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 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…
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…
Observation is an important skill for Lean and other methods of continuous improvement. It is necessary to document the “before” process, identify waste, to conduct audits, and to confirm the effectiveness of changes. Observation is simply the practice of watching a process, preferably several times, to learn about it. Observation Read more…
Imagine that it is a Friday afternoon. The sun is shining, and you are looking forward to all that the weekend has to offer you. You only have two days off. What are you going to do with your time? You have the option to play—maybe a round of golf Read more…