Kaizen Shop Talk

One piece flow is not just for the manufacturing shop floor.

I have been through Kaizen Products’ Factory Flow simulation, the one with the folding of the airplane, in numerous groups and classes.

Did you know that you can do it all on your own and get similar results.

Try it - have your participants dot he simulation as described in the Toolkit - then have them do all the steps on their own.

See full article and my kaizen results.

We had some clients in house for a tour of our offices yesterday. After the tour was over my boss asked me what I learned while giving today's tour. I always learn a lot - but this is what stuck out in my head.

One of the tour leaders made a comment about how important it is to know the Seven Wastes, if you don't know them, you don't know Lean. I agree with this statement, but I still have to think sometimes to remember all seven. We make up rhymes and nonsense phrases to try to help, but here is a better way.

One of the participants in this tour made a comment about the smartest people in the world still have to look up their phone number in the phone book - then he reached for his wallet and pulled out his 5S/7Wastes card and recited all seven wastes, 5S and meanings.

A lesson well learned.

How do you train a new employee in a Lean office that does not have Lean experience?

Incorporating some Lean training into the new hire orientation will provide the employee the ability to see the need for the Lean concepts before they begin work - therefore never training them differently. It has always been my experience that it is more difficult to re-train someone than to take the time and train them the correct way to begin with.

This all being true, orientation is always overwhelming for a new hire and the HR manager. Therefore I always think that the simpler the task the better to start.

The 5S in a bag offers a simple and fairly easy task to get them started while teaching them the 5Ss. It is an easy simulation, one does not need to know about Lean concepts to see the benefits - and it doesn't take too long. An added benefit to new hire training.

How many of us get excited about going to a meeting? Meetings can be challenging and frustrating in more ways than one.

Issues I have heard, and some I have said myself include:
They go over on time
They are not structured
Not everyone knows why they are there
They end without decisions
They take you away from other work
The decisions stay in the room and never make it to the rest of the company
And the list goes on and on.

What can you do to fix this?

There are a lot of ideas, and a Kaizen Event may be needed to change the way meetings are held. Try this as a first step - post The 3 Evils of Meetings Poster in the room where meetings are held. It can be a constant reminder to those having a meeting and a small change could make a difference.

Use the 7 Wastes Quick Guide and go to the Gemba!

On the outside of the Quick Guide is The information you need to identify and recognize waste.
- Descriptions, meanings and examples of the 7 Wastes.
- Information on Value-Added vs Non Value Added and Waste.
- Helpful tips.

On the inside is the worksheet. Grab a overhead marker (one that will wipe off) and go to the Gemba. Remember the can be anywhere - office, shop floor or Emergency Room.

You have everything you need to start identify waste. Follow the Stand in a Circle Exercise (30/30/30). Use your worksheet on the inside to record, and the outside of the Quick Guide to assist.

I got a great question this morning about our 5S Evaluation Forms.

"Can they be used in the office?"

The answer is yes. As you probably can tell from some of my other entries, I am in charge of our office, and I use the same forms here. They do not reference manufacturing or office. they do make reference to tools and machines, but I consider my tools and machines my computer and office supplies, etc.

This actually brings up a good point that Jon Miller made on Gemba Research's Blog, "One of the most common misconceptions about doing Lean in the office is that there is a different set of Lean tools for the office." Read the whole article here.

Remember, if the office is your Gemba, then Lean and Kaizen can work there.

There have been numerous ways suggested to use our 5S, 7Wastes and 10 Commandment Mini Posters. These posters are 8.5" X 11" versions of our large posters and small enough to be helpful reminders without taking up too much space.

Here are some of the ideas we came up with:

1. As pages in a Lean Training Book
2. To hang in individual's work spaces
3. To hang next to the Kaizen Newspaper for a reminder on the 7 Wastes
4. To hang in the 5S Visual Area or Red Tag Area
5. To hand out at company meetings

Share your ideas on how to use your mini posters and we will send a free pack of them to the first three we receive.