Data collection is a big part of any problem solving effort, and problem solving is what Lean is all about. So, it follows that the people who make the most significant gains in their continuous improvement efforts are those that can effectively turn data into actionable information. Yep. That means 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…
In accounting terms, an asset is an economic resource owned by a company or individual. Assets hold value because of the future benefit they can bring. An asset may fall into two categories—tangible and intangible. Tangible assets are what you would expect. Stuff you can touch—buildings, vehicles, machines, etc. Tangible Read more…
At its core, much of continuous improvement is about problem solving. Tools such as Standard Work, policy deployment, kanbans, and andons are all really just pre-packaged solutions to common problems. Despite that focus on resolving issues, few people have well-developed problem solving skills. This holds true even in companies that Read more…
I’ve been trying to improve my overall fitness. Fortunately, it just got easier for me. Pizza and fries are now officially healthy choices. Congress has confirmed that both count as vegetables in school lunches. I am going to increase my consumption of both, as we are supposed to load up Read more…
So, this afternoon, I was straightening up the house, and I saw a wrapper on the floor in the family room. I asked my young son if he left it there. His response? “Let me think for 7 minutes.” I tried hard not to laugh. After all, I am trying 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…
There are many different styles of management. One that works well in a Lean leader’s bag of tricks is abnormality management. In a nutshell, processes and systems are refined to highlight abnormalities. When abnormal conditions are highlighted, leaders and their teams can take action to return the situation to the Read more…
The red tag system is simply a communication tool used to identify items that a person has flagged for removal from a work area. While the tagging is most frequently done during kaizen events, it can be done at any time. In a nutshell, when a person finds an item Read more…
Groupthink is the condition in which individuals set aside their beliefs and concerns to conform to group opinion. This is most commonly done because people value the cohesion of the group more than the risk of a poor outcome. While the term was first coined by William H. Whyte in Read more…
As I talk about making improvements, I invariably end up telling people they need focus more on their processes. Time and time again, just the simple act of gaining a deeper understanding of how work is done will shed light on what to improve. The spotlight shines even brighter when Read more…
As a small business owner, I have one luxury that most managers and employees in companies don’t have. When I go through the PDCA cycle, there are no competing agendas. Everything that is good for the owner (me) is also good for the manager (also me). For many situations, though, Read more…