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Having trouble deciding what to do?

Some lean math can help!

Resources are not infinite. Often we have more improvement opportunities to work on than we can accommodate. A simple but powerful prioritization matrix can help us sort things out. 

First, record the countermeasure for each opportunity (a.k.a. problem) on its own individual Post-it Note®.  Then, typically, as a team, arrange the Post-its on the following matrix according to expected impact (as “measured” against things like team KPI targets or kaizen event targets) and how quickly they can be implemented.

Blocking, not to be confused with the type that exposes one to the risk of physical injury, is a REALLY clever way to run experiments.

Blocking can be thought of as grouping experimental runs. And when experimental trials are grouped, interesting things can happen - not the least of which is you can really increase your signal to noise ratio.

Consider the following operational life data from Company ABC:

We’ve all undoubtedly had the notion of respect for people drilled into our heads. Of course, it’s easy to speak about such a principle. Much  harder to live it.

In any event, let me humbly add another recipient of our deserved respect.

Process.

First, a distinction, it’s not THE Process, meaning we are not talking about one single, special process that is elevated above all others. We’re talking about ANY process within our value streams.

The process capacity sheet, also known as a table of production capacity by process or production capacity chart or process capacity table, is one of the three basic tools for establishing a standard operation. The other tools are the standard work combination sheet and standard work sheet. All three standard operations sheets are populated with data obtained through direct observation (as is the time observation form).

From my experience, there are a handful of pull system design steps. This post seeks to "simply" outline those steps and some of the math that should be considered.

However, don't let the brevity of this post mislead you. It isn't necessarily simple.

We will address more and more of the referenced math through future Lean Math posts.

The time observation form, also known as a process study form, is a basic and often-used tool for lean practitioners. Note that here we are talking about the application of the continuous time observation method and not the work sampling method.

The form, in combination with a stop watch, serves multiple purposes, including:

The VMA's were outrageous?!?

Well, if the media is to be believed, the news of the day was that it was an outrageous Video Music Award show.

Not true and true. Yes - the show was outrageous, no – it wasn’t news. 

Let me explain. News is noteworthy, significant, and new. It changes your perspective, it is unusual. 

Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) will be hosting its first Fall 2013 session. The session, comprised of 13 workshops, will be held in Minneapolis from September 17th through 20th and will focus, "on such fundamental concepts as standardized work, leader standard work, kaizen (both daily improvement and team-based rapid improvement events), visual management and value-stream mapping in the context of organizational change and learning."

Lean practitioners must properly identify product families in order to value stream map a given family’s flow of material and information. That’s very important, but not always simple.

In order to illustrate how to identify product families and thus value streams, consider the following example. Three different patient groups go to a hospital. The treatment for patient groups 1 and 2 consists of three steps A, B, and C. However, the treatment for patient group 3 consists of only step D.