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An implementation is simply the act of putting a plan into effect. It can also refer to a change in a strategy or a system. In continuous improvement, the term “implementation” commonly refers to Lean as a whole, or can mean implementing the system-based tools, such as pull, kanban, or Read more…
People make decisions every day about what tasks to add to their schedule. They basically have two choices. They can do the important stuff, or they can take on the urgent stuff. Urgent things are due immediately, and often have people hounding the taskee to get them done. Important things Read more…
Many people tend to have a great deal of self-doubt. When the person is also a recognized expert in a field, the combination of this self-doubt and the accolades they receive from others creates a phenomenon known as “imposter syndrome”. This is where the person secretly does not believe that Read more…
Improvements are simply changes for the better. Lean and other continuous improvement philosophies all focus on using some sort of problem solving method to drive improvement. Improvements can range from new, better computer systems, to kaizen events, on down to moving a garbage can closer to the point of use. Read more…
Monitoring indicators give companies a sense of what is going on, or what is going to happen. An indicator is a signal that can be used to understand or predict a behavior of a person or system. A poker player has “tells”. By identifying and monitoring those indicators, his opponents Read more…
Indirect costs are those expenses that are not directly attributable to a single cost center or cost object (product line, service, etc.) Indirect costs may include shared resources or overhead. Administrative costs, website costs, IT infrastructure, and similar expenses fall into this category. One of the big challenges with indirect Read more…
Industrial discipline is the act of doing the right thing on the shop floor. Industrial discipline means practicing 5S and putting tools away, using andons to report problems even if it makes you look bad, and following Standard Work every time. Industrial discipline is an enabler of Lean. When people Read more…
Information is the application of data in context. Information also has the element that it can be acted upon. The weight of an elephant, for example, is a piece of data. Knowing if a bridge is strong enough for that elephant to cross is information. Information can be costly to Read more…
Information technology (also known as IT) is the group primarily responsible for maintaining a company’s computer and communications systems. Information technology groups are also responsible for selecting, installing, updating, training, and troubleshooting the software systems in a company. Good Information technology groups see their big picture role in corporate strategy, Read more…
Initiative is taking action on one’s own. It generally involves going above and beyond a typical job description or working outside of one’s functional area. Many bosses want employees to take more initiative, especially in Lean companies, but fail to establish some of the basic prerequisites. Trust: Employees have to Read more…
Inputs are the factors that are necessary to complete a process. They may be environmental (heat, humidity), labor, material, or anything else that is required. Some inputs, though, are not intentional—the proverbial “flies in the ointment”. Controlling these inputs is critical to delivering high quality results from a process. Inputs Read more…
An inspection is a review to confirm the quality of a product. Inspections vary widely in their formality, and in the location where they are done. The closer an inspection is to the point where an error is made, the quicker the problem can be corrected. Inspections may cover 100% Read more…
W. Edwards Deming is credited with popularizing the term “instant pudding” in continuous improvement. More accurately, he states that there is no instant pudding in CI, and that you should not expect immediate results. He lists this desire for quick and easy fixes as an obstacle to improvement in his Read more…
Many of the benefits of Lean are specific and tangible. Space savings, productivity gains, and inventory reduction all fall into this category. Some of the benefits of Lean, though, are intangible. They are the things that are not clearly perceptible. How can you define the impact of a focus on Read more…
Intelligence is one of the many facets of “smartness”. Intelligence is the capacity to learn, but it doesn’t always translate into actually possessing knowledge. Having the capacity to learn does not mean that one has actually learned. Intelligence is a highly valued trait in Lean, as continuous improvement works best Read more…
Intermittent problems are simply ones that don’t occur every time a process is performed. The inconsistency with which intermittent problems present makes them extremely hard to resolve. The most common form of intermittent problem is the computer glitch. Something happens once, and then the problem goes away for a while. Read more…
An internal setup is a task done to get a machine ready to switch from one product type to another that must be done when the machine is stopped. Obviously, the problem is that internal setup limits the time a machine can be running. As part of any setup reduction Read more…
A supplier who is a part of the same company as its customer is an internal supplier. They may provide products, services, or other resources. They are the upstream processes and the support groups that provide their coworkers with the tools, materials, and work-in-process to do their jobs. Internal suppliers Read more…
ISO is a non-governmental, international organization with a membership consisting of 165 national standards bodies. While it has no real authority over its members, it strives to (according to its website) “share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.” Read more…
Interruptions plague workers, especially in the office. This simple log lets employees gain a better understanding of how much time they lose due to interruptions. It also helps them understand, and resolve, the root cause of the interruptions. Get Our Interruption Log for FREE
In continuous improvement, you often have to go out and collect information from people. Sometimes it is from observations. Often, though, you will be speaking directly to people doing the process, and you will be asking them questions. Keep in mind one important distinction. Interviews generally seek answers. Interrogations seek Read more…
Inventory is the collective term for finished goods that you intend to sell, and the components that go into those goods. Inventory is a necessary evil of production. Without inventory, nothing could be built, and nothing could be sold. But too much inventory drives up costs. Inventory must be stored, Read more…
Investments trade current resources for future gains. The most common forms of investment include: Financial holdings designed to provide a return on investment (ROI) in the form of appreciation, dividends, or interest. Physical holdings intended to appreciate or generate income, such as real estate Physical items used to create other Read more…
Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa (July 13, 1915 – April 16, 1989) was a professor of engineering at the University of Tokyo. He is most widely known for his work in the field of quality. He is credited with propagating the concept of quality circles (Deming shares in recognition for the growth Read more…
Although this is not specifically a Lean term, “issue” is a starting point for many forms of Lean problem solving. An issue is much like a “problem”. It looks like a problem. It smells like a problem. It feels like a problem. Only, it’s not a problem. It’s an issue. Read more…