Lean in Practice Archives - Page 5 of 7

Five Lean Lessons from Playing Ice Hockey 0
- Lean in Practice
- March 10, 2014
When I am not at work (as a Quality Manager) and not writing articles for this blog I spend a great deal of time coaching youth ice hockey. This past weekend our season came to an end with the completion of playoffs. As a Lean leader often does I took some time to reflect on
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Poka Yoke: Mistake Proofing to Reduce Errors 0
- Lean in Practice, Sharing Best Practices
- August 21, 2013
Some may say that it’s impossible to eliminate mistakes. And they are right; it is, most of the time. But, to be honest, they are missing the point. Poka yoke, or mistake proofing, describes any behavior changing constraint that is built into a process to prevent an incorrect operation or act occurring. The three aims
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Deploying Lean in a Product Development Process 0
- Lean in Practice
- February 26, 2013
On The Lean Edge Blog this week a reader asked how to take Lean into product development: A consumer-products company has recently begun its Lean journey by focusing on Lean fundamentals starting on the shop floor (standard work, 1-piece flow, pull, work to Takt). The company is simultaneously refreshing its product portfolio. Although the cross-functional
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Defining Problems SMART-ly 0
- Lean in Practice
- December 10, 2012
Accurate problem statements save time and effort by focusing the team on root cause identification. A well-stated problem statement is a clear and concise statement that describes the symptoms of the problem to be addressed. It speeds a robust corrective action process by identifying potential root causes and eliminating bias and noise. Unfortunately, many don’t
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Save Your Inbox with 5S for Email Management 0
- Lean in Practice, Lean Office
- April 4, 2012
Email has become the most convenient—and overwhelming—way to communicate in modern offices. Overflowing inboxes, constant notifications, and unnecessary CCs reduce focus and create daily frustration. While many time-management tricks exist, a more sustainable solution lies in Email productivity using Lean principles. In Lean thinking, 5S for email management applies the same discipline used on factory
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Five Lean Lesson from a Hockey Coach on Saturday Morning 0
- Lean in Practice
- March 26, 2012
Many of you know this time a year I spend a lot of time at an ice rink coaching hockey. It is a sport I have played all my life and coaching provides an opportunity for my kids and others to have the same experience (hopefully). As a coach you can’t help but feel a
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