Lean Basics

The Benefits of Trystorming 0
- Lean Basics
- March 20, 2017
A recent fortune cookie fortune reminded me of an important Lean lesson. The fortune says: “The best angle from which to approach any problem is the TRYangle.” I’ve learned at Wiremold, originating from Art Byrne, the fundamentals of trystorming. This method consists of, “Rapid cycles of real-time experimentation, used to test and adjust improvement ideas
READ MORE
The Consequences of Not Doing Jidoka 0
- Lean Basics
- March 15, 2017
Jidoka is very popular with the product quality inspectors, who check items at the end of the production process. That’s because Jidoka ensures that a defect is identified and corrected immediately and not at the end of the process. This, therefore, reduces the pressure on a process engineers relying on final inspection. So what happens
READ MORE
Improve Quality Control with Intelligence (Jidoka)0
- Lean Basics
- March 13, 2017
Courtesy of Lean.org There is no room for compromise in Lean when it comes to quality. Jidoka incorporates quality checks into every step of the production process by providing machines and operators the ability to detect when an abnormal condition has occurred and immediately stop work. This enables operations to build in quality at each
READ MORE

The Missing M & M 0
- Lean Basics
- March 8, 2017
In today’s economy many companies are looking for cost savings. Eliminating muda (waste) is the focus of most lean manufacturing efforts. But two other M’s are just as important to making lean work. In fact, focusing on only the eight wastes of muda can actually hamper productivity. Lean is about the elimination of muda, muri,
READ MORE
Use a SIPOC to Scope Your Improvement Event 0
- Lean Basics
- February 15, 2017
In process improvement, a SIPOC is a tool that summarizes the inputs and outputs of one or more processes in table form. The acronym SIPOC stands for suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers which form the columns of the table. First, a quick review of the elements of a SIPOC: S (supplier): Entity that provides
READ MORE
10 Powerful Process Mapping Tips 0
- Lean Basics
- December 14, 2016
Process mapping is often the first step in business process improvement. It is a necessary activity that provides a baseline from which improvements can be measured and is the key to identifying and localizing opportunities for improvement. Therefore, it is important to capture the right information to help steer process improvement initiatives in the right
READ MORE