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Tag Archives: Lean thinking
Supplier Development Article
Supplier development in a lean age [the broken link was removed] by Rich Weissman “We need to keep in mind why we are doing supplier development and relationship management, and profit needs to be the focus of our efforts. Profitable suppliers will tend to be happier suppliers, and happier suppliers will ultimately perform better.” I get the impression from this and many other articles that people are scared to talk about any other aims than profit. Deming didn’t have such … Continue reading
Lean National Health System
A presentation today, Lean Thinking For the NHS, by Dan Jones is getting press coverage in England.NHS should embrace lean times: The improvements came through examining the patient’s whole experience, and removing the sometimes-fatal delays in getting them into the operating theatre, such as creating a faster process for radiology and removing unnecessary paperwork.These changes also lessen staff frustrations by allowing them to spend more time helping patients. Also, by cutting length of stay and complications, costs should also start … Continue reading
Posted in Health care, Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles, Systems thinking, UK
Tagged Health care, Lean thinking, system thinking, UK
1 Comment
Lean Library
Library becomes a lean machine [the broken link was removed] by Morgan Jarema: “I spent parts of three days looking for that book,” Hoyles recalled. “On the fourth day, I found it. I called the patron and he told me he’d gone out and bought it.” … In November, library employees, who are responsible for checking in from 4,000 to 10,000 returned materials at a time, were asked to help reduce the reshelving time, which could be as long as … Continue reading
Posted in Lean thinking, Management Articles, Public Sector, Quality tools
Tagged Lean thinking, Public Sector
Lean Beyond the Factory Floor
Spreading the lean tonic [the broken link was removed]: One problem, says Michele Bonfiglioli, chief executive of Italian manufacturing consultancy firm Bonfiglioli Consulting, is that many manufacturers have a ‘blind spot’ when it comes to understanding just how non-lean and inefficient their administrative functions are. “Manufacturing is full of metrics: takt times, OEE and a host of others – but no one measures what goes on in the offices,” he observes. The focus on the whole organization is increasing moving … Continue reading
Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Process improvement
Tagged Lean thinking, Process improvement, Six sigma
Lean Software Development
I have posted on the topic of Lean Software Development previously. Lean Software Development: A Field Guide – the first 3 chapters of this new book are available online [the broken link was removed]. Excellent book that I recommended for anyone interested in lean thinking ideas. Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit for Software Development Managers by Mary Poppendieck and Tom Poppendieck, 2003. Articles on lean programming by the Mary Poppendieck David Carlton has an interesting post on this topic: … Continue reading
Lean Thinking Misconception
Office Furniture Companies Now Leaner [the broken link was removed] Steelcase, the largest of the nation’s office furniture companies, cut thousands of jobs, consolidated manufacturing operations and started relying more on third-party suppliers and outsourcing as it shifted toward a leaner and more flexible manufacturing model popularized by Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. This does not convey true lean thinking. It is a shame so many think lean is equal to “reducing staff.” Lean is about removing waste. Removing waste … Continue reading
Posted in Lean thinking, Management Articles, Manufacturing
Tagged lean manufacturing, Lean thinking
1 Comment
Most Meetings are Muda
Most Meetings are Muda (Waste) from Got Boondoggle: I will not waste your time and regurgitate all the expert based meeting protocols like following an established agenda, having a meeting plan, taking meeting notes, etc. All these ideas are great and work well. Instead, I have a list of a few meeting musts that may guide you to more productive meeting time. The post provides good tips on what to avoid. Given how many people know that many meetings are … Continue reading
Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools
Tagged Lean thinking, meetings, Quality tools
4 Comments
Lean Accounting: What’s It All About?
Lean Accounting: What’s It All About? [the broken link was removed] by Brian H. Maskell and Bruce L. Baggaley: Companies using Lean Accounting have better information for decision-making, have simple and timely reports that are clearly understood by everyone in the company, they understand the true financial impact of lean changes, they focus the business around the value created for the customers, and Lean Accounting actively drives the lean transformation. This helps the company to grow, to add more value … Continue reading
Leading Lean: Missed Opportunity
Leading Lean: Missed Opportunity [the broken link was removed] by Jamie Flinchbaugh: Three elements are needed to gain the benefits from using pull production to drive problems out into the open. First, you need strong problem-solving skills. Bringing a problem to the surface is only half of the battle-you still have to correct the problem. Second, you need an infrastructure capable of solving problems. This means persuading employees at all levels to respond to problems in real time. This does … Continue reading
Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Psychology, Systems thinking
Tagged Lean thinking, organization as a system, problem solving
Lean, Mean Business Machine
Lean, mean business machine [the broken link was removed], from New Zealand: But it is wasted effort that is the main focus, Mr Shook says. The lean philosophy is about first making waste visible, then acting on every level in a company, from large to small, to eliminate it. This point is often overlooked – making waste visible is critical.
Posted in Lean thinking
Tagged Lean thinking, visual management
Lean Thinking and Management
Several interesting posts have been inspired by the Kaizen Priorities post on Got Boondoggle. While it has been mentioned debating these ideas may not be valuable, I believe it can be valuable to explore the reasons behind the different views. Bill Waddel’s post, Lean Manufacturing [the broken link was removed], points to the importance of cycle time reduction (versus the priorities mentioned in the original post). I think that point is valuable. He also talks about the reasons for Six … Continue reading
Posted in Deming, Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools, quote
Tagged Lean thinking, management, organization as a system
The Skinny on Lean
The Skinny on Lean [the broken link was removed] by Peter Bradley The pursuit of perfection and obsessive attention to detail that characterize Toyota’s lean model are reflected in Menlo Worldwide’s 278,000-square-foot Brownstown facility, known as the Great Lakes Lean Logistics Center (GLLLC). Look around, and you’ll notice process maps on the wall of a room off the main warehouse. You’ll see taped outlines on the floor and walls to indicate the precise location of every cart, every tool, every … Continue reading
Posted in Lean thinking, Management Articles
Tagged Lean thinking
Not Lean Retailing
Renovating Home Depot [the broken link was removed], Business Week It is always dangerous to make too much of a magazine article, but Home Depot seems to be moving away from lean thinking in the following examples, to me anyway. The Home Depot founders: allowed store managers immense autonomy. “Whether it was an aisle, department, or store, you were truly in charge of it,” says former store operations manager… These days every major decision and goal at Home Depot flows … Continue reading
Posted in Customer focus, Lean thinking, Management
Tagged Customer focus, Lean thinking, retail
Lean Manufacturing Success
K&S makes first shipment to China [the broken link was removed] by Buzz Ball The award was given for K&S Wire’s continuous improvement in manufacturing excellence and its implementation of “lean” enterprise principles into its everyday operations. It is because of these principles that Schwartz was able to make the announcement about the shipment to China. “We took the order to construct 111,000 wire frames that will hold flip-flops,” said Schwartz. “Because of our ‘lean’ principles, our price was better … Continue reading
Posted in China, Lean thinking, Management, Manufacturing
Tagged Lean thinking
2006 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing
2006 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing [the broken link was removed, I am continually amazed by organizations that do things like delete press releases, sigh, and a new waste created by poorly managing web resources] American manufacturing continues to experience turbulent times in maintaining and growing manufacturing jobs. The only business approach that has demonstrated superior achievement is Lean Enterprise Management (the Toyota Production System), the foundation of the Shingo Prize. All 14 companies to be recognized in 2006 … Continue reading
Visible Data
Effective visual signals are important for effective management improvement: lean thinking emphasizes such ideas. Top 5 Rules of Effective Measurement Boards is an excellent post on how to make measurement effective. Take the time to find the important measures and then don’t keep data hidden in some drawer or computer file out of people’s view and therefore out of mind. Post the important data for everyone to see. Review the data as changes are made and see that the changes … Continue reading
Posted in Data, Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools
Tagged Data, Lean thinking, management, Quality tools, visual communication, visual management
2 Comments