Vilfredo Pareto (July 15, 1848 – August 19, 1923) was an Italian thinker who practiced many disciplines. He was an engineer and philosopher, but he is most well-known for his work in economics. It was his work in that field that led to the development of one of the most Read more…
A project is a set of interconnected tasks intended to achieve a specific goal. It is characterized by having a fixed end. Projects can be either individual or collaborative in nature. They are often limited by some constraint, usually cost. The practice of running a project is known as project Read more…
The concept of perfection provides one of the great philosophical quandaries of Lean. Like most continuous improvement disciplines, Lean promotes the relentless pursuit of waste reduction. It also pushes the concept of zero defects. The problem though, is that perfection is unattainable. No matter how good an operation becomes there Read more…
A paradigm is a framework for thinking about something, usually a scientific or technical discipline. Some examples of a paradigm might be the thought that big batches are good on a machine that has a long setup, or that Lean principles do not apply in office environments. Paradigms are often 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…
Just like any social group, there is pressure among coworkers to conform to the accepted group dynamic. This has a centering effect on a team. Groups have a tendency to pull individuals from extremes toward the center of a group. Under performing individuals are pressured to pull their own weight, Read more…
Major changes are often hard to implement all at once. It may be because the technology or idea is not fully proven, or it may be a lack of resources in getting the bugs worked out. There may also be substantial risk if there is a mistake in the planning Read more…
The Policy Deployment Bowler is used to track progress on the targets shown on a Policy Deployment Matrix. In policy deployment, 3 to 5 year strategies are turned into annual objectives. To meet those objectives, leaders establish improvement priorities, which generally require new processes. If the progression through policy deployment Read more…
Policy deployment is a process of turning the strategic goals of an organization into actionable tasks at the frontline of an organization. This systematic approach to leadership clearly defines the path to success. One of the tools used in effective policy deployment is the Policy Deployment Action Plan. Get Our Read more…
Usually used in connection with a capital investment, a payback period is the length of time it will take to recoup the amount of money put into a project. The exact methodology for determining a payback period varies based on the way assumptions are made, and the formula used to Read more…
A pattern is essentially a recurring “thing”. It could be behaviors, defects, markings, traffic, or anything else that can be observed or monitored. The relevance to Lean is that the pattern is caused by something. Pure randomness is actually surprisingly uncommon in nature, and even less common in the workplace. Read more…
Policy deployment is the process of turning a strategic vision into an actionable task that frontline leaders and employees can commit to. Even with a great strategy and a highly effective team that is capable of making substantial improvements, a company can fall short of its goals. Why? The two Read more…