The Benefits of Lean IT in Manufacturing March 29, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, manufacturing.Tags: lean office, manufacturing
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Lean isn’t just something for car manufacturing and business organization. It can also be applied to IT. An article by Steve Minter at IndustryWeek highlights the lean efforts of Ryan King, director of information technology at ARPAC. King explains that a lean IT system can mean better production methods. For example, instead of having to fill out paperwork to request more parts, employees can simply scan a barcode identifying which parts are needed.
To read the IndustryWeek article about implementing lean in IT, head on over here.
Humility, Respect, and… Ignorance November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, lean.Tags: leadership, lean office
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Kevin Meyer, writing at the Evolving Excellence blog, talks about the second pillar of lean: respect for people. Mr. Meyer is convinced most lean efforts fail because they focus on waste elimination rather than respect for people. A large part of that respect is a solid ethical foundation, which is severely lacking in leadership, written off as “ignorance”.
Check out Mr. Meyer’s blog post here.
Humility, Respect, and… Ignorance November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, lean.Tags: leadership, lean office
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Kevin Meyer, writing at the Evolving Excellence blog, talks about the second pillar of lean: respect for people. Mr. Meyer is convinced most lean efforts fail because they focus on waste elimination rather than respect for people. A large part of that respect is a solid ethical foundation, which is severely lacking in leadership, written off as “ignorance”.
Check out Mr. Meyer’s blog post here.
Lean Space – Some Thoughts and 10 Questions June 2, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking, Workplace Design.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, workplace design
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Mark Hamel, writing over at Gemba Tales, notes that often, organizations don’t seriously take into account lean principles when designing buildings and workspaces. Mark includes in his post a list of things to be considered when designing. For example, will the new space make visual management easier, with no visual obstructions? Will the new space facilitate 5S and workplace organization?
Check out Mr. Hamel’s post, and the rest of his list here.
Lean Space – Some Thoughts and 10 Questions June 2, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking, Workplace Design.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, workplace design
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Mark Hamel, writing over at Gemba Tales, notes that often, organizations don’t seriously take into account lean principles when designing buildings and workspaces. Mark includes in his post a list of things to be considered when designing. For example, will the new space make visual management easier, with no visual obstructions? Will the new space facilitate 5S and workplace organization?
Check out Mr. Hamel’s post, and the rest of his list here.
For Startups, How Much Process Is Too Much? April 20, 2010
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity, Standard Work.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity, standard work
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Startup businesses often worry too much about process, says Eric Ries at Harvard Business Review, and not enough about innovation. Process needs to be balanced with innovation. Changes geared towards learning are considered a win. Anything else is waste.
This article also speaks volumes to small businesses and the process-centered focus necessary for lean implementation.
Check out Mr. Ries’s article here.
For Startups, How Much Process Is Too Much? April 20, 2010
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity, Standard Work.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity, standard work
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Startup businesses often worry too much about process, says Eric Ries at Harvard Business Review, and not enough about innovation. Process needs to be balanced with innovation. Changes geared towards learning are considered a win. Anything else is waste.
This article also speaks volumes to small businesses and the process-centered focus necessary for lean implementation.
Check out Mr. Ries’s article here.
Consider This — Taking Lean Beyond the Shop Floor April 20, 2010
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking, six sigma.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, six sigma
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Fokker Aerotron, a aerospace parts company specializing in maintenance, repair, and overhaul, has taken lean beyond the ground floor. Applying lean to administrative areas, overall performance and bottom-lines vastly improved: profit margins are up 5%, for example. In the past, Six Sigma, 5S, and other lean techniques never moved beyond the shop floor. But now, even storage is affected positively by lean, as 2,375 square feet of floor space was cleared up by honing in on the spare parts warehouse.
Check out the Industry Week article here.
Consider This — Taking Lean Beyond the Shop Floor April 20, 2010
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking, six sigma.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, six sigma
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Fokker Aerotron, a aerospace parts company specializing in maintenance, repair, and overhaul, has taken lean beyond the ground floor. Applying lean to administrative areas, overall performance and bottom-lines vastly improved: profit margins are up 5%, for example. In the past, Six Sigma, 5S, and other lean techniques never moved beyond the shop floor. But now, even storage is affected positively by lean, as 2,375 square feet of floor space was cleared up by honing in on the spare parts warehouse.
Check out the Industry Week article here.
LeanBlog Video Podcast: Dr. Sami Bahri, D.D.S February 17, 2010
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking
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In a video podcast at LeanBlog, Dr. Sami Bahri, the “world’s first lean dentist”, shares some more insights. Dr. Bahri has gone out to visit factories to learn more about lean. He elaborates on his own business and the idea that any activity not adding value is waste. An example he gives is that they examined their paper filing system. He also talks about patient turnover, and going from one patient to the next without changing their setup, and giving set times for waits and procedures.
Check out the video podcast here.
LeanBlog Video Podcast: Dr. Sami Bahri, D.D.S February 17, 2010
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking
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In a video podcast at LeanBlog, Dr. Sami Bahri, the “world’s first lean dentist”, shares some more insights. Dr. Bahri has gone out to visit factories to learn more about lean. He elaborates on his own business and the idea that any activity not adding value is waste. An example he gives is that they examined their paper filing system. He also talks about patient turnover, and going from one patient to the next without changing their setup, and giving set times for waits and procedures.
Check out the video podcast here.
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.
How We Work Now: Seven Twists On The Home Office November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, personal productivity, Workplace Design.Tags: lean office, work-life balance
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With millions of people working from home in the United States now, the need for home offices has never been greater. But space, construction permits, and utilities often plague the home-based entrepreneur. It is upon these problems that Fast Company has seized the initiative by putting together a collection of innovative and well-designed home office ideas. From the completely customizable L.O.F.T. workstation, to the Office Pod, to the Trunk Station, Fast Company has assembled seven unique home office solutions.
What will your home office look like in 10 years?
Check out the ideas here.
How We Work Now: Seven Twists On The Home Office November 18, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, personal productivity, Workplace Design.Tags: lean office, work-life balance
add a comment
With millions of people working from home in the United States now, the need for home offices has never been greater. But space, construction permits, and utilities often plague the home-based entrepreneur. It is upon these problems that Fast Company has seized the initiative by putting together a collection of innovative and well-designed home office ideas. From the completely customizable L.O.F.T. workstation, to the Office Pod, to the Trunk Station, Fast Company has assembled seven unique home office solutions.
What will your home office look like in 10 years?
Check out the ideas here.
Lean Lessons From a Freelance Writer? March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity
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Believe it or not, there is a connection between freelance writers and production lines. In the freelance writer’s world, orders can arrive any time during a 24-hour period with various deadlines and requirements. Loyal customers may have rush projects. And small projects often become larger than originally anticipated.In addition, the recession is forcing many writers to accept as much work as possible to make ends meet. And with so many other writers out there, a writer must meet the client’s needs without question. Otherwise, the client will move on to the next writer and repeat business will be lost.
The author goes on to describe her application of lean concepts to personal time management – a favorite topic of mine.
All this makes the application of lean manufacturing principles an absolute must for any writer to be truly successful.
There are great parallels.
Read the full article here.
Lean Lessons From a Freelance Writer? March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity
add a comment
Believe it or not, there is a connection between freelance writers and production lines. In the freelance writer’s world, orders can arrive any time during a 24-hour period with various deadlines and requirements. Loyal customers may have rush projects. And small projects often become larger than originally anticipated.In addition, the recession is forcing many writers to accept as much work as possible to make ends meet. And with so many other writers out there, a writer must meet the client’s needs without question. Otherwise, the client will move on to the next writer and repeat business will be lost.
The author goes on to describe her application of lean concepts to personal time management – a favorite topic of mine.
All this makes the application of lean manufacturing principles an absolute must for any writer to be truly successful.
There are great parallels.
Read the full article here.
The Skinny on Lean Management December 22, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking
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Lean management doesn’t resonate in marketing and sales. Nor does it among boards, senior executives and investors. Reasons relate to where lean tends to do most of its work-in operations-and its usual presentation as an attack on waste. Marketing’s valued role is in collaborative lean planning, first within the company and then taken to customers in the external value chain. Richard Schonberger make that point in this article in Sales and Marketing Management magazine.
Read the full article here.
The Skinny on Lean Management December 22, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking
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Lean management doesn’t resonate in marketing and sales. Nor does it among boards, senior executives and investors. Reasons relate to where lean tends to do most of its work-in operations-and its usual presentation as an attack on waste. Marketing’s valued role is in collaborative lean planning, first within the company and then taken to customers in the external value chain. Richard Schonberger make that point in this article in Sales and Marketing Management magazine.
Read the full article here.
Creating Level Pull in the Office November 25, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office.Tags: lean office
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Most organizations can benefit from the adoption of a pull-based system to improve workflow, says Drew Locher, managing director of Change Management Associates in Mount Laurel, N.J., and co-author of The Complete Lean Enterprise-Value Stream Mapping for Administrative and Office Processes. Unfortunately, these organizations tend to “push” information from process step to process step, regardless of whether the subsequent step is ready to handle the work or not.
This IndustryWeek article defines the characteristics and outlines the benefits of a pull system for service and office processes. Examples include a design-to-order company that uses visual signals to speed the order process, and a realigned sales operation that pulls demand to areas with available sales capacity.
Creating Level Pull in the Office November 25, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office.Tags: lean office
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Most organizations can benefit from the adoption of a pull-based system to improve workflow, says Drew Locher, managing director of Change Management Associates in Mount Laurel, N.J., and co-author of The Complete Lean Enterprise-Value Stream Mapping for Administrative and Office Processes. Unfortunately, these organizations tend to “push” information from process step to process step, regardless of whether the subsequent step is ready to handle the work or not.
This IndustryWeek article defines the characteristics and outlines the benefits of a pull system for service and office processes. Examples include a design-to-order company that uses visual signals to speed the order process, and a realigned sales operation that pulls demand to areas with available sales capacity.
A Six Sigma Approach to Employee Retention November 16, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in six sigma.Tags: lean office, six sigma
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An HR outsourcing team demonstrated to leadership that retaining its customer service associates would improve business. A classical Six Sigma DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) approach quantified the true cost of turnover. Targeted solutions resulted in a return on investment of 217%.
The full article is here in Quality Progress, the magazine of the American Society for Quality.
A Six Sigma Approach to Employee Retention November 16, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in six sigma.Tags: lean office, six sigma
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An HR outsourcing team demonstrated to leadership that retaining its customer service associates would improve business. A classical Six Sigma DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) approach quantified the true cost of turnover. Targeted solutions resulted in a return on investment of 217%.
The full article is here in Quality Progress, the magazine of the American Society for Quality.
WSJ Article on 5S Misses the Point November 7, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office.Tags: 5S, lean office
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The October 27th issue of the Wall Street Journal ran an article – front page below the fold – on 5S. Now normally, I’d be overjoyed that lean gets front page treatment in the mainstream press. Unfortunately, the article was about as poorly researched as they come.
The article describes 5S at Kyocera, and highlights outlining and labeling, the elimination of clutter, how management communicates 5S to get compliance, and area inspections. I read the article twice and could not find the word “waste”, a single principle of lean, the involvement of workers in the area, or the business results of Kyocera’s draconian, top-driven approach.
The WSJ goes on to describe a 2002 application of 5S at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. It states:
Employees created new places for everything to eliminate the need to hunt for things. But doctors and nurses in Mr. Boze’s pod kept hanging the stethoscope in its old place on a hook, instead of putting it in the drawer marked “stethoscope.” “Eventually,” says Mr. Boze, “we had to remove the hook.”
Hello? Hey, who says the spot the employees created was the best location for the stethoscope? Why are you hiding a common instrument in a drawer instead of out in the open where it can be visually managed?
You can read the whole article here at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122505999892670159.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
I watched the letters section for a few days afterwards, expecting Jim Womack to swoop in and unleash a scathing rebuke. But alas, no Lords of Lean stepped up to set readers straight. And I let a golden opportunity pass by.
Hey, WSJ. I’m watching you.
WSJ Article on 5S Misses the Point November 7, 2008
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office.Tags: 5S, lean office
add a comment
The October 27th issue of the Wall Street Journal ran an article – front page below the fold – on 5S. Now normally, I’d be overjoyed that lean gets front page treatment in the mainstream press. Unfortunately, the article was about as poorly researched as they come.
The article describes 5S at Kyocera, and highlights outlining and labeling, the elimination of clutter, how management communicates 5S to get compliance, and area inspections. I read the article twice and could not find the word “waste”, a single principle of lean, the involvement of workers in the area, or the business results of Kyocera’s draconian, top-driven approach.
The WSJ goes on to describe a 2002 application of 5S at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. It states:
Employees created new places for everything to eliminate the need to hunt for things. But doctors and nurses in Mr. Boze’s pod kept hanging the stethoscope in its old place on a hook, instead of putting it in the drawer marked “stethoscope.” “Eventually,” says Mr. Boze, “we had to remove the hook.”
Hello? Hey, who says the spot the employees created was the best location for the stethoscope? Why are you hiding a common instrument in a drawer instead of out in the open where it can be visually managed?
You can read the whole article here at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122505999892670159.html?mod=todays_us_page_one
I watched the letters section for a few days afterwards, expecting Jim Womack to swoop in and unleash a scathing rebuke. But alas, no Lords of Lean stepped up to set readers straight. And I let a golden opportunity pass by.
Hey, WSJ. I’m watching you.
