A FIFO lane (First In, First Out) helps manage flow in a process. It is exactly what it sounds like. The first item coming into a process is the first one worked on. FIFO lanes provide consistency and predictability. They create a link between a process and its upstream supplier. A FIFO Lane Can limit WIP. Some FIFO lanes limit the amount of work that can pile up, preventing overloading a downstream process. Prevents working Read more…
There are a variety of certification ranks in continuous improvement environments. Most use the belt system that originated with Six Sigma, but has spread to Lean. Typically, Green Belts are people who have been trained in a general manner to do basic projects. Black Belts have more expertise and are capable of coaching and mentoring teams. Master Black Belts are the top experts who have the skills to train the trainers and create more Black Read more…
Recently, a study in New York City found that nearly three quarters of cabbies had charged an out-of city rate for rides within the city, at about twice the cost to the passenger. Now, the actual numbers come out to 1.8 million out of 360 million trips. The article I saw in the New York Times is titled New York Cabs Gouged Riders Out of Millions. It is certainly a loaded title, obviously intended to Read more…
In Lean, the term sensei means “expert” or “master” and highlights the Japanese origin of modern Lean practices. Its use shows great respect to the recipient. It is normally bestowed upon Lean practitioners who have shown extraordinary skill in Lean implementation and are exceptional at passing that knowledge on to others. This term is commonly used in companies with a Japanese heritage, or that work frequently with Japanese consultants. It is less commonly used in Read more…
I was working on a project for a consulting client and took a short break to see what was new in the news. I came across an interesting article about a late-night (alcohol-fueled) exchange between a blogger (the one fueled by the alcohol) and Steve Jobs of Apple. It was interesting enough that it drew me in and inspired me to write an extra article on the spot. What interested me was seeing how a Read more…
A recent study on interruptions in emergency rooms had a surprising finding. (See the full article on CNN here) I wasn’t surprised at how often doctors were interrupted: 11% of all tasks. In fact, that might be low for any given office worker. Shop floor workers tend to be more insulated from disturbances than the folks at desks, but 11% sounds like it would be in the ballpark for say, a welder or an assembly Read more…
First pass yield (FPY) is a metric that indicates the percentage of items moving through a series of processes without any problems. The basic equation for first pass yield is: First Pass Yield = Process 1 Yield * Process 2 Yield *…*Process ‘n’ Yield As you can see, the more process steps you have, the more challenging it will be to get an item through the system without any issues. For example, consider an operation Read more…
Your first priority when searching for a Lean trainer or consultant is to find one whose style matches your company’s culture. Identifying someone who is a good fit is the key to maximizing the return on your investment. An added bonus is finding that match locally. If you are looking for a continuous improvement expert to help you with your Lean efforts in the Seattle area, you’ve come to the right place. Why choose Velaction Read more…
Complex problem solving often require complex thinking to get to simple, effective, easy to implement solutions. When a team is very homogenous, they tend to think very rigidly and one-dimensionally. Consider a football team. Coaches understand the need for a well-balanced set of skills. A team needs big guys for the offensive line. It needs a quick thinker who can throw well for its quarterback. It needs strong players for running backs and linebackers, and Read more…
I get a monthly shot to battle my seasonal allergies. As part of the process, the nurse has to confirm my information, prep the injection site, and administer the special concoction. Then there is waiting period where I have to be observed to make sure I don’t have any sort of systemic reaction. The last step is a final check of the injection site for a local reaction, documentation, and cleanup of the injection kit. Read more…
One of the rarest feats in sports is the perfect game. For those non-sports fans among you who don’t know what that is, it simply means that no batters were able to reach first base. In short, 27 people in a row failed to do their job properly. In fact, the feat is so rare, that until last night, only 18 perfect games had been recorded in Major League Baseball’s hundred plus year history. Then Read more…
The unfortunate truth is that most leaders, especially in an office environment, don’t have as good of an idea of what is going on as they think they do. If you are the manager of an administrative team, there’s a good chance that the last comment offended you. If it did, ask yourself the following questions right now (or first thing in the morning if you aren’t at work): How much work is in your Read more…