Be Careful What You Wish For January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in customer focus, Lean Thinking.Tags: customer focus, Lean Thinking
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The Old Lean Dude blog has related a story about a customer and a grocery store checkout line. The customer was delayed while the cashier rearranged the products with all the barcodes facing up, so that they could be scanned quite quickly. The cashier explained that his productivity was measured by the time between the first and last items scanned. An unintended consequence brought about by management, the customer was forced to wait while the cashier rearranged items in order to scan them quickly.
Check out The Old Lean Dude post here.
Be Careful What You Wish For January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in customer focus, Lean Thinking.Tags: customer focus, Lean Thinking
add a comment
The Old Lean Dude blog has related a story about a customer and a grocery store checkout line. The customer was delayed while the cashier rearranged the products with all the barcodes facing up, so that they could be scanned quite quickly. The cashier explained that his productivity was measured by the time between the first and last items scanned. An unintended consequence brought about by management, the customer was forced to wait while the cashier rearranged items in order to scan them quickly.
Check out The Old Lean Dude post here.
Management at a Glance January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, leadership, Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: 5S & Visual Management, leadership
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Rooting out the causes of defects in production, removing them, and continually improving upon the process is essential in lean. Continuous improvement manager of boat manufacturer Boston Whaler explains that communication means never having to talk –i.e., visual management. From simple lines made of tape placed on the floor designating where to stand or put equipment, to color coded storage systems, to boards for employees to write out problems for managers to see, visual management means better efficiency with fewer problems. Combined with managers on the ground floor overseeing and participating, visual management is highly effective.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Management at a Glance January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, leadership, Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: 5S & Visual Management, leadership
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Rooting out the causes of defects in production, removing them, and continually improving upon the process is essential in lean. Continuous improvement manager of boat manufacturer Boston Whaler explains that communication means never having to talk –i.e., visual management. From simple lines made of tape placed on the floor designating where to stand or put equipment, to color coded storage systems, to boards for employees to write out problems for managers to see, visual management means better efficiency with fewer problems. Combined with managers on the ground floor overseeing and participating, visual management is highly effective.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
How Apple’s iPhone Widens the Trade Deficit with China (And How to Fix It) January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, government, supply chain.Tags: economy, government, outsourcing, supply chain
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Though the iPhone is an American invention, it is contributing $1.9 billion to the trade deficit with China. Developing countries export the high-tech products that affluent countries themselves invent. If Apple were to pursue American workers instead of Chinese workers, the manufacturing cost of a phone would rise from $6.50 to $68 per phone –but selling it for the going rate of $500 would still give Apple a more than-50% profit margin. And if the U.S. produced and sold its own phones, that $1.9 billion trade deficit would disappear –and the U.S. would add $5.7 billion to U.S. exports.
Check out the FastCompany analysis here.
How Apple’s iPhone Widens the Trade Deficit with China (And How to Fix It) January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, government, supply chain.Tags: economy, government, outsourcing, supply chain
add a comment
Though the iPhone is an American invention, it is contributing $1.9 billion to the trade deficit with China. Developing countries export the high-tech products that affluent countries themselves invent. If Apple were to pursue American workers instead of Chinese workers, the manufacturing cost of a phone would rise from $6.50 to $68 per phone –but selling it for the going rate of $500 would still give Apple a more than-50% profit margin. And if the U.S. produced and sold its own phones, that $1.9 billion trade deficit would disappear –and the U.S. would add $5.7 billion to U.S. exports.
Check out the FastCompany analysis here.
Managing Mura January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking
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Leveling out mura through the value stream, says Mike Wroblewski, is to improve flow. Mura, or unevenness, is presented through the example of a company that garners 50% of its profit in the last week of every month. Mr. Wroblewski discovered that the company’s monthly goal was met by slashing prices toward the end of the month – just to meet the goal. The result was higher cost and lower profit. One of the dangers of goals or targets is that they can incur the wrong kinds of behavior.
Check out Mr. Wroblewski’s article here.
Managing Mura January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking
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Leveling out mura through the value stream, says Mike Wroblewski, is to improve flow. Mura, or unevenness, is presented through the example of a company that garners 50% of its profit in the last week of every month. Mr. Wroblewski discovered that the company’s monthly goal was met by slashing prices toward the end of the month – just to meet the goal. The result was higher cost and lower profit. One of the dangers of goals or targets is that they can incur the wrong kinds of behavior.
Check out Mr. Wroblewski’s article here.
7 Ways to Keep Kaizen Going after Years of Progress January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in kaizen.Tags: kaizen
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Jon Miller, writing over at Gemba Panta Rei, notes that it can often be difficult to keep momentum going after a few years of successful Kaizen results. As a remedy, Mr. Miller offers a number of suggestions about how to keep Kaizen going. For example, thinking bigger and setting audacious targets will continually provide new objectives. Another way to keep things from becoming mundane is to ask everyone, to continually seek to engage every individual, because sometimes others (like janitors or landscapers) see things that everyone else misses.
Check out Mr. Miller’s blog post here.
7 Ways to Keep Kaizen Going after Years of Progress January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in kaizen.Tags: kaizen
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Jon Miller, writing over at Gemba Panta Rei, notes that it can often be difficult to keep momentum going after a few years of successful Kaizen results. As a remedy, Mr. Miller offers a number of suggestions about how to keep Kaizen going. For example, thinking bigger and setting audacious targets will continually provide new objectives. Another way to keep things from becoming mundane is to ask everyone, to continually seek to engage every individual, because sometimes others (like janitors or landscapers) see things that everyone else misses.
Check out Mr. Miller’s blog post here.
Lean Won’t Work in 2011 January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, lean, strategy.Tags: economy, leadership, strategy
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My good friend and colleague Greg Fields was interviewed for an insightful piece in IndustryWeek recently. If your company survived 2010, chances are you’re here to stay –according to Greg. Innovation and tweaking only get your so far. Investing in entirely new systems is key. Small incremental improvements are fine, but much of the business landscape has changed, and your business model may need an overhaul using radical improvement.
The editors at IndustryWeek certainly chose a title to attract eyeballs, but it may be a bit misleading. Greg describes how continuous improvement, kaizen, may be inappropriate for some business models, and that they need a radical makeover, also known as kaikaku. Both approaches, it turns out, are part of lean process improvement, so lean will continue to be universally applicable to all businesses in 2011, as it has been for half a century. We should not forget that the Toyota Motor Works began as a radical reconception of the mass production model just after World War II, as were the beginnings of the Toyota Production System.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Lean Won’t Work in 2011 January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, lean, strategy.Tags: economy, leadership, strategy
add a comment
My good friend and colleague Greg Fields was interviewed for an insightful piece in IndustryWeek recently. If your company survived 2010, chances are you’re here to stay –according to Greg. Innovation and tweaking only get your so far. Investing in entirely new systems is key. Small incremental improvements are fine, but much of the business landscape has changed, and your business model may need an overhaul using radical improvement.
The editors at IndustryWeek certainly chose a title to attract eyeballs, but it may be a bit misleading. Greg describes how continuous improvement, kaizen, may be inappropriate for some business models, and that they need a radical makeover, also known as kaikaku. Both approaches, it turns out, are part of lean process improvement, so lean will continue to be universally applicable to all businesses in 2011, as it has been for half a century. We should not forget that the Toyota Motor Works began as a radical reconception of the mass production model just after World War II, as were the beginnings of the Toyota Production System.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Lean Won’t Work in 2011 January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, lean, strategy.Tags: economy, leadership, strategy
add a comment
My good friend and colleague Greg Fields was interviewed for an insightful piece in IndustryWeek recently. If your company survived 2010, chances are you’re here to stay –according to Greg. Innovation and tweaking only get your so far. Investing in entirely new systems is key. Small incremental improvements are fine, but much of the business landscape has changed, and your business model may need an overhaul using radical improvement.
The editors at IndustryWeek certainly chose a title to attract eyeballs, but it may be a bit misleading. Greg describes how continuous improvement, kaizen, may be inappropriate for some business models, and that they need a radical makeover, also known as kaikaku. Both approaches, it turns out, are part of lean process improvement, so lean will continue to be universally applicable to all businesses in 2011, as it has been for half a century. We should not forget that the Toyota Motor Works began as a radical reconception of the mass production model just after World War II, as were the beginnings of the Toyota Production System.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Lean Won’t Work in 2011 January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, lean, strategy.Tags: economy, leadership, strategy
add a comment
My good friend and colleague Greg Fields was interviewed for an insightful piece in IndustryWeek recently. If your company survived 2010, chances are you’re here to stay –according to Greg. Innovation and tweaking only get your so far. Investing in entirely new systems is key. Small incremental improvements are fine, but much of the business landscape has changed, and your business model may need an overhaul using radical improvement.
The editors at IndustryWeek certainly chose a title to attract eyeballs, but it may be a bit misleading. Greg describes how continuous improvement, kaizen, may be inappropriate for some business models, and that they need a radical makeover, also known as kaikaku. Both approaches, it turns out, are part of lean process improvement, so lean will continue to be universally applicable to all businesses in 2011, as it has been for half a century. We should not forget that the Toyota Motor Works began as a radical reconception of the mass production model just after World War II, as were the beginnings of the Toyota Production System.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Lean Won’t Work in 2011 January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, lean, strategy.Tags: economy, leadership, strategy
add a comment
My good friend and colleague Greg Fields was interviewed for an insightful piece in IndustryWeek recently. If your company survived 2010, chances are you’re here to stay –according to Greg. Innovation and tweaking only get your so far. Investing in entirely new systems is key. Small incremental improvements are fine, but much of the business landscape has changed, and your business model may need an overhaul using radical improvement.
The editors at IndustryWeek certainly chose a title to attract eyeballs, but it may be a bit misleading. Greg describes how continuous improvement, kaizen, may be inappropriate for some business models, and that they need a radical makeover, also known as kaikaku. Both approaches, it turns out, are part of lean process improvement, so lean will continue to be universally applicable to all businesses in 2011, as it has been for half a century. We should not forget that the Toyota Motor Works began as a radical reconception of the mass production model just after World War II, as were the beginnings of the Toyota Production System.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Lean Won’t Work in 2011 January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, lean, strategy.Tags: economy, leadership, strategy
add a comment
My good friend and colleague Greg Fields was interviewed for an insightful piece in IndustryWeek recently. If your company survived 2010, chances are you’re here to stay –according to Greg. Innovation and tweaking only get your so far. Investing in entirely new systems is key. Small incremental improvements are fine, but much of the business landscape has changed, and your business model may need an overhaul using radical improvement.
The editors at IndustryWeek certainly chose a title to attract eyeballs, but it may be a bit misleading. Greg describes how continuous improvement, kaizen, may be inappropriate for some business models, and that they need a radical makeover, also known as kaikaku. Both approaches, it turns out, are part of lean process improvement, so lean will continue to be universally applicable to all businesses in 2011, as it has been for half a century. We should not forget that the Toyota Motor Works began as a radical reconception of the mass production model just after World War II, as were the beginnings of the Toyota Production System.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
7-½ Steps to Innovation January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation, culture.Tags: Creativity & Innovation, culture
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Because innovation has become such a popular word, Roy Luebke has offered a handful of thoughts about the innovation process. They’re worth taking a look at. For example, doing what is natural to the company. Companies, Mr. Leubke explains, have histories and cultures, and it is important to respect those when solving a customer problem.
Check out Mr. Luebke’s Innovation Weblog article here.
7-½ Steps to Innovation January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation, culture.Tags: Creativity & Innovation, culture
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Because innovation has become such a popular word, Roy Luebke has offered a handful of thoughts about the innovation process. They’re worth taking a look at. For example, doing what is natural to the company. Companies, Mr. Leubke explains, have histories and cultures, and it is important to respect those when solving a customer problem.
Check out Mr. Luebke’s Innovation Weblog article here.
3D-Printed Sand Microclimates to Cool Public Places January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business, new products and technologies.Tags: green, new products and technologies
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Using traditional Islamic architectural latticework, London-based design firm Postler-Feruson has developed an energy efficient alternative to air conditioning units. Called Microclimates, the product is a large three-dimensional unit through which water is fed, cooling the hot air that moves through it. Not only is it more appealing visually than an air conditioning unit, but it is also easier to move around.
Read the GizMag article review here.
3D-Printed Sand Microclimates to Cool Public Places January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business, new products and technologies.Tags: green, new products and technologies
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Using traditional Islamic architectural latticework, London-based design firm Postler-Feruson has developed an energy efficient alternative to air conditioning units. Called Microclimates, the product is a large three-dimensional unit through which water is fed, cooling the hot air that moves through it. Not only is it more appealing visually than an air conditioning unit, but it is also easier to move around.
Read the GizMag article review here.
My Most Important Productivity Tool January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in personal productivity, work-life balance.Tags: personal productivity, work-life balance
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Mark McGuinness over at Lateral Action has posted a brief article about productivity with links to recent entries. One of them follows the rule that if it doesn’t fit on a Post-It Note, it doesn’t fit into your day. This, explains Mr. McGuiness in the article, forces him to prioritize.
Check out the post and the links here.
My Most Important Productivity Tool January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in personal productivity, work-life balance.Tags: personal productivity, work-life balance
add a comment
Mark McGuinness over at Lateral Action has posted a brief article about productivity with links to recent entries. One of them follows the rule that if it doesn’t fit on a Post-It Note, it doesn’t fit into your day. This, explains Mr. McGuiness in the article, forces him to prioritize.
Check out the post and the links here.
New Technique Recycles 100% of Household Plastic January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business, new products and technologies.Tags: green, new products and technologies
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The Warwick System, aims to recycle household plastic where major recyclers cannot. Using pyrolysis as a method (where hear replaces the absence of oxygen), fluidized bed reactors pass gas and liquid “through solid granular material at high velocity, causing it to behave like a liquid.” The result is that plastic materials are separated and can be utilized once more. Even waste material can be sold as activated carbon material.
Check out the GizMag write-up here.
New Technique Recycles 100% of Household Plastic January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business, new products and technologies.Tags: green, new products and technologies
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The Warwick System, aims to recycle household plastic where major recyclers cannot. Using pyrolysis as a method (where hear replaces the absence of oxygen), fluidized bed reactors pass gas and liquid “through solid granular material at high velocity, causing it to behave like a liquid.” The result is that plastic materials are separated and can be utilized once more. Even waste material can be sold as activated carbon material.
Check out the GizMag write-up here.
Control Point Standardization as a Form of “Leader Standard Work”. January 22, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, Lean Tools & Techniques, Standard Work.Tags: leadership, Lean Tools & Techniques, standard work
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Standardized points, says Jamie Flinchbaugh in an interview at Business901 Blog, are often unappreciated and not well understood. Rather than firefight mode, where leaders rush to fix problems, standardized points assist in preempting problems and being proactive against them. Dashboards and security badges are forms of control points, and control points can be visual checks, metrics, discussions, and investigations.
Check out Mr. Flinchbaugh’s 901 interview here.
