Visual Management Board

On A Lean Journey, I have talked about Visual Factory or visual management a number of times.  My friend Allison Myers and I have talked online about a visual managment board she uses at Lantech. 

Allison is a Marketing Product Manager at Lantech where they have been using Lean Thinking for decades.  She was nice enough to demonstrate how the marketing team at Lantech uses a visual management board to keep track of projects.

You can follow Allison on Twitter at AllisonRMyers. Learn more about Allison on LinkedIn at AllisonMyers.

Subscribe to Allison’s YouTube channel at TheAllisonMyers.



Lantech is the innovation leader in stretch wrapping. We have been since founder Pat Lancaster invented the first turntable stretch wrapper in the early 1970's.

To further strengthen our dedication to unsurpassed customer value, Lantech made a commitment in the early 1990's to transform into a Lean enterprise. A fundamental principle of Lean is that improvements in work always start at the place where the work actually gets done. In Lean that's called going to the shop floor or where the work is done. The simple principle of observing and understanding work first hand, inside customer plants, along with a relentless focus on continuous improvement, has become the guiding philosophy in our quest to develop products and processes that deliver high value.

Lantech's packaging and productivity solutions include semiautomatic and automatic stretch wrapping; automatic case handling; shrink packaging; and pallet-load conveying systems. Lantech is the originator of stretch wrapping technology and world's largest manufacturer, with 65,000 systems placed around the world and 175 U.S. and foreign patents. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with manufacturing operations in the U.S. and Europe, Lantech products are sold and serviced by a worldwide network of 175 distributor locations. Visit http://www.lantech.com/ to learn more. You can now follow us on Twitter @ LantechCom.

Toyota: Ideas for Good

Toyota has a new challenge.  Ideas for Good takes Toyota's technologies combined with your ideas to make a better world.

Big ideas are bigger than cars. Toyota has proved this time and time again by sharing their big inventions with the world outside of cars. Everybody has a few good ideas, and Toyota wants to help make some of them a reality. So they’re sharing some of our most innovative technologies with you in the hope that you’ll share your good ideas to improve the world.



The details of the challenge are:

One winner in each of the five technology categories could have their idea become a reality. Winners will be determined by a formula based on input from our panel of gurus and the general public. The winners will get their pick of a new 2011 Prius, 2011 Venza or 2011 Highlander Hybrid. See the Official Rules. Together we can do some real good and make a difference we couldn’t have made alone. 

The five technologies are:

T.H.U.M.S. (Total HUman Model for Safety) is an advanced injury-simulation software that measures injury to parts of the body not measurable with conventional crash test dummies.

Solar Power Ventilation System can use the sun's rays to keep an electric fan running while the car is parked so that the car's internal temperature isn’t much hotter than its surrounding external temperature.

Hybrid Synergy Drive converts braking energy and forward motion energy when coasting into electricity. The hybrid system helps lower emissions while raising mpg.

Advanced Parking Guidance System helps drivers park using hands-free steering, ultrasonic sensors, a built-in computer and a camera while requiring attention and soft braking by the driver.

Touch Tracer is an advanced touch-activated display system that allows drivers to control music, temperature and other features from the steering wheel without taking their eyes off the road.

Lean Quote: The Secret is "Together-Work"

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.

"The lightning spark of thought generated in the solitary mind awakens its likeness in another mind." — Thomas Carlyle

Are there advantages to working with others?  In my personal and business experience, I've found that unleashing the creative power of several minds on a single issue can work miracles. There are many benefits to teaming up for creative problem solving:

• Common Commitment
• Shared Ownership and Responsibility
• Synergy - better decisions
• Effective Delegation
• Better Communication
• Skill Development
• Improved Morale

Teams are effective in supporting learning. You can only use what you remember!!

People remember:

~10% of what they read

~20% of what they hear

~30% of what they see

~50% of what they see and hear

~70% of what they discuss with others

~90% of what they teach someone else

Teams should be used when you need:

• a mix of skills and shared responsibility
• the workload is such that it cannot be done by any one person and delegation and flexibility is needed.
• different view points, experiences, ideas, opinions, etc. would benefit the work product.
• buy-in, ownership, or commitment is needed for accomplishment of the work, changes, improvements, etc.

Team work is the force that makes change successful.  I always recall this saying "synergy... the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" since it is so applicable to Lean Thinking. The secret is synergy or "Together-Work." 


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.

Got Milk? Got Lean! Replayed

Jeff Hajek, author of Gotta Go Lean Blog and The Continuous Improvement Companion, and I recently shared our expertise in a brand new format. By combining a radio-show format with a webinar platform, and you get a brand new tool for learning about Lean.

In our second live show, we discuss Lean with another everyday example so anyone can learn the improvement methodology. The majority of households have one thing in common. They have milk in the fridge. But you may not realize that even the simple act of stocking this staple item puts a number of Lean concepts to work.

Part 1 of 4


Part 2 of 4


Part 3 of 4


Part 4 of 4


If you would like to use the presentation you can find it here.  

Got Milk? Got Lean!

View more presentations from Tim McMahon.

Top 10 Posts for 2010 on A Lean Journey

As 2010 goes into the history books I want to take a moment to reflect on this past year. Nearly 41,000 people have visted the site this year.  I posted 185 articles on the site in 2010.  It has truly been a very positive full calendar year.  Here is a collection of the Top 10 posts for 2010 by views:

10. Stop Multi-tasking Before You Can't Anymore! - posted October 5, explains why the more you multi-task the worse you get at it.

9. Ineffeciency Through Default Meeting Times - posted May 16, has a number of pointers on how to make your meetings more effective including the 22 minute meeting.

8. Lean Round-up - Toyota Recall - posted February 9, who can forget the vast array of articles written about the infamous Toyota recall.

7. The Characteristics of a Lean Enterprise - posted July 25, explains 15 characteristics that comprise the defintion of a Lean Enterprise.

6. Why is Lean Office more difficult than Lean Production? - post August 26, this post is a repost of an explanation by Bruce Hamilton, aka. Mr. Toast, on why Lean is harder in the office.

5. Lean Gone Lego - There must be a better way - posted October 18, highlighted an Australian video demonstrating the traditional and Lean work examples with Lego characters.

4. The "Hot Stove" Rule of Discipline - posted January 26 explained how to discipline using the analogy of a hot stove and the importance of immediacy, advance warning, consistency, and impartiality.

3. Kanban for Personal Management - posted May 18, highlighted my first introduction into the use of kanban system for personal management.

2. 10 Things to Avoid During a Kaizen - posted December 6 was about pitfalls to avoid during a kaizen event.

1. Personal Kanban Kaizen - posted August 29 on the improvements made to my own kanban system of managing tasks and activities.


Do you have any favorites not on this list that you would like to share?  Leave a comment.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lean Tips Edition #7

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #91 - Milk runs can reduce the waste of transport, improve fast, flexible flow, and reduce lead times.

Like in a plant the idea behind the milk run is that a vehicle travels frequently around a set route starting and ending at the plant, and visiting several suppliers en route. At each supplier a small batch of parts is collected in a particular time window.

Lean Tip #92 - There are three sources of unstable Lean supply chain resulting in more inventory.

In simple terms, there are three enemies of a stable Lean supply chain:

1. Inventory and delays that worsen any 'swing' of amplification. The longer the response time to a change, the worse the swing upstream.

2. Unreliability or uncertainty - Any kind of uncertainty needs to be covered with inventory. Unreliable processes cause unreliable delivery and ultimately uncertainty.

3. Hand-offs or decision points - Every hand-off or tier in the system bears the danger of distorting the demand signal.

These all result in more buffers or inventory to cover the supply chain.

Lean Tip #93 - Build a strong supply chain by conducting joint improvement activities.

A collaborative supplier relationship model is essential for supporting a Lean supply chain. Conduct joint improvement acitivities with the following emphasis:

1. Exchange best practices with suppliers.

2. Initiate kaizen projects at supplier's facilities.

3. Set-up supplier study or work groups.

Lean Tip #94 - Strengthen your supply chain by sharing information.

Within your supply chain share information intensively but selectively. Focus on these principles:

1. Set specific times, places, and agendas for productive meetings.

2. Use rigid formats for sharing information.

3. Insist on accurate data collection.

4. Share information in a structured fashion.

Remember sharing information is all about shared learning.

Lean Tip #95 - Develop a suppliers' technical capabilities to strengthen your supply chain.

It is important to understand and develop your suppliers' technical capabilities. Start with the following elements:

1. Build the suppliers' problem-solving skills.

2. Educate them in Lean thinking and teach them to see waste.

3. Develop a common lexicon.

4. Hone core suppliers' innovation capabilities.

If your suppliers are not technically proficient your supply chain will be your weak link.

Lean Tip #96 - Don't forget to manage your suppliers within your supply chain.

Managing your supply chain is really about managing your suppliers. Here are couple things you can do to make this effective:

1. Send monthly report cards to core suppliers.

2. Provide immediate and constant feedback.

3. Get senior managers involved in solving problems.

4. Turn supplier rivalry into opportunity.

5. Source each component from two or three vendors.

Direct and timely communication with your suppliers is essential collaboration.

Lean Tip #97 - Support your suppliers by creating compatible production philosophies and systems.

For a supplier and vendor to want to together long term there must be a win-win proposition. Create compatible production philosophies and methods. This can be done by:

1. Set up joint ventures with existing suppliers to transfer knowledge and maintain control.

2. Understand how your suppliers work.

3. Learn about suppliers' businesses.

4. Go see how your suppliers work.

5. Respect suppliers' capabilities.

6. Commit to co-prosperity.

Lean Tip #98 - An effective measurement system is one of the most powerful tools for change.

Measurement should:

•Provide short-term indicators of problems - and no problems.
•Be part of a feedback or capability of the process or people.
•Focus on improving performance.
•Be capable of being acted upon.

Lean Tip # 99 - A good measurement system has four keys for sucess - first is Context.

First key of a successful measurement system is Context. Effective measurement can only occur in a positive, supportive context. This is the culture that surrounds the measurement - informational or punishment, process not person. The attitude of the boss. An unfavorable measure is an opportunity not a threat. We want to surface issues, not suppress them.

Lean Tip #100 - A good measurement sytem has four keys for success - Focus is second.

The second key for a successful measurement system is Focus. Measure the right thing. Be aware of measuring too much. Derive many of the measures from participative policy deployment, not sucked out of the air.

Lean Tip #101 - A good measurement system has four keys for success - Third is Integration.

The third key for a successful measurement system is Integration. There must be an integrated system for measurement. Maybe a balanced scorecard or policy deployment, although better in a Lean context would create flow, maintain flow, and organize flow. In any case measures need to be aligned, balanced, and adaptive.

Lean Tip #102 - A good measurement system has four keys for success - Fourth is Interactivity.

The fourth key for a successful measurement system is Interactivity. Measures need to be acted on in real time. Two-way interaction. Actually setting up the measures is only a small part - how they are used and reviewd is at least as important. Perhaps a daily meeting around the communications board. This is social process, not a technical process.

Lean Tip #103 - You must be focused when you decide which project to pick.

People always ask where to start. Which project should be pick to work on?

You must be focused:

•Focus on the Porcess
•Focus on the Product or Service
•Focus on Cost Savings
•Focus on Problems
•Focus on Internal processes
•Focus on supplier processes

Lean Tip #104 - Question each review, approval and status report to make sure they will make the project better.

Question each review, approval and status report to make sure they will make the project better. Consider the following:

•List the interim and final deliverables that need review and approval.
•Who will provide the review?
•Who will provide the approval?
•What is the reason for the review?
•What is the deliverable of the the review?

Lean Tip #105 - Simple strategies for evaluating possible solutions

Try these strategies when evaluating possible solutions:

Be creative with generating solutions.
Look for combinations of solutions to optimize outcome.
Generate the evaluation criteria BEFORE discussions.
Use data to review strengths and weaknesses of each option.
Consistently evaluate the potential options against the criteria.

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.

Got Milk? Got Lean! Presentation

Jeff Hajek, author of Gotta Go Lean Blog and The Continuous Improvement Companion, and I recently shared our expertise in a brand new format. By combining a radio-show format with a webinar platform, and you get a brand new tool for learning about Lean.

In our second live show, we discuss Lean with another everyday example so anyone can learn the improvement methodology. The majority of households have one thing in common. They have milk in the fridge. But you may not realize that even the simple act of stocking this staple item puts a number of Lean concepts to work.

Got Milk? Got Lean!

View more presentations from Tim McMahon.

Stay tuned for a recording of this webinar to come shortly.  In the mean time you can review our first webinar show on Learning Lean Through Making Coffee.  Plan on joining us for our next webinar show after the New Year.