Lean and Free Will September 20, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, Lean Thinking, workforce.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking, workforce
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A post over at Gemba Tales blog talks about how lean can only ever truly be implemented when it is embraced voluntarily by those it is being taught to. Lean requires transformation, not just appointed tasks and functions. The individual must be invested in lean intrinsically to see it truly succeed, and that sometimes requires coaching and appointed tasks – but the danger is that the person may not come to embrace lean in the long run.
Check out the rest of the post here.
5S At Home September 20, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, lean, work-life balance.Tags: 5S, 5S & Visual Management, lean, work-life balance
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Tim McMahon, writing at A Lean Journey, shares a video by Paul Akers of applying lean at home. The video highlights, among other things, Aker’s home office and bathroom. He revamps his top desk drawer by using carved-out foam to standardize the locations of his commonly-used tools and writing instruments. David Allway, writing at The Common Sensei, recalls his childhood foundations of 5S, helping to organize his father’s workshop. Allway organized important steps of his life –as a college student, a coach, an athlete, and as a business professional.
Check out McMahon’s thoughts and the nifty video here, and Allway’s excellent post here.
Potholes? There’s an App for That September 20, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in government, lean.Tags: government, lean
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Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has overseen the use of social networking, in the form of more than twenty venues, to allow citizens to be in touch with city hall to report problems and issues. The most popular is the application called Citizens Connect, in which vandalism, graffiti, and potholes can be reported. The program has been downloaded 23,000 times and has spawned 31,000 reports. Thus, city workers can actually focus on fixing real problems rather than looking for them.
To learn more about Boston’s efforts, and to learn more about their app process, head here.
Paul O’Neill Talks ThedaCare, Lean Healthcare on CNBC September 20, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, lean.Tags: healthcare, lean
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Mark Graban over at LeanBlog shares a video from CNBC of Paul O’Neill talking about cleaning up healthcare. The root problem is a systems problem, not a problem traceable to individuals. Better systems and improved processes will ultimately raise the excellence of the workforce.
Unfortunately, the CNBC host spends too much time up front talking about his unignorable microphone and cuts off the former Treasury Secretary, CEO, and obvious Lean Thinker in the middle of a coherent response.
To see the video, and read Graban’s analysis, head here.
You Don’t Set the Rules September 20, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, supply chain.Tags: lean, supply chain
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Kevin Meyer, writing at Evolving Excellence, talks about how the customer is the one who ultimately calls all the shots, and that each supply chain has its own rules. Customers who abuse the supply chain often lose out on better opportunities with other supplies, because those suppliers do not want to suffer that abuse.
What passes these days for a “lean supply chain” or a “supplier partnership” is often laughable.
To read Meyer’s informative post, head here.
A Fire Truck When an Ambulance Would Suffice September 20, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean.Tags: lean
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Kevin Meyer, writing over at Evolving Excellence, writes about organizational scope creep. He highlights a Wall Street Journal article that shows, among other things, that it takes twice as many firefighters to put out half as many fires as was done 30 years ago. While the operational model hasn’t changed, he says, the amount of response has – increasing costs unnecessarily. The same is true of business, and over-responding to problems or issues, such as a senior manager handling a problem far below his station.
Check out Kevin’s article here.
Demand Surges for Lean Talent Over Six Sigma March 29, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, six sigma.Tags: lean, six sigma
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In an IndustryWeek analysis of an Avery Point Group study, the demand for lean skills is outpacing demand for Six Sigma skills this year by 68%, whereas last year lean outpaced Six Sigma demand by only 35%. The reason why is inferred to be because lean is viewed as being a faster system of improvement than Six Sigma.
For more of the IndustryWeek analysis, head on over to see the article here.
Securing the Elusive Lean Buy-In March 29, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in change management, lean.Tags: change management, lean
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Jamie Flinchbaugh, writing over at IndustryWeek, presents a four-step process for a successful lean buy-in. Among those steps are treating those you are seeking to buy into not as enemies, but as customers; and overcoming the valid “no” by responding to questions and concerns about the buy-in.
Check out Jamie’s IndustryWeek article here.
Takt Times and Falling Sales: How to Respond? March 29, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, strategy.Tags: lean, strategy
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Michael Baudin, in response to a reader question about falling sales, explains at his blog that takt time is not just customer demand, but the division of production time by demand. Fluctuations in sales need to be distinguished from major changes, the latter of which needs addressing. A major downturn, for example, would mandate reducing production. Many people struggle with how to deal with lean implementation during lean economic times, and this adds an important point or two.
For Michael’s response at his blog, head on over here.
Straight Talk: Avoid the Con of Quick and Easy Lean March 29, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in culture, lean.Tags: culture, lean
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Lawrence Miller, writing at IndustryWeek, makes the case that lean is a multiyear process more akin to a lifestyle change than a diet. Some lean gurus present lean as if it was a system of quick, painless fixes. Lawrence provides some helpful hints about how to avoid such false promises. Among them, saving money comes at the expense of trimming the workforce. Lawrence also provides some truthful information about lean, including the need for active leadership.
For Lawrence Miller’s informative article, please head here.
12 Narrow Lean Gates March 29, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean.Tags: lean
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One of the reasons lean often fails is because its principles are violated. This occurs out of ignorance, impatience, and other reasons. A Bible quote illustrations a broad gate and road does not lead to life, but a narrow gate does. Twelve narrow gates through which a lean journey must pass are presented, including moving beyond only event-driven kaizen and celebrating problems to solve them.
Travel on over to the Gemba Tales Blog for the gates post.
Lean Chickens, 1, Fat Lions, 0 February 27, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, manufacturing, strategy, supply chain.Tags: lean, manufacturing, strategy, supply chain
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Bill Waddell presents an interesting study of production. Golden Bear, Ltd., has received the contract to produce Pride the Lion, the official mascot of the British Olympic Team. Pride is being produced in China because it has been argued that he is too expensive to produce elsewhere. Pride retails for $20. Meanwhile, Montana-based American company West Paw Design makes a sustainable, fluffy product called a Spring Chicken that is larger than Pride –and it retails for $14. The difference? Lean-based West Paw oversees everything itself, while Pride must be overseen by offices in both London and China.
For Bill’s very thought-provoking article, head here.
Lean Versus the Toyota Productive System February 27, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean.Tags: lean
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Michael Baudin, writing at his blog, explains that there is a difference between lean and TPS –and has to do with packaging as well as substance. He contends that whereas TPS may be defined as a cookie-cutter approach to each company, lean is more dynamic and malleable, provided its core principles are not violated. Michael also notes that the label “lean” is slapped on just about anything these days.
To read his views on the distinction between lean and TPS, check out Michael’s post here.
Graphic Representation of a Lean Schedule February 27, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: lean, Lean Tools & Techniques
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Michael Baudin has posted a visual representation of lean scheduling over at his blog. It is adapted from a real test data set, and is an interesting graphic to view.
Head on over here to view the graphic.
ThedaCare’s “Business Performance System” – and a 10% Target February 27, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in change management, healthcare, lean.Tags: change management, healthcare, lean
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Mark Graban speaks about the book On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry by John Toussaint in a blog post at Lean Blog. Mark highlights the lean efforts of ThedaCare in a blog post by Toussaint as well, including the failure of achieving their goal of increasing productivity by 10% annually. This caused a period of intense self-reflection, and importantly, ThedaCare did not blame its employees but rather their system of management.
To read Mark’s post, head on over here.
Sharpen Your Focus by Selecting the Vital Few Breakthrough Objectives with Hoshin Kanri January 30, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in culture, lean.Tags: culture, lean
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Tim McMahon, writing at A Lean Journey, talks about the two kinds of changes that occur: small, incremental changes, and large, dramatic changes. While both matter, sometimes the larger, more dramatic changes are what lead to real breakthroughs.
Check out Mr. McMahon’s informative post here.
Sharpen Your Focus by Selecting the Vital Few Breakthrough Objectives with Hoshin Kanri January 30, 2012
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in culture, lean.Tags: culture, lean
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Tim McMahon, writing at A Lean Journey, talks about the two kinds of changes that occur: small, incremental changes, and large, dramatic changes. While both matter, sometimes the larger, more dramatic changes are what lead to real breakthroughs.
Check out Mr. McMahon’s informative post here.
You Are a Monument Machine December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, personal productivity.Tags: lean, personal productivity
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The newsletter from Time Back Management (available to be viewed as a PDF) talks about how changing between tasks can create unproductive downtime. In order to avoid unproductive downtime, shut out interruptions like e-mail alerts. Close doors. Find somewhere quiet to work. In an analogous way, we can personally experience the same problems as machines, which experience costly “changeover time” to switch between tasks.
Head here for the site and a link to the newsletter.
You Are a Monument Machine December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, personal productivity.Tags: lean, personal productivity
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The newsletter from Time Back Management (available to be viewed as a PDF) talks about how changing between tasks can create unproductive downtime. In order to avoid unproductive downtime, shut out interruptions like e-mail alerts. Close doors. Find somewhere quiet to work. In an analogous way, we can personally experience the same problems as machines, which experience costly “changeover time” to switch between tasks.
Head here for the site and a link to the newsletter.
The Personal Kanban: Not Just “Vocabulary Engineering” December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, personal productivity, Pull Systems.Tags: lean, personal productivity, Pull Systems
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Writing on Time Back Management, Jim respectfully disagrees with Michael Baudin, a lean expert, who posted his view that personal kanban is “vocabulary engineering”. Jim says that work in progress – especially modern work – needs visualization to avoid overload. While he agrees with some of the weaknesses using kanban at a personal level, Jim’s personal experience leads him to conclude that the benefits outweigh the problems and that kanban methods can get results when applied at a personal level.
Read Jim’s arguments here.
The Personal Kanban: Not Just “Vocabulary Engineering” December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, personal productivity, Pull Systems.Tags: lean, personal productivity, Pull Systems
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Writing on Time Back Management, Jim respectfully disagrees with Michael Baudin, a lean expert, who posted his view that personal kanban is “vocabulary engineering”. Jim says that work in progress – especially modern work – needs visualization to avoid overload. While he agrees with some of the weaknesses using kanban at a personal level, Jim’s personal experience leads him to conclude that the benefits outweigh the problems and that kanban methods can get results when applied at a personal level.
Read Jim’s arguments here.
Toyota’s True North Concept December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking
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Art Smalley, writing over at the Lean Edge, talks about Toyota’s True North concept. He talks about his dislike of the use of the buzz word “True North”, believing it doesn’t help to clarify anything. What is at that northernmost point is the idea about what a company should do, not what it can do. Always driving at what should be done, rather doing what can be done, helps motivate and push businesses along.
For Art’s post and a graphic depicting the True North concept, click here.
Toyota’s True North Concept December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking
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Art Smalley, writing over at the Lean Edge, talks about Toyota’s True North concept. He talks about his dislike of the use of the buzz word “True North”, believing it doesn’t help to clarify anything. What is at that northernmost point is the idea about what a company should do, not what it can do. Always driving at what should be done, rather doing what can be done, helps motivate and push businesses along.
For Art’s post and a graphic depicting the True North concept, click here.
Illogical Progression December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, strategy.Tags: lean, strategy
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The Old Lean Dude follows up his September post on policy deployment (also known as a roadmap for improvement) with another where he defines that it is important to know where you are going. Furthermore, the road map must be concurrent with the lean journey. As the journey progresses, so does the map.
For more of Bruck Hamilton’s thoughts on policy deployment, head here.
Illogical Progression December 18, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, strategy.Tags: lean, strategy
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The Old Lean Dude follows up his September post on policy deployment (also known as a roadmap for improvement) with another where he defines that it is important to know where you are going. Furthermore, the road map must be concurrent with the lean journey. As the journey progresses, so does the map.
For more of Bruck Hamilton’s thoughts on policy deployment, head here.
