Questions to unstick you!

Good article on root cause analysis

Interesting article about how to use Standards.

So, I've got a new question - "Do you see what I see?"
Yes, I know it's three times longer than, "So what?" But, I think it's equally as weighty. (Heck, we can abbreviate it as DYSWIS?)
Here's two ways DYSWIS? can be applied in a lean context.

Perhaps, rather than "looking for waste" we ought to be looking at what few things make a big difference. Just a thought.

Unclutterer.com is a fascinating, intensive site dedicated to improving personal productivity and quality of life by the elimination of unnecessary stuff.  The site's dozens of topics range from bedroom and kitchen, to college dorm, office, and general productivity and time management.

Sounds like Switch might be a good read. Has anybody read it?

After 4 posts about value stream mapping, I thought it would be useful to show a value stream map example. It's easier to learn by seeing examples of how other people use this lean tool.

Pre-bankruptcy, they (GM) used to collect data from automotive markets around the world, analyze it, and assemble it into large powerpoint decks that circulated every month to 150 recipients. Suspecting that nobody read them, Girsky ordered the report suspended for one month. When only a handful of complaints came in, Girsky discontinued the report.

Some Kaizen Charter advice

Watch the video - does this look familiar? I'm entering the Help Desk ticket today!

Simple example of a defect board.

How could we replicate this?

I was in a conversation today and we ended up boiling 5S down to three key points:

You have everything you need.
You need everything you have.
You can see everything clearly belongs where it is.

Some useful ways to think through metrics. I wonder how different metrics might drive customer innovation?

How could we begin to train our Leaders (that means me, you & anybody who is responsible for people) to do this? I will place this on the Employee Development Agenda.

How could we use this? Too often 5S, kaizen, standardization and checking our own work or the work of others begins with enthusiasm as a new management program but soon becomes a routine and neglected "nice to have". Putting 5S and kaizen together as the "6T practice" positions them as essential daily "must haves" behaviors. Placing the record of completing these duties on the clip board on the food service floor within reach of the customer is an excellent way to link practice with purpose.

Visual Management Systems should be simple, obvious, efficient, and effective. Thus was the case at a recent visit to a Mexican Restaurant in Utah called Cafe Rio.

Lean Tip #241 - Leaders must teach by example to transform a culture. To get people across an organization to systematically work on improvement every day requires teaching the skills behind the solution. And for that to happen, their leaders and mangers also need to practice and learn those skills.

One team described to me how the use of a checklist had reduced defects by 50%.  When I asked why it was important they showed me how many patients were still alive as a result.  The manager had taken the time to bring everyone into the plan.  Powerful!