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Gotta Go Lean Blog

DMAIC Cycle

The DMAIC cycle takes the DMAIC process one step further. It links the end of one project, the Control step, to the beginning of the next one (the Define step). The rationale behind linking DMAIC cycles together makes a lot of sense. When controls are applied to processes, deviations become more apparent. After all, much of establishing controls involves measuring processes. Data starts to fill knowledge voids, providing new opportunities to continue the DMAIC cycle Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Define (DMAIC Step)

The define step of DMAIC is where the problem statement is created, the project is scoped, and the team is formed. The define step lays the foundation for the success of the project. A central part of the define step is to build a business case. That simply means gaining a clear understanding of why the project is important and what it will mean to the business when it is completed. It is common to Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Control (DMAIC Step)

The control step of the DMAIC process is where changes are locked in place. The control step requires a system to measure the performance of the new process to ensure it is performing as expected. The full DMAIC process is: Define Measure Analyze Improve Control Without the control step, there would be no way of knowing if changes were effective. It is the most neglected step of any process change. Teams normally work hard to Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Internal Suppliers

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 and customers often have a rocky relationship. Because no money is changing hands, their customers don’t have any constraints on what they ask for. In Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Mistake Proofing: Temporary Speed Bumps and Schools Zones

In the last few months, I’ve seen several speed traps set up in schools zones where multiple police officers line up and systematically pull over a steady stream of drivers. Now, I’m not in the car with those drivers, but I would bet that most of them aren’t intentionally trying to put children at risk. In most cases, I would bet that the excessive speed is a result of inattentiveness to their surroundings. Given the Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Ohno, Taiichi

Taiichi Ohno (February 29, 1912-May 28,1990) is considered by many to be the father of the Toyota Production System. He eventually rose to the rank of executive vice president in the company.

While Ohno had many innovative ideas and published several landmark books (see them and other books about him here), perhaps his biggest creative leap was integrating the American supermarket system of resupply into the automotive industry. He was able to lay the foundation for kanban systems, pull, and one-piece flow by changing the way components were supplied to production processes.

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Don’t Let Cost Reduction Eliminate Customer Value

I’m a fan of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Recently Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (the ‘Hero of the Hudson’) was a guest on the show. Jon Stewart brought up a part of Sully’s book (Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters) where Sully had mentioned that his copilot had to leaf through the index of the emergency manual to find the section on emergency water landings. What is notable is that Sully said that Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago

Continuous Improvement Lessons of the Day

Continuous Improvement Lessons of the Day We have a lot of content on our site. When you are looking for something specific, it is easy to find, but what about when you just want to develop your continuous improvement skills? It can be overwhelming to have so much to choose from. We have a solution for you. Sign up for our Continuous Improvement Lessons of the Day. Each lesson plan gets you small, manageable portions Read more…

By Jeff Hajek, ago