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“Rapid improvement workshop” is another name for kaizen event or kaizen blitz. You may also hear it called rapid improvement project, or “RIP”. This type of project is generally a week long and includes: A day of training A day of process walk / initial planning Two days of making Read more…
Value, simply put, is something that a customer is willing to trade for. The trade is most commonly done with cash, meaning that a customer is willing to pay for it. Not all things that are valued are paid for, though. Consider the numerous free downloads on websites (including our Read more…
A process map is a visual representation of how work flows through an operation. In practical Lean applications, it is often used synonymously with the term process flow chart. The truth though, is that “process map” is a generic term. A process flowchart is just one specific type of process Read more…
Operator cycle time is the time it takes an operator to do one unit of his or her prescribed work from start to finish. Note that this is elapsed time. The clock starts when the operator begins his work and ends when he or she is ready to start the Read more…
Hansei is a Japanese term that loosely translates to self-reflection. In practice, though, it is much more than that. Hansei requires several things. A person must recognize that there is a problem in personal performance. Hansei is not a run-of-the-mill assessment tool. It looks at personal failings rather than system Read more…
6S is a mnemonic device used to recall the steps to improve workplace organization and effectiveness. It is essentially 5S with safety specifically added. The six “S” terms are: Sort Straighten Scrub Standardize Sustain Safety In truth, safety should always be considered when making any changes, observations, or assessments about Read more…
Non-Value Added (NVA) steps consume resources but do nothing to add value to a product or process. Because value is defined by the customer, non-value added work does nothing to change the form, fit, or function of a product into something a customer is willing to pay for. There is Read more…
KPI stands for key performance indicator. KPIs are the specific, quantifiable measures by which an organization evaluates its success. KPIs come from two main sources. The first is that they can cascade down from policy deployment and are linked to an improvement target. In that situation, a key performance indicator Read more…
CEDAC is an acronym that stands for cause and effect diagram with the addition of cards. It is a very specific way of building a fishbone diagram in which team members contribute ideas written on 3 x 5 cards or Post-it notes. CEDAC is a problem-solving tool that relies on Read more…
“Bowling chart” is the nickname given to the tracking sheets used to monitor either KPIs or policy deployment objectives. Its name comes from the similarity to a bowling scorecard. You may also hear the term “bowler” used to describe these forms. The form compares the targets (plan) to actual performance Read more…
In the generic definition, annual objectives are simply the company’s goals for a calendar year. In most cases these goals should target a degree of improvement. In a Lean organization, however, there’s a much more specific definition for annual objectives. It is a key component of policy deployment. Strategies are Read more…
A run chart is a tool used to show a change in a value over a period of time. It depicts a time-ordered series of data plots with time on the X-axis (horizontal) and the value of the data on the Y-axis (vertical). Run charts are particularly powerful because they Read more…