Lean Terms
Six Sigma
“Six Sigma®” is one of two most common continuous improvement methods. Lean is the other. The term Six Sigma comes from the Greek letter ‘σ’ (sigma) that is used as the symbol for standard deviation. Six Sigma refers to how many standard deviations of the measured output of a process Read more…
Lean Terms
A3 Process
The A3 process is a methodology for getting to the root cause of a problem and addressing it in a way that will permanently eliminate it. Following the A3 process entails a large amount of back-and-forth between managers and their teams. For that reason, the A3 process is well-matched to Read more…
Lean Terms
A3 Problem Solving
A3 problem solving is a structured approach to resolving problems. It was popularized by Toyota but is now in widespread use. A3 problem solving is hard to replicate because it requires discipline to use it and persistence to go through the iterative steps of coming up with a resolution. It Read more…
Lean Terms
A3 Management
A3 management is a structured way of running a business. A3 management focuses on using a scientific approach to problem solving that creates a learning organization. The key to A3 management is that there must be management problem solving processes in place. This means that there is a specific way Read more…
Lean Terms
A3 Report
The A3 report is the communication medium of A3 management. The A3 report takes its name from the size of the paper, “A3” or 11 x 17 inch, that it is generally written or printed on. The large size of the A3 report lets users see, at a glance, a Read more…
Lean Blog-Gotta Go Lean
Standardizing Personal Processes
Look at any continuous improvement philosophy, and at its heart you will find standardization. When people don’t perform a process the same way each and every time, quality suffers, lead times are erratic (and long), and productivity is hamstrung. No operation can prosper without stable processes that can deliver consistent Read more…
Lean Blog-Gotta Go Lean
Outsourcing Homework? It Was Bound to Happen.
Everybody outsources to an incredibly large degree—car maintenance, yard work, cooking, cleaning, milking cows, mail delivery. The world would not function without outsourcing. But I was surprised to see how far the concept of outsourcing can go. I was checking the news a few days ago, and saw an interesting Read more…
Continuous Improvement Strategies
Your manager doesn’t seem to really understand Lean tools…
When an organization embarks on a continuous improvement journey, few people may have a strong understanding of how to implement a Lean business system. There also may be a shortage of people who understand the Lean tools well. This lack of knowledge does not just apply to team members. Leaders Read more…
Continuous Improvement Strategies
Your eyes glaze over when leaders start throwing around new terms and Japanese words.
As a company proceeds down the path of continuous improvement, the vernacular in the organization shifts. It makes sense. Doing new things in new ways will require a way to communicate what is going on concisely. This new “Lean language” can be a challenge to grasp when one is receptive. Read more…
Lean Blog-Gotta Go Lean
Productivity Incentives That Work
One way to start developing a continuous improvement culture is to offer productivity incentives. When people are just getting used to Lean, or any other improvement method, they probably won’t be regularly offering up ideas. They just aren’t used to that being an expectation of their job. So provide your Read more…
Continuous Improvement Strategies
You don’t participate in problem-solving because you don’t like conflict.
Some people are born “scrappers”. They like mixing it up and debating the merits of an idea. Others prefer to avoid conflict. They like peace and harmony in their relationships. That can make things difficult for them when people begin debating the merits of ideas when making improvements.