What did you have for breakfast last Tuesday? How many eggs are left in your refrigerator? If you had any trouble answering those questions, you will understand why memory is not a reliable tool for processes. People get distracted and skip steps. Requiring people to remember counts can be especially Read more…
Conflict is the state of disagreement or opposition. Conflict is a normal part of any Lean effort. When a process is changed, people invariably have differing opinions about the best way to fix things. In some cases, there is even conflict about whether something is even a problem. Conflict is Read more…
Complacency is the state of being content with achievements while simultaneously being unaware of the pending dangers. One of the greatest risks successful Lean companies face is complacency. They make massive gains, and become highly competitive in their markets. Then they become complacent and rest on their laurels while the Read more…
Safety is freedom from injury and harm. The most obvious freedom is from immediate bodily injury. Safety switches, gate, guards, etc. help provide this, as does proper training and well-designed processes. Safety also includes freedom from chronic conditions that accumulate over time. This includes things like repetitive stress injuries, and Read more…
Intelligence is one of the many facets of “smartness”. Intelligence is the capacity to learn, but it doesn’t always translate into actually possessing knowledge. Having the capacity to learn does not mean that one has actually learned. Intelligence is a highly valued trait in Lean, as continuous improvement works best Read more…
Batch manufacturing is the traditional form of manufacturing where production is completed in lots of various size, and the lots are passed along en masse to the next step. Typically, layouts in batch manufacturing are done by function—a weld shop, a paint shop, a fabrication shop, etc. Another name for Read more…
Layoffs, also called downsizing, are terminations of employees because of a lack of work. Layoffs pose a significant risk to Lean and other continuous improvement efforts. If employees get the idea that helping make improvements will cost them their jobs, then they will not want to make things better. Lean Read more…
Initiative is taking action on one’s own. It generally involves going above and beyond a typical job description or working outside of one’s functional area. Many bosses want employees to take more initiative, especially in Lean companies, but fail to establish some of the basic prerequisites. Trust: Employees have to Read more…
Delegation is the act of appointing another person or group, usually a subordinate, to perform a specific task or role. For delegation to be successful, it should include the transfer of power along with the assignment—the authority of the subordinate to act on the boss’s behalf. Lean starts a mass Read more…
“Aha!” moments are the instances when the ‘light bulb’ comes on. It is the point in time when someone makes the transition from not knowing something to full understanding. Fortunately, “Aha!” moments are often visible on the faces of people experiencing them. Many instructors, especially those mentoring Lean students, live Read more…
Milestones were originally the stone markers along a route that told travelers the mileage. In modern times, milestones serve the same function for projects. Milestones are specific, definable points on a project that are used to indicate progress. If milestones are vague, they are hard to tell when they are Read more…
Engineers, not surprisingly, are people who are specially training in an engineering field. In a nutshell, they design solutions to a problem. Types of Engineers Design engineers solve problems by creating a product. Software engineers solve problems with code. Manufacturing engineers create processes to solve problems. Engineers are key players Read more…