Seven Essential Qualities of a Lean Leader November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, lean.Tags: leadership, Lean Thinking
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The current state of the economy has business owners scrambling to retain profits and cut costs. In such a risky environment, notes blogger Jon Miller over at Gemba Panta Rei, “I am sad to see even some avowed lean leaders turning away from the principles and qualities that make them not merely exceptional leaders but lean ones.” Mr. Miller has taken the time to pen an excellent article on the seven critical qualities for a lean leader to retain in a tough economy. The first letter of each of these qualities (e.g., Perspective, Responsibility, and Openness) amount to the acronym “PROFITS”.
Check out the article here.
Seven Essential Qualities of a Lean Leader November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, lean.Tags: leadership, Lean Thinking
add a comment
The current state of the economy has business owners scrambling to retain profits and cut costs. In such a risky environment, notes blogger Jon Miller over at Gemba Panta Rei, “I am sad to see even some avowed lean leaders turning away from the principles and qualities that make them not merely exceptional leaders but lean ones.” Mr. Miller has taken the time to pen an excellent article on the seven critical qualities for a lean leader to retain in a tough economy. The first letter of each of these qualities (e.g., Perspective, Responsibility, and Openness) amount to the acronym “PROFITS”.
Check out the article here.
“If it Doesn’t Improve, It Degrades” November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: Lean Thinking
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Kevin Meyer over at Evolving Excellence has taken to exploring misconceptions about Lean management and the Toyota experience. His blog takes a look at an article in Quality Digest that analyzes serious misconceptions about Lean production. The idea that standardized processes never degrade is what alarmed him the most. Toyota management’s success concerns targets, achievement and stabilization of that target, and standardization with the intent to reach the next target at once. Mr. Meyer explains quite rationally, “If it’s not improving, it’s degrading. Period.”
Check out the blog here, and the Quality Digest article here.
“If it Doesn’t Improve, It Degrades” November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: Lean Thinking
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Kevin Meyer over at Evolving Excellence has taken to exploring misconceptions about Lean management and the Toyota experience. His blog takes a look at an article in Quality Digest that analyzes serious misconceptions about Lean production. The idea that standardized processes never degrade is what alarmed him the most. Toyota management’s success concerns targets, achievement and stabilization of that target, and standardization with the intent to reach the next target at once. Mr. Meyer explains quite rationally, “If it’s not improving, it’s degrading. Period.”
Check out the blog here, and the Quality Digest article here.
"If it Doesn't Improve, It Degrades" November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: Lean Thinking
add a comment
Kevin Meyer over at Evolving Excellence has taken to exploring misconceptions about Lean management and the Toyota experience. His blog takes a look at an article in Quality Digest that analyzes serious misconceptions about Lean production. The idea that standardized processes never degrade is what alarmed him the most. Toyota management’s success concerns targets, achievement and stabilization of that target, and standardization with the intent to reach the next target at once. Mr. Meyer explains quite rationally, “If it’s not improving, it’s degrading. Period.”
Check out the blog here, and the Quality Digest article here.
"If it Doesn't Improve, It Degrades" November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: Lean Thinking
add a comment
Kevin Meyer over at Evolving Excellence has taken to exploring misconceptions about Lean management and the Toyota experience. His blog takes a look at an article in Quality Digest that analyzes serious misconceptions about Lean production. The idea that standardized processes never degrade is what alarmed him the most. Toyota management’s success concerns targets, achievement and stabilization of that target, and standardization with the intent to reach the next target at once. Mr. Meyer explains quite rationally, “If it’s not improving, it’s degrading. Period.”
Check out the blog here, and the Quality Digest article here.
The Environmental Triumphs of Toyota’s Tsutsumi Plant November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in automotive, green business, manufacturing.Tags: automotive, green, manufacturing
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Toyota’s Tsutsumi factory in Japan is a marvel of green engineering.
Roofs covered with grass and solar panels. Through these green measures alone, the Toyota plant at Tsutsumi, Japan, generates 2000kW per hour, equal to 500 households, and saves 2,500 200-liter drums of oil. The assembly plant’s photo-catalytic paint-coated exterior breaks down airborne nitrogen and sulfur oxides to the equivalence of planting 2,000 trees. Equally impressive is the “comprehensive water recycling program [that] has led to a 50 per cent reduction in water discharge to the local river system. The water that is discharged from the plant is rigourously filtered so that it is five-times cleaner than the river itself.”
The article also highlights the efforts of Toyota employees and their families to plant trees, allow employees to dress more casually to cut down on air conditioning, and the creation of an incentive-based program designed to engender environmental stewardship by employees.
For the blog post, go here. For just a ridiculous amount of great pictures, go here.
The Environmental Triumphs of Toyota’s Tsutsumi Plant November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in automotive, green business, manufacturing.Tags: automotive, green, manufacturing
add a comment
Toyota’s Tsutsumi factory in Japan is a marvel of green engineering.
Roofs covered with grass and solar panels. Through these green measures alone, the Toyota plant at Tsutsumi, Japan, generates 2000kW per hour, equal to 500 households, and saves 2,500 200-liter drums of oil. The assembly plant’s photo-catalytic paint-coated exterior breaks down airborne nitrogen and sulfur oxides to the equivalence of planting 2,000 trees. Equally impressive is the “comprehensive water recycling program [that] has led to a 50 per cent reduction in water discharge to the local river system. The water that is discharged from the plant is rigourously filtered so that it is five-times cleaner than the river itself.”
The article also highlights the efforts of Toyota employees and their families to plant trees, allow employees to dress more casually to cut down on air conditioning, and the creation of an incentive-based program designed to engender environmental stewardship by employees.
For the blog post, go here. For just a ridiculous amount of great pictures, go here.
Behavior Modification: Making it Fun November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in change management, Creativity & Innovation, Lean Thinking.Tags: change management, creativity, Lean Thinking
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One of the biggest problems with process improvement is sustainment. One way to help make change stick is to make the new method rewarding and…well…FUN!
In these two videos, watch what happens when a set of stairs was converted to a giant piano keyboard. If your goal was to increase people’s level of exercise and discourage the use of the escalator right next to the stairs, you’ve succeeded. In the second clip, a sound effect machine was placed in a trashcan giving the effect of the sound of a freefalling object into the world’s deepest garbage receptacle. In one day, 72kg of garbage was collected in the outfitted trashcan, while normal trashcans nearby collected 41kg less.
As one comment points out, your interpretation of this concept need not be as quirky, but the idea is key: How can you make the new method of doing business more rewarding and fun than the old one?
Videos of both innovations were collected by Kevin Meyer here.
Behavior Modification: Making it Fun November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in change management, Creativity & Innovation, Lean Thinking.Tags: change management, creativity, Lean Thinking
add a comment
One of the biggest problems with process improvement is sustainment. One way to help make change stick is to make the new method rewarding and…well…FUN!
In these two videos, watch what happens when a set of stairs was converted to a giant piano keyboard. If your goal was to increase people’s level of exercise and discourage the use of the escalator right next to the stairs, you’ve succeeded. In the second clip, a sound effect machine was placed in a trashcan giving the effect of the sound of a freefalling object into the world’s deepest garbage receptacle. In one day, 72kg of garbage was collected in the outfitted trashcan, while normal trashcans nearby collected 41kg less.
As one comment points out, your interpretation of this concept need not be as quirky, but the idea is key: How can you make the new method of doing business more rewarding and fun than the old one?
Videos of both innovations were collected by Kevin Meyer here.
Reducing Interruptions and Improving Patient Safety November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: 5S & Visual Management, healthcare, Lean Thinking
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Simple interruptions can be dangerous. The Lean Blog’s Dan Markovitz points to research done at the University of California at San Francisco that shows even minor interruptions cost money –and lives. The study included nine San Francisco Bay Area hospitals and focused on the administering of drugs based on the reduction of interruptions.
Markovitz notes that “the Institute of Medicine estimates that errors in administering medication cause about 400,000 preventable injuries in hospitals and about $3.5 billion in extra medical costs each year.” Over 36 months, there was an 88% drop in errors when employees worked to reduce interruptions. The innovative ways in which nurses alerted others that they were administering drugs included visual indicators such as green vests and sashes, as well as a simple announcement that medications were being administered.
Read the article here.
Reducing Interruptions and Improving Patient Safety November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: 5S & Visual Management, healthcare, Lean Thinking
add a comment
Simple interruptions can be dangerous. The Lean Blog’s Dan Markovitz points to research done at the University of California at San Francisco that shows even minor interruptions cost money –and lives. The study included nine San Francisco Bay Area hospitals and focused on the administering of drugs based on the reduction of interruptions.
Markovitz notes that “the Institute of Medicine estimates that errors in administering medication cause about 400,000 preventable injuries in hospitals and about $3.5 billion in extra medical costs each year.” Over 36 months, there was an 88% drop in errors when employees worked to reduce interruptions. The innovative ways in which nurses alerted others that they were administering drugs included visual indicators such as green vests and sashes, as well as a simple announcement that medications were being administered.
Read the article here.
Free Value Stream Mapping Fonts November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: Lean Thinking, Lean Tools & Techniques
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If you have ever wanted value stream mapping icons for PowerPoint or Word, here they are!
Value Stream Mapping is an important part of Lean management. But too often people focus on the mapping rather than the method the mapping is supposed to engender. Personally, I encourage lean practitioners to stick to paper and pencil to improve group understanding and lower everyone’s dependence on the computer as a crude and marginally effective collaborative tool. Even these days, however, the Lean Enterprise Institute recognizes the need for an occasional PowerPoint, and has icon images on their website. Jon Miller at Gemba Panta Rei explains the use and potential benefits of the free lean fonts. The fonts, he claims, returns emphasis to the method rather than the map.
Free Value Stream Mapping Fonts November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: Lean Thinking, Lean Tools & Techniques
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If you have ever wanted value stream mapping icons for PowerPoint or Word, here they are!
Value Stream Mapping is an important part of Lean management. But too often people focus on the mapping rather than the method the mapping is supposed to engender. Personally, I encourage lean practitioners to stick to paper and pencil to improve group understanding and lower everyone’s dependence on the computer as a crude and marginally effective collaborative tool. Even these days, however, the Lean Enterprise Institute recognizes the need for an occasional PowerPoint, and has icon images on their website. Jon Miller at Gemba Panta Rei explains the use and potential benefits of the free lean fonts. The fonts, he claims, returns emphasis to the method rather than the map.
Rethinking Lean: Beyond the Shop Floor November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, lean office.Tags: healthcare, lean office
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Once the domain of manufacturing, lean has migrated far beyond the shop floor, transforming service organizations and innovation efforts. The principles of waste elimination, worker involvement and continuous improvement haven’t changed, though, and the results are still impressive. In this special report, experts from Wharton and The Boston Consulting Group look at how lean is transforming health care, R&D and finance.
Download the report here.
Rethinking Lean: Beyond the Shop Floor November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, lean office.Tags: healthcare, lean office
add a comment
Once the domain of manufacturing, lean has migrated far beyond the shop floor, transforming service organizations and innovation efforts. The principles of waste elimination, worker involvement and continuous improvement haven’t changed, though, and the results are still impressive. In this special report, experts from Wharton and The Boston Consulting Group look at how lean is transforming health care, R&D and finance.
Download the report here.
Lowering the Supply Chain’s Carbon Footprint November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business.Tags: green business
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Although scientists and analysts disagree over global warming, a consensus can be found with respect to good stewardship of the environment. In an article at IndustryWeek, the environmental impact of a company’s supply and logistics are revealed through the use of a new plan: the ICON-SCM Supply Chain Planning solution. The solution takes into account consumer demand for environmentally-conscious products and businesses. Based on a “best-case-scenario” plan, the solution involves emission planning capabilities, consideration of “environmental consequences of… sourcing, production and delivery planning”; and it also takes into account variables in terms of manufacturing locations, shipment methods, and frequencies.
Check out the article here.
Lowering the Supply Chain’s Carbon Footprint November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business.Tags: green business
add a comment
Although scientists and analysts disagree over global warming, a consensus can be found with respect to good stewardship of the environment. In an article at IndustryWeek, the environmental impact of a company’s supply and logistics are revealed through the use of a new plan: the ICON-SCM Supply Chain Planning solution. The solution takes into account consumer demand for environmentally-conscious products and businesses. Based on a “best-case-scenario” plan, the solution involves emission planning capabilities, consideration of “environmental consequences of… sourcing, production and delivery planning”; and it also takes into account variables in terms of manufacturing locations, shipment methods, and frequencies.
Check out the article here.
Lowering the Supply Chain's Carbon Footprint November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business.Tags: green business
add a comment
Although scientists and analysts disagree over global warming, a consensus can be found with respect to good stewardship of the environment. In an article at IndustryWeek, the environmental impact of a company’s supply and logistics are revealed through the use of a new plan: the ICON-SCM Supply Chain Planning solution. The solution takes into account consumer demand for environmentally-conscious products and businesses. Based on a “best-case-scenario” plan, the solution involves emission planning capabilities, consideration of “environmental consequences of… sourcing, production and delivery planning”; and it also takes into account variables in terms of manufacturing locations, shipment methods, and frequencies.
Check out the article here.
Lowering the Supply Chain's Carbon Footprint November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business.Tags: green business
add a comment
Although scientists and analysts disagree over global warming, a consensus can be found with respect to good stewardship of the environment. In an article at IndustryWeek, the environmental impact of a company’s supply and logistics are revealed through the use of a new plan: the ICON-SCM Supply Chain Planning solution. The solution takes into account consumer demand for environmentally-conscious products and businesses. Based on a “best-case-scenario” plan, the solution involves emission planning capabilities, consideration of “environmental consequences of… sourcing, production and delivery planning”; and it also takes into account variables in terms of manufacturing locations, shipment methods, and frequencies.
Check out the article here.
Exec from Seattle Children’s Hospital on Lean Healthcare November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking
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With the nation talking about improving healthcare and the healthcare insurance system, Mark Graban over at Lean Blog has posted a review of an article that appeared in the Washington Post. Using a Lean model, Seattle’s Children’s Hospital has made encouraging and substantial improvements. They have, for example, reduced risks of infection by reducing the number of days patients are on ventilators by 26% and saved $2.5 million in supplies in their first year of Lean use. Their success demonstrates the integral part Lean can play in adding to the healthcare debate.
Check out the Lean Blog post here, and the Washington Post article here.
Exec from Seattle Children’s Hospital on Lean Healthcare November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking
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With the nation talking about improving healthcare and the healthcare insurance system, Mark Graban over at Lean Blog has posted a review of an article that appeared in the Washington Post. Using a Lean model, Seattle’s Children’s Hospital has made encouraging and substantial improvements. They have, for example, reduced risks of infection by reducing the number of days patients are on ventilators by 26% and saved $2.5 million in supplies in their first year of Lean use. Their success demonstrates the integral part Lean can play in adding to the healthcare debate.
Check out the Lean Blog post here, and the Washington Post article here.
Exec from Seattle Children's Hospital on Lean Healthcare November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking
add a comment
With the nation talking about improving healthcare and the healthcare insurance system, Mark Graban over at Lean Blog has posted a review of an article that appeared in the Washington Post. Using a Lean model, Seattle’s Children’s Hospital has made encouraging and substantial improvements. They have, for example, reduced risks of infection by reducing the number of days patients are on ventilators by 26% and saved $2.5 million in supplies in their first year of Lean use. Their success demonstrates the integral part Lean can play in adding to the healthcare debate.
Check out the Lean Blog post here, and the Washington Post article here.
Exec from Seattle Children's Hospital on Lean Healthcare November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking
add a comment
With the nation talking about improving healthcare and the healthcare insurance system, Mark Graban over at Lean Blog has posted a review of an article that appeared in the Washington Post. Using a Lean model, Seattle’s Children’s Hospital has made encouraging and substantial improvements. They have, for example, reduced risks of infection by reducing the number of days patients are on ventilators by 26% and saved $2.5 million in supplies in their first year of Lean use. Their success demonstrates the integral part Lean can play in adding to the healthcare debate.
Check out the Lean Blog post here, and the Washington Post article here.
Ford Uses “Skunk Works” to Develop New Engine November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in automotive, product development.Tags: automotive, product development
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Like all big companies, Ford has a strict product-development hierarchy. Most times it works well, other times a different approach is required.
A “Skunk Works” is an entirely separate and autonomous development team that can move quickly, unencumbered by the rules and restrictions of a typical, integrated development process.
Recently, Ford used the Skunk Works approach for the creation of the new Scorpion engine. The team went offsite with little contact from higher-ups. A handful of rules and creative freedom allowed the development of the heavy-duty engine in record time.
Read more here.
