Remember Angus MacGyver? He was the star of the old MacGyver TV series and used science and the inventive application of common items (gum wrappers, duct tape, etc. - kind of a one person moonshine shop) to solve desperate problems. Well, MacGyver should be an unofficial kaizen hero for his real-time creativity and frugality.
Are we saying that lean practitioners are cheap? Well, yes from the standpoint that it is muda to spend or use more than is required to implement an effective countermeasure. But, the real driver behind the principle here is trystorming (the dynamic, real-time cycle of try-observe-improve-repeat through which individuals and teams identify and validate the best improvement idea) as much as possible before, if need be, committing some real capital. As Taiichi Ohno was credited with saying, "Quick and dirty is better than slow and fancy."
And with the notion of "dirty" there is need for kaizeners to get their hands dirty - planning, doing, checking and adjusting. This requires the use of often simple, readily available materials (wood, cardboard, PVC, etc.) and "re-purposed" equipment, furniture, materials and supplies. So, what are some examples where people effectively reached for their brains before their wallets:
- Re-purposed discarded rooftop air conditioner attached to a cooling vessel increased the compounding line rate ($0.9 million annual savings),
- Urinal flush valve used to quickly dispense the requisite amount of water to a dry material so that it could be safely shipped,
- Residential dishwasher serving as a right-sized, line-side parts washer.
So, what are some of your favorite MacGyver moments?