True kanban is a very formal, regimented system. Following that process in a disciplined manner is what makes it work as well as it does. If cards go missing or don’t get dropped on time, the system fails. But that same structure can also be a barrier to attempting it when there 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…
There’s an old expression about ‘getting into the weeds.’ Most people think it comes from golfers getting off the fairway into the thick stuff on the side, or from fishermen getting their lines tangled up in underwater growth. Regardless of the origin, in meetings in a work environment, it means Read more…
Lean afflictions abound in the continuous improvement workplace. One such ailment is Work Pace Disorder. With this disease, people cannot keep a consistent pace to their work. Typically, their pace depends upon the size of the pile in front of them, but it can also be impacted by other factors. Read more…
This Lean affliction is characterized by seeing things as useful only in a single, prescribed use. In many cases, this is true. In some cases, this is not the case. As a simple, real world example, a plastic milk jug can be cut to form a scoop. You can use Read more…
As part of your continuous improvement efforts, you will need to experiment, and that means making models. Models are essentially, at their heart, experiments to figure out how to do things on a larger scale. They are intended to get all the mistakes and faults in ideas out before you Read more…
A Likert Scale is the sequenced set of responses we frequently see on surveys. There are several common applications, such as how strongly you agree with a statement, or how satisfied you were with service. The latter is common in phone surveys after a customer service call. Example Likert Scale: Read more…
In logistics, a milk run is where a customer has a single vehicle visit a series of suppliers to pick up materials. In traditional shipping, the reverse is true. Vendors deliver to their customers. The name comes from the dairy industry, in which a single tanker from a processing facility Read more…
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a is a repetitive stress injury (RSI) of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel as it passes through the wrist area. This nerve controls the feeling and movement of the thumb and first three fingers. It causes a variety of symptoms that range from Read more…
The concept of an order backlog is pretty simple. It is the queue of orders that are waiting to be fulfilled. This queue occurs when customer demand exceeds the ability to immediately supply items to the customer. Backlogs tend to be dynamic. That simply means that they grow and shrink Read more…
NIST is the government agency that sets and maintains standards for measurements in the US. A standard is essentially the reference against which measuring devices are calibrated. Think of your ruler or tape measure. How long is the space between each tic mark? Without a single definitive source, each manufacturer Read more…
Juran, formerly the Juran Institute, was founded by Joseph Juran in 1979. It is a training and consulting company that supports quality management, business process improvement, Lean manufacturing, and Six Sigma. Unlike many of the other organizations, it is a for-profit company. It is included in this list because of Read more…