A Lean Journey

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Is Lean Government the Next Frontier?

In a recent post Jon Miller mentioned Paul Anker, who is running for US Senate on a Lean platform, has started LeanAmerica.org. Lean America is all about helping government organizations throughout America learn and implement lean thinking; by empowering their workers to continuously improve, eliminate waste, and to add value for all Americans.

Related to Jon's post I came across an interesting video regarding Lean government in Cape Coral, Florida. The video is sort of an infomercial for lean government based on the Mission Impossible theme but there is a great message. The City Manager, Terrance Stewart, explains the concept of respect for people well.

The city of Cape Coral Florida is creating a model of excellence in Lean city Government by implementing Lean-waste free (Toyota Production System) principles. Cape Coral began transforming in Aug 2007 by using kaizen methodologies to establish new breakthrough processes. The results are in the +millions, exceeding any Baldridge award winner by setting ROI of +20X.

Cape Coral has also been recognized as a leader in Lean Government by the ICMA (International City/County Management Association).

Envisioned in 2006 and launched in August 2007, the City of Cape Coral’s Lean Government system saved and/or prevented the City from spending $2 million. Based off James Womack and Daniel Jones’s book, Lean Thinking, the Lean Government system has a goal of increasing productivity and reducing cost, while maintaining quality and service. The system achieves this goal because it gives management the necessary tools for greater efficiency, allows them to identify and eliminate unnecessary employee workloads, and lets the City provide services in a challenging economic climate.

The city's lean government system has proven very effective to increase productivity, lower cost and provide hope in these challenging times.

Even though there have been obstacles, such as fear of change, reduction in force, declining revenues, the Lean methodology has held to its intent to eliminate non-value added steps in a process.

There appears to be a number of good Lean government examples. Is this industry the next frontier for Lean?

Karl Wadensten and I had the opportunity to talk about Lean and government this past Tax day on the Lean Nation Radio Show from the Rhode Island State Capital.

Stay connect to A Lean Journey on our Facebook page or LinkedIn group.
Follow me on Twitter or connect with me on Linkedin.
You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Quick Changeover

In manufacturing, changeover is the process of converting a line or machine from running one product to another. Changeover times can last from a few minutes to as much as several weeks in the case of automobile manufacturers retooling for new models.

SMED, or Single Minute Exchange of Dies, is the technique of reducing the amount of time to change a process from running one specific type of product to another. The purpose for reducing changeover time is not for increasing production capacity, but to allow for more frequent changeovers in order to increase production flexibility. Quicker changeovers allow for smaller batch sizes.

The benefits of quick changeover include:

     • Reduce defect rates - Quick Changeover reduces
       adjustmentsas part of setup and promotes quality on the
       first piece.
     • Reduce inventory costs - Elimination of, or reduction in
       numbers of batches, and their sizes, allows for recovery of
       operating cash and manufacturing space.
     • Increase production flexibility - Increase output and
       improve timeliness of response to customer orders.
     • Improve on-time delivery - Quick Changeover supports
       the ability to meet customer demands.

The terms set-up and changeover are sometimes used interchangeably however this usage is incorrect. Set-up is only one component of changeover. Changeover can be divided into the 3 Ups:

    Clean-up - the removal of previous product, materials and
                       components from the line.
     Set-up    - the process of actually converting the equipment.
     Start-up - the time spent fine tuning the equipment after it
                       has been restarted.

The keys to quick changeover are found in changing your thinking about changeover as in the following:

    1. Rethink the idea that machines can be idle, but workers
          cannot be idle.
      2. The ideal setup change is no setup at all or within
          seconds.
     3. Ensure that all tools are always ready and in perfect
          condition.
     4. Blow a whistle and have a team of workers respond to
          each changeover.
     5. Establish goals to reduce changeover times, record all
          changeover times and display them near the machine.
     6. Distinguish between internal and external setup activities
          and try to convert internal to external setup.

To start identify and separate the changeover process into key operations – External Setup involves operations that can be done while the machine is running and before the changeover process begins, Internal Setup are those that must take place when the equipment is stopped. Aside from that, there may also be non-essential operations. Use the following steps to attack the quick changeover:

Eliminate non-essential operations – Adjust only one side of guard rails instead of both, replace only necessary parts and make all others as universal as possible.

Perform External Set-up – Gather parts and tools, pre-heat dies, have the correct new product material at the line… there's nothing worse than completing a changeover only to find that a key product component is missing.

Simplify Internal Set-up – Use pins, cams, and jigs to reduce adjustments, replace nuts and bolts with hand knobs, levers and toggle clamps… remember that no matter how long the screw or bolt only the last turn tightens it.

Measure, measure, measure – The only way to know if changeover time and startup waste is reduced is to measure it!

Ron Pereira from the Gemba Academy authored a video on Quick Changeover. A great summary of quick changeover is shown below:

Friday, August 20, 2010

Lean Quote: Top Disney Quotes

I am still on vacation with my family at one of the greatest places on earth for children. I will be back next week. Until then, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight my top 10 quotes by Walt Disney.

Top 10 Walt Disney Quotes

1. "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

2. "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

3. "When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably."

4. "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

5. "I can never stand still. I must explore and experiment. I am never satisfied with my work. I resent the limitations of my own imagination."

6. "Of all the things I've done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a certain goal."

7. "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children."

8. "Get a good idea, and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done, and done right."

9. "People often ask me if I know the secret of success and if I could tell others how to make their dreams come true. My answer is, you do it by working."

10. "If you can dream it, you can do it."

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Guest Post: Lean & Social Media – Is There A Process for That?

I am pleased to be able to share a guest post by friend Jason Semovoski. We met working together on AME's (Association of Manufacturing Excellence) social media council.

Jason is known for his strong background with technology management and is currently in the role of Business Analyst Consultant. His previous assignments include Plant Operations Manager and IT management positions. Jason is a Southwestern Region board member for AME.

He is currently working on several technology and Lean projects as well as leveraging Web 2.0+ technologies to improve business communications. You can follow Jason on Twitter- @jwsems or visit his blog Lean Stuff.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like it or not, Social Media (SM) is entrenching deeper into our lives. Everywhere we look Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube logos are emblazoned on almost anything we come in contact with during the day. One can argue it has definitely become a push process from a marketing perspective, but what about value?

In a great blog post "Social Media – Can we make it add value to lean?" Karen Wilhelm presents a pull methodology regarding her experience with leveraging SM tools. By all means, it's not a stretch to use Karen's example as "pull" in social media and I agree fully that her approach works well when properly utilized (Hint: read her blog post.). Although even as a pull process can it create waste?

In "good" blog posts there are multiple links to external sites which is great to lend credibility and allow the reader to conduct further research, however you all know what happens next, right? One link takes you to a site which can drive you deeper into a topic. You click the next interesting link which may drive you away from the topic or you click on yet another link and drive deeper into the abyss of data. You can easily emerge from the web device two hours later having accomplished a large amount of reading as the only result. We all know this is easy to do even with our time deprived schedules.

So is there value along with a process? Absolutely! Social Media and tech guru Clayton Morris addresses this topic in his podcast "Today In Social Media." Specifically, Clayton outlines a simple process for integrating SM into your daily routine. Those of you familiar with the Getting Things Done or GTD system will find his advice quite similar to the GTD approach. Individuals with lean experience will find that Clayton has developed a standard work process for SM. He has integrated an approach similar to Karen's example of creating value while leveraging daily standard work. If this is too much for you, possibly add it as a weekly standard work item.

I realize the example is simple and why shouldn't it be. Building relationships and continuous learning are great "non marketing" examples of where social media can provide value to the lean practitioner. Making social media a part of your personal standard work process will keep you focused and assures you keep creating value for our lean community of practice.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Guest Post: 5 Reasons for 5S

Today's guest blogger is Christian Paulsen, who authors Life's Lessons in the 21st Century Blog. Christian is a food manufacturing manager with 20 years of manufacturing leadership and Lean Manufacturing expertise. He adds value to an organization by driving continuous process improvements and bottom line cost savings. Christian attended Purdue University on a Navy ROTC scholarship and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics. After serving in the US Navy, he pursued a career in manufacturing with Frito-Lay, Unilever (Lipton), and Nestle USA as well as smaller private manufacturers. You can also follow Christain on Twitter @Chris_Paulsen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John, a young production manager, makes his way onto the production floor to see how an important changeover is progressing. He wanted to make sure everything is moving along as planned because orders are heavy this week and his team needed to be running the next product ASAP. In fact the scheduler wanted it yesterday and the trucks are already at the docks. John is disappointed to learn that the change over is running much longer than scheduled because the team cannot find some of the change parts for the filler... maybe now is the time to implement this 5S John has been hearing about.

5S is named for its 5 steps: Sort, Set, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain and is more than window dressing. 5S will bring several benefits to John's plant and your workplace. Let's look at the benefits to John's team as they implement 5S.

1. Housekeeping and Organization – When John's team has Sorted out the unneeded parts and supplies (1st S), they de-clutter their workplace. This enables them to Set Locations and Limits (2nd S). At this point, the team has a place for everything and everything in its place. John's team will not be wasting valuable line time looking for change parts during the next changeover since they have a defined location for the change parts.

2. Losses & Waste are Visible – The team will find abnormalities as they clean with a purpose. They find defects while cleaning to inspect as they Shine and Sweep (3rd S).

3. Continuous Improvement – Standardizing (4th S) enables everyone to follow these best practices. You should not expect consistent results when the practices are not standardized and you cannot consistently improve without standardization.

4. Structure and Discipline – John's team gains structure and develops self-discipline as they build systems to Sustain (5th S) their 5S initiative. Sustaining 5S can be the most difficult step and it will not be successful without structure and discipline.

5. Pride & Ownership – John's team finds that they have increased ownership since they have more invested in their work environment and they find gratification because they can make a difference.

John and his team discover for themselves that 5S is not just a housekeeping project and is more than window dressing. They find and eliminate defects, they reduce waste, and they are always looking for ways to improve. More importantly, they develop the structure, discipline, and ownership needed as a foundation for a Lean Manufacturing journey.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Lean Quote: Disney on Leadership

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.

I am headed on vacation with my family to one of the greatest places for kids of all ages. I will have several guest bloggers for the next week. In the mean time I thought it would appropriate to look at a quote from the creator of Disney World.

“Of all the things I've done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a certain goal.” - Walt Disney

Lee Cockerell, a former Executive Vice President of Resort Operations for the Walt Disney Company, shared his insights from his incredible 16 years of front-line experience living the Disney principle. He defined 12 strategies that encompass great leaders:

#1 Foster An Inclusive Environment!
#2 Design Your Organization Structure For Success… “Break the Mold!”
#3 Make Sure You Have The Right People In The Right Roles!
#4 Ensure That Cast Members Are Knowledgeable About Their Roles!
#5 Make Dramatic Leaps In Guest Service!
#6 Implement Effective, Structured Processes For Getting Work Done!
#7 Explore, Probe, And Know What Is Going On In Your Organization… And Act Upon The Information!
#8 Actively Observe And React To The Performance Of Your Direct Reports - Take Time For Recognition, Coaching, And Counseling!
#9 Expand And Act Upon Knowledge And Experience Of The Best Service Available Anywhere!
#10 Partner Effectively And Successfully With Staff And Other Cross-functional Partners!
#11 Demonstrate A Passionate, Professional Commitment To Your Role!!!
#12 Understand And Demonstrate Mastery Of Business Fundamentals!

These strategies were further elaborated on in two previous posts (part 1 and part 2).

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Guest Post: Missing Element of Change = Bad Formula

Mark Hamel, author of Kaizen Event Fieldbook and blogger at Gemba Tales, recently extended an offer for me to guest post on his site. I took the opportunity to talk about what is needed for change in a Lean environment.

For many people change means hard work, risk, and the need to learn new ways for unproven benefits. Change is one of the most difficult things for humans to readily accept. Charles Darwin said "It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones who are most responsive to change" which holds true for culture change.

Fortunately, there is a formula to make the change successful....

To continue reading this post and to find out what happens when you don't follow this formula head to Mark's blog Gemba Tales.