Lean as a whole, or can mean implementing the system-based tools, such as pull, kanban, or Read more…