I recently had the pleasure to guest post on Shmula. Shmula, is the work of Pete Abilla, a proven Lean and Six Sigma practitioner. His blog is a reflection of his take on technology, business, operations, Lean, Six Sigma, and a few other topics. Pete started a series of posts under the tag 7 wastes which describe the traditional wastes of Taiichi Ohno in specific context. I took a look at the wastes that can be found in New Product Development processes.
The first step in eliminating waste from New Product Development (NPD), and thus improving the process, is to learn to identify the eight wastes. By closely examining the entire NPD process from a Lean perspective, the opportunities to drive out waste and increase value will become obvious...
For the rest of the post head over to Shmula.com by clicking here.
If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter. You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts. For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Lean Quote of the Day, June 4, 2010
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.
“Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there.” - John P. Kotter
In today's times the difference between urgency and change will result in either survival or liquidation. Executives need to recognize the difference between the two. Urgency creates a motivating force on results and teaming. Change is imposed from above, the subject of skepticism and numerous Dilbert cartoons.
Every organization needs to change, that is commonly understood. We have become complacent in our approaches to change management. Change has lost its potency. It's become routine and we have lost sight of its fundamental roots.
Kotter reminds us that the root of success involves a sense of urgency. Urgency is the highly positive and focused forces that give people the determination to move and win now.
Kotter says there are two kinds of urgency, good urgency vs bad urgency. The good kind involves relentless focus on doing only those things that move the business forward in the marketplace and doing them right now. The bad kind is panic driven and characterized by breathless activity that winds up producing nothing demonstrably new.
Many organizations struggle to create the change necessary and many more of them can not sustain the gains of their change. True urgency is the most important precursor of real change.
If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter. You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts. For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.
Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.
“Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there.” - John P. Kotter
In today's times the difference between urgency and change will result in either survival or liquidation. Executives need to recognize the difference between the two. Urgency creates a motivating force on results and teaming. Change is imposed from above, the subject of skepticism and numerous Dilbert cartoons.
Every organization needs to change, that is commonly understood. We have become complacent in our approaches to change management. Change has lost its potency. It's become routine and we have lost sight of its fundamental roots.
Kotter reminds us that the root of success involves a sense of urgency. Urgency is the highly positive and focused forces that give people the determination to move and win now.
Kotter says there are two kinds of urgency, good urgency vs bad urgency. The good kind involves relentless focus on doing only those things that move the business forward in the marketplace and doing them right now. The bad kind is panic driven and characterized by breathless activity that winds up producing nothing demonstrably new.
Many organizations struggle to create the change necessary and many more of them can not sustain the gains of their change. True urgency is the most important precursor of real change.
If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter. You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts. For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Lean Quote of the Day, May 28th, 2010
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.
"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark." — Henri Frederic Amiel, Swiss Philospher from 1800's
Passion is the driving force that enables people to attain far more than they ever imagined. Commitment means you will go all the way for what you believe in. Passion and commitment go hand in hand. Make sure your job is something you love to do and be excited about coming to work. Remember to have a positive attitude because of the saying “Good attitude, good results; bad attitude, bad results.”
Enthusiam; intensity about a subject; willingness to engage others on their terms with repect to the threats and possibilities; deep knowledge about the subject; examples from one's own experience - all of these are marks of passion. These are attributes that can be studied, learned, and acquired over time. They grow from believing that there must be a better way for your organization to survive and prosper in a competitive world.
Passion is not style. There are a lot of different styles -- charismatic, quiet, confident. But it all comes down to this motivating sense of commitment to what you do. Vince Lombardi said “the difference between success and failure is energy … fired with enthusiasm.”
Passion is everything. Without passion there is no drive to succeed. It is the fuel of the will, and everything you do as a leader must express your passion. Passion is contagious and is easily shared. Passion will bridge moments of weakness, and will drive you past your failures while reaching for your goals. Passion radiates from you and is easily detected by others.
A leader without passion isn’t a leader. He’s a paper pusher. Or a taskmaster. Passion drives a lot, and you can inspire so much in others through your own passion and enthusiasm. That doesn’t mean you have to be constantly cheery, it means you’ve got to believe in what you’re doing and what your company is doing.
Inspired by listening to Bruce Hamilton of GBMP and Karl Wadensten of VIBCO at EASTEC this week who speak of and epitomize passion.
If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter. You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts. For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.
Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.
"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark." — Henri Frederic Amiel, Swiss Philospher from 1800's
Passion is the driving force that enables people to attain far more than they ever imagined. Commitment means you will go all the way for what you believe in. Passion and commitment go hand in hand. Make sure your job is something you love to do and be excited about coming to work. Remember to have a positive attitude because of the saying “Good attitude, good results; bad attitude, bad results.”
Enthusiam; intensity about a subject; willingness to engage others on their terms with repect to the threats and possibilities; deep knowledge about the subject; examples from one's own experience - all of these are marks of passion. These are attributes that can be studied, learned, and acquired over time. They grow from believing that there must be a better way for your organization to survive and prosper in a competitive world.
Passion is not style. There are a lot of different styles -- charismatic, quiet, confident. But it all comes down to this motivating sense of commitment to what you do. Vince Lombardi said “the difference between success and failure is energy … fired with enthusiasm.”
Passion is everything. Without passion there is no drive to succeed. It is the fuel of the will, and everything you do as a leader must express your passion. Passion is contagious and is easily shared. Passion will bridge moments of weakness, and will drive you past your failures while reaching for your goals. Passion radiates from you and is easily detected by others.
A leader without passion isn’t a leader. He’s a paper pusher. Or a taskmaster. Passion drives a lot, and you can inspire so much in others through your own passion and enthusiasm. That doesn’t mean you have to be constantly cheery, it means you’ve got to believe in what you’re doing and what your company is doing.
Inspired by listening to Bruce Hamilton of GBMP and Karl Wadensten of VIBCO at EASTEC this week who speak of and epitomize passion.
If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter. You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts. For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Lean Improvement the FastCap Way
In Lean we strive for a culture in which everyone in the company makes small improvements to their work environment everyday. Many organizations start with large activities with titles like Kaizen or improvement events. This is necessary in the beginning to create the conditions for change. You need to teach people how and why to improve. The Kaizened area then serves as a powerful example for the rest of the organization to learn from. But as we strive for "True North" we want to create an environment where continuous improvement occurs regularly as part of the work. Now, there is an example of this from FastCap.
FastCap produces a vast array of woodworking products and tools to accommodate the professional cabinet maker and woodworker needs. FastCap was founded in 1997 by Paul Akers, 20-year veteran in cabinet-making/ woodworking industry. One day, while Paul was building some cabinets, he got an idea for a self-adhesive screw cap cover and the Fastcap was born.
I learned of FastCap from bloggers Ron Pereira and Jon Miller about 6 months ago. In fact Gemba Consulting helped FastCap start their Lean transformation around 2002. You can hear from Paul himself on how they started their Lean journey from a talk at the Northwest Business Club (video: Part 1 & Part 2) earlier this year.
This video serves as a great example of how powerful an engaged and empowered workforce can be. It is really only possible from the involved leadership and coaching at the Gemba. By reinforcing improvement at the source daily you are changing behaviors and establishing an environment where this kind of improvement is expected. If you do this well then it is common place to solve problems as they occur and find ways to improve your work. I hope this serves as an example for all. Share this with the leaders of your organization to start a change in thinking about improvement today.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
First Year Hansei
One year ago today I started A Lean Journey and I thought some hansei was in order. Hansei is Japanese for "self-reflection". It is the practice of continuous improvement that consists of looking back and thinking about how a process can be improved. Without hansei you stop learning.
It is important to go back and revisit the beginning. I had been following a number of bloggers like Mike Wroblewski, Jon Miller, Ron Pereira, Mark Graban, Joe Ely, Kevin Meyer and Bill Waddell, Jamie Flinchbaugh, and Lee Fried before I started. These authors really inspired me to try a blog of my own. There seemed to be a number of sites from proven Lean consultants or primarily on healthcare topics and I thought I could contribute from a manufacturing perspective.
I entered this endeavor more than a little naïve. I can honestly say I had no knowledge of blogging, social media, web page design, html code, or anything else essential to blogging. In the beginning there was no plan just a willingness to make it happen. Writing is not something that comes easy for me. It may or may not be obvious but I have to work at it. This was a real phobia to overcome. Seriously, how do you blog if writing is a weakness. Like most lessons in life, with practice and hard work comes improvement.
Quickly, I realized I needed a plan. It was one of those why aren't you using Lean Thinking moments. So I set a relatively easy goal for the first year. Increase the number of repeat visitors each month. You may say, why this goal? Well, it was really a build something from nothing kind of thinking.
What I didn't realize was the tremendous learning experience this year would be. First, you learn more when you write about Lean so that others can understand what you are talking about you. Second, I have met so many great Lean Thinkers this year. That dialogue and interaction has created a whole new learning environment that I was not previously fully utilizing. Third, learning about blogging, creating online content, and various social media platforms has been a great asset. This has allowed me to work with AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence) on utilizing social media at the national and local levels to support learning and best practice sharing. Fourth, I really enjoy blogging. I am glad that I got the courage to try this without knowing how or what to expect.
A number of people have been very supportive in this past year and I would be remiss if I did not acknowledging them. For those, I previously mentioned thanks for inspiration and support. In no particular order, John Hunter, Brian Buck, Jeff Hajek, Karen Wilhelm, Pete Abilla, Ankit Patel, JC Gatlin, Evan Durant, Liz Guthridge, Dan Markovitz, Mark Hamel, Jim Baran, Tony Manos, Jason Semovoski, Jeff Hoffstetter, Jon Wetzel, and Dragan Bosnjak were helpful over my first year. A couple other notable mentions for support is Andy Novotny, AME Northeast Region Director; Scott Schiave, AME Marketing and Communications Director; and Kate Shane, graphic designer. I would also like to thank my wife Jennifer, children, and my mother and father for moral support when I took on more than I could handle at times.
Even in this short year I have seen a number of blogs come and go. I mark this first year as successful. I accomplished something new and received rewards of friendship that I did not expect.
Now going forward I know I have a lot more to learn. You likely will see more of the same from me in the second year. I will be reaching out to more Lean thinkers in the community to dialogue and share ideas. I will highlight this in the coming year.
As we learn in Lean we need to add value to the customer. I want this blog to add value to the readers and the Lean community at large. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated. Share your ideas on topics or ask questions you want answered. Leave comment below or email directly.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Lean Quote of the Day, May 21, 2010
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.
“Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.” - African proverb
This quote really gets to the essence of root cause analysis. Where do you focus your attention; on the slippery floor or what caused the floor to get slippery in the first place.
Root cause analysis is a problem solving methodology based on the belief that problems are best solved by attempting to correct or eliminate root causes, as opposed to merely addressing the immediately obvious symptoms. By directing corrective measures at root causes, it is hoped that the likelihood of problem recurrence will be minimized. However, it is recognized that complete prevention of recurrence by a single intervention is not always possible. Thus, root cause analysis is often considered to be an iterative process, and is frequently viewed as a tool of continuous improvement.
Mark Graban of a leanblog.org has created a photolog called BeMoreCareful.com. This is a collection of workplace signs and posters that don't quite get to the root cause. The site intended to show pictures of workplace signs that say things like:
Caution!
Warning!
Be Careful!
LOOK OUT!
Don’t Forget!
These signs usually have an exclamation point and often say “Please.” Signs and warnings are about the weakest form of “error proofing,” if you can even call it that. Some find it easier to just slap up a sign, thinking the problem is solved, instead of looking for a more systemic fix. Lean thinking recognizes that people are human and that human error is inevitable. Instead of posting a sign Lean focuses on the process so that it’s more difficult for people to make mistakes or forget things.
Here is an example of such a sign:
Before printing, check the printer for signs! Chances are, you’ve already hit “Print” before walking over to see this caution. Is there a deeper root cause to the “28lb Type 2 error”? See more examples at BeMoreCareful.com.
Disclosure: I am a contributor on the photolog BeMoreCareful.com.
Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.
“Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.” - African proverb
This quote really gets to the essence of root cause analysis. Where do you focus your attention; on the slippery floor or what caused the floor to get slippery in the first place.
Root cause analysis is a problem solving methodology based on the belief that problems are best solved by attempting to correct or eliminate root causes, as opposed to merely addressing the immediately obvious symptoms. By directing corrective measures at root causes, it is hoped that the likelihood of problem recurrence will be minimized. However, it is recognized that complete prevention of recurrence by a single intervention is not always possible. Thus, root cause analysis is often considered to be an iterative process, and is frequently viewed as a tool of continuous improvement.
Mark Graban of a leanblog.org has created a photolog called BeMoreCareful.com. This is a collection of workplace signs and posters that don't quite get to the root cause. The site intended to show pictures of workplace signs that say things like:
Caution!
Warning!
Be Careful!
LOOK OUT!
Don’t Forget!
These signs usually have an exclamation point and often say “Please.” Signs and warnings are about the weakest form of “error proofing,” if you can even call it that. Some find it easier to just slap up a sign, thinking the problem is solved, instead of looking for a more systemic fix. Lean thinking recognizes that people are human and that human error is inevitable. Instead of posting a sign Lean focuses on the process so that it’s more difficult for people to make mistakes or forget things.
Here is an example of such a sign:
Before printing, check the printer for signs! Chances are, you’ve already hit “Print” before walking over to see this caution. Is there a deeper root cause to the “28lb Type 2 error”? See more examples at BeMoreCareful.com.
Disclosure: I am a contributor on the photolog BeMoreCareful.com.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Kanban for Personal Management
About a month ago I came across a great concept called the Personal Kanban that I wanted to share. Taiichi Ohno created the first kanban to communicate with workers how much work needed to get done and how much got done. Kanban is a Japanese term meaning "sign" or "signboard". A kanban does three main things:
1. Shows us the work we have in progress
2. Shows us all the work we haven't gotten to yet
3. Shows us how efficiently we work
Personal Kanban is a personal productivity tool based on these principles to create a simple way to visualize and control your work. There are only two real rules with Personal Kanban:
1. Visualize your work
2. Limit your work-in-progress
Limiting your work in progress is important since the human brain simply does not respond well to the stress of juggling multiple priorities.
We feel like if we have “free time” we have “capacity” and therefore can fit more work in. We are not unlike a freeway.
A freeway can operate from 0 to 100 percent capacity. But when a freeway’s capacity gets over about 65%, it starts to slow down. When it reaches 100% capacity – it stops.
So capacity is a horrible measure of throughput. Multitasking is a horrible way to manage your synapses. If your brain is a highway and you are filling yourself with work, after a time you start to slow down.
Your rush hour gets longer and longer. You find yourself struggling to get out simple tasks.
Simply because you think you can handle more work-in-progress does not make it so.
You can build your first Personal Kanban in 4 simple steps.
1) Establish Your Value Stream
The flow of work from the moment you start to when it is finished. The most simple value stream possible is Backlog (work waiting to be done), Doing (work being done), and Done (yes, that's right, work that's done). 2) Two: Establish Your Backlog
All that stuff you need to do that you haven't done – that's your backlog. Everything you need to do, start writing it down onto Post-its. Big tasks, small tasks, get them all down. 3) Establish Your WIP Limit
The amount of work you can handle at one time. Part of what makes kanban work is finding the sweet spot, where we are doing the optimal amount of work at the optimal speed.
4) Begin to Pull
Begin working – pull completed work from one stage of the value stream and into the next. There is a short presentation to help you get started.
Personal Kanban is easily adaptable and scalable to fit anyone's needs. There a number of great examples and tools on the website to support you on future improvements to your Personal Kanban. For those iPhone users there is even an app for Personal Kanban called iKan.
In the next few weeks I hope to transform my previous Visual Task Board to a Personal Kanban of my own. I would like to hear if anyone has experience with a Personal Kanban they would like to share.
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