I’ll start this article off by asking a simple question. Why do educators in the US think that every child is identical? Now, I bet an open ended, inflammatory question like that would be challenged by teachers. There would be a range of arguments presenting evidence to the contrary. But my response? Without even hearing what they had to say, I would point out that it still takes 13 years to train each and every Read more…
One of the trends I have seen recently is to knock taking a tools-based approach to continuous improvement. The driving thought is that you have to focus on the whole continuous improvement system in order to be successful. While this is true for an organization to reach top levels of performance, the vast majority of organizations are not ready to take a systemic approach. Fans of “The Big Bang Theory”, will appreciate my example. Not Read more…
Welcome to the website of Velaction Continuous Improvement. Our site is intended to serve several purposes. It is a repository for a wealth of great Lean information. It is a showcase for our extensive product line of continuous improvement training materials. And it provides us with a way to tell you all about ourselves. About Us Velaction is a training and consulting company dedicated to making Lean more accessible for those needing to get better Read more…
One of the things you will find as you move along your Lean journey is that going it alone is much harder than bringing in some help from time to time. A good guide on this path will push you to greater and greater levels of self-sufficiency, but no matter how advanced your company becomes at continuous improvement, there is always room to get better. Regardless of where you are on your journey, we can Read more…
Lean operations strive to move materials through processes in the smallest quantity possible. As a value stream approaches one piece flow, inventory tends to drop and productivity rises. Unfortunately, this streamlined flow is often interrupted by large, fixed pieces of equipment that are difficult to move or replace. This type of equipment is often referred to as a monument. Because of their size and the time it takes to load them and run the process, Read more…
One of our goals at Velaction is to deliver a steady stream of fresh content to you. We know, though, that you are facing information overload, so we offer a variety of ways to stay informed about new Lean information and special offers. The listing below contains our publications in order of frequency. Velaction’s Continuous Improvement Publications Twitter We know that some of you like to get instant updates whenever there is something new. Subscribing Read more…
Some people struggle in the early days of a Lean journey. This is especially true when there are big changes in the way the workplace operates. One of the biggest transitions is in the structure that comes with Lean. Those people that don’t embrace all the improvement opportunities that a Lean culture has to offer can find themselves feeling monotony in their job.
Recently, there have been a few companies making news about their stance on teleworking. Yahoo made a sweeping change to its policy, and said that all employees would have to show up at the office to work. Best Buy made changes as well, but did not go as far. They said that the decision to telecommute would shift from the employee to the manager. Requests to work from home would be handled on a case Read more…
Ergonomics is the broad study of how people interact with their environment. It covers a wide range of these interactions—from how people fit into their cars, to the way tools feel in people’s hands, to motion in the workplace. As with your car, a proper fit in the workplace makes a job much easier to perform. More importantly, it also can help to reduce injury. There is a strong relationship between ergonomics and repetitive stress Read more…
I recently become fascinated by crows. Turns out they are one of the smartest animals around, and can do some things that most other animals are incapable of. It dawned on me that many of their behaviors would make them outstanding at Lean. Unity of Effort: During the winter months, crows fly home to roost in long streams that stretch across the sky. One passes nearly over my home every evening, and can last for Read more…
Just like any social group, there is pressure among coworkers to conform to the accepted group dynamic. This has a centering effect on a team. Groups have a tendency to pull individuals from extremes toward the center of a group. Under performing individuals are pressured to pull their own weight, which is a good thing. Over performing individuals, especially those who do it through hard work, may feel pressured to slow down, which adds drag Read more…
I have to start out by being honest with you. Some of you are not following directions. I suspect several below average performers are reading this. I’ll cut them some slack though, because they probably don’t even know it. Why? Most people are rather poor at self-assessment. This phenomenon starts early in life. In a study from a few years back, for example, US students ranked 21st out of 30 developed countries in science proficiency. Read more…