Continuous Process Improvement, Data Science, and Statistical Analysis
Many of us have heard these mantras (or some version of them): “People like change, but nobody wants to change” or “People want to do change, but don’t want change done to them” I live in a home with 5 adults, three children, two dogs, six chicken and a cat. Needless to say, there are…
One of the driving factors of a Lean process is the concept of “flow”. The improvement of flow will lead to reduced waste throughout your process. One easy way to visualize the gains that are possible with a flow improvement is to observe a simple process that isn’t set up with flow in mind. One…
I just added a new book to my Resources page on my site. Mike Pereira’s new book After Further Review: My Life Including the Infamous, Controversial, and Unforgettable Calls That Changed the NFL has some great nuggets on change management that apply to any change methodology you may be using. It is a must-read if…
Continuous Improvement is challenging. It seems some days as if there just isn’t enough time, and although there is a never-ending list of improvement opportunities some days you just can’t seem to get anything done. But there is something you can do about it. I call it the “5S Fly-by”. A 5S Fly-by can be…
What is “Lean Dating”, and how do you get in on this magical system? I’m happily married so I don’t get to suffer the “joys” of dating any more. But if I’m ever cloned, I’ve got some good advice lined up for my “other me”: Date lean. How? First off, I’d use a “pull” system.…
An Impact/Effort Matrix (also known as a PICK Chart) is a great way to prioritize improvement opportunities that are identified by your project team. This tool classifies items by Impact (high or low) and Effort (again, high or low). The chart below shows one way to implement a PICK chart: The labeling in the chart…
Shigeo Shingo is well-known in Continuous Process Improvement, and his ideas permeate much of what is accomplished in the CPI arena. One of my favorite ideas that came from him follows in the quote below, and it can be a big help to you if you are seeking direction in how to approach your Lean…
Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe… As a project team leader, you already know the skills you want on your project team. Sure, you want a process expert. And “outside eyes” (someone who knows nothing about the process) is a great person to have as well. You also want a representative from each major function involved in…
This Time, it’s the People! Traditional lean thinking tells us that the problem isn’t the person; rather, it’s the process. But sometimes the process is designed to make the person the problem. In a heavily automated process all of the machine components are usually subordinated to the slowest machine in the line. This is part…
Replace the wasted time in your daily tasks with Value Added Learning by following these 3 simple tips. We never have enough time for the important things in life. But most of us aren’t effectively using the time we have available. Follow these three tricks to capture wasted time and get your productivity back on…