The Role of the #Lean #Team in a Lean #Transformation

Article written by David Brunt At the annual Summit in November 2014, Terry O’Donoghue shared the remarkable Lean transformation story happening at the Halfway Group in South Africa. By starting with customer purpose (and then business purpose) Terry explains how the leadership team is simultaneously improving the value creating work whilst developing the people at the same time. You will hear

How to Find a Good #Lean #Consultant

Article written by Christoph Roser –  Lean Expert Lean manufacturing is difficult. External expertise can help you in improving your business. However, the wrong consultant can at best have no effect, or worse damage your company, or at worst kill the company. Hence the consultant you hire will have a significant impact on the outcome of the project. This post will give

How N.A.S.A. applied 5S tool

NASA did some amazing things culminating with landing on Moon. Much of what they did was doing many small things very well. They used 5s, checklists, gemba thinking, usability, simplicity, testing out on a small scale and much more. Here are a few photos from the Smithsonian Air and Space museum in Washington DC. I also have some nicer NASA

The Facade of Lean – Interview to John Dyer

Many companies are reaping huge benefits from Lean implementation, but others are still struggling, according to noted process improvement and Lean operations expert John Dyer. Why? He calls it the “Facade of lean.” Dyer, who consults with operations around the world, says many companies have the tools in place, but cut corners on lean principles and the proven structures. Dyer,

Good to Great Airport – The Road Map

A good article written by Shreepad Amrit Discussing transition (change) and its consequences is common. You will find it in management books, in corporate training calendars and it is favorite of all board room discussions. With so much of knowledge about change it should not fail even one time but that does not happen. Most of the change programs die their

Jeffrey Liker explains Change Management and Lean Transformation

Jeffrey Liker President, Liker Lead Advisors Change management has become its own consulting specialty. It is often part of deploying massive IT systems and some companies use change management specialists to assist in lean transformation. Unfortunately many versions are based on a flawed assumption—thinking about the transformation as what Kurt Lewin called the “unfreeze-change-refreeze” model. In his model specific actions need to

10 Key Lean Mindsets for Factories, Hospitals, Startups, and More

Article written by Mark Graban It’s been more than 25 years since the term “Lean Production” was coined, although the Toyota Production System is much older than that. Hospitals and health systems have been using Lean as an improvement methodology and management system for more than ten years. It’s also been about five years since the “Lean Startup” methodology was

Apply Lean Six Sigma with Toilet Paper Origami

Standardization, visual management, and process confirmation are some important elements of lean manufacturing. Here we have an example many of you are probably familiar with – toilet paper folding at hotels. This simple example can clearly demonstrate the value of Standardization, visual management, and process confirmation. Lean principles can be found almost everywhere in industry. This is not only limited

Continuous Positive Reinforcement for a Warehouse

Many warehouse teams start out with great intentions, implementing changes that improve processes and increase efficiency. But then, slowly over time, the newness wanes and they lose momentum. While this is not uncommon, it’s extremely important that managers take notice and take action. How can a team leader provide positive reinforcement in order to revive the team? To begin, there

A #Green #Belt is worth $10.000 more a year

According to Indeed.com, the #1 job site in the world available in more than 50 countries and 26 languages, covering 94% of global GDP, the national average salary for a Certified Green Belt was $72,000 per year in the United States in 2012. For 2015, average salary according to Indeed.com is $82,000 annually. That’s an increase of $10,000 over the course

#Amazon Dashes to Make #Consumers (and their Supply Chains) #Leaner

Article written by Paul Myerson  I was driving up to Lehigh University the other day to teach and heard on the radio that Amazon had come up with a “Jetsons-like” Dash button that allows the consumer to order products automatically, not at a store or website, but at the actual point of use in the home (e.g., a laundry detergent “dash”

#Italian Army’s Employee receives LSS Green Belt Certification

Article written By Chiara Mattirolo RESOURCE: http://www.usag.livorno.army.mil/News365.asp Marco Bassi, quality Assurance Specialist at 405th Field Support Battalion- Italy is the first Italian employee to receive a LSS Green Belt certification in his unit. It took Marco Bassi, Quality Assurance Specialist at 405th Army Field Support Battalion- Italy, one year to complete the five phases of his Lean Six Sigma (LSS) green

#LEAN ACCOUNTING VS TRADITIONAL #ACCOUNTING – By Jesus Galindo de la Torre

A very good article written by Jesus Galindo de la Torre. Lean Accounting is the export of the Lean philosophy to the accounts of a business entity. The essence of the Lean philosophy is getting increasingly better results through the application of tools and approaches for the elimination of waste that is not strictly necessary to provide added value to the

Why #Six #Sigma isn’t “Sick Sigma? – by Vishy Chandra

A great article by Vishy Chandra I’d first request all readers to read my post at Why Six Sigma is “Sick Sigma”? which spoke about 6 reasons to why people consider Six Sigma as “Sick Sigma”. As a self-boast, you’d know that I have listened to the arguments from a passive view! I now try to reason myself on the 6 points

Why choose it to reduce cost

This is a great article written by Mr Steven Skinner   Managing Director at BTO Group Pty Ltd   The integration of Lean Six Sigma is one of the most effective methods for consistently improving cost, speed, and quality, with broad success across all industries, not just manufacturing. It’s fast, delivering substantive results literally in a manner of weeks. It’s efficient, delivering exceptional

How do I measure #people #development?

A great article written by Michael Ballè  What is the metric for people development? I have to admit that I’m stumped on this one. It’s a very good question. We know that what gets measured gets done. So if we argue that developing people is a manager’s number one responsibility, it makes sense to have a metric. On the other

Assembly Plant of the year 2015

The #AssemblyPlantoftheYear award was initiated in 2004 to showcase world-class production facilities in America, and the people, products and processes that make them successful. All manufacturers that assemble products in the United States are invited to nominate their plants. Unlike many other awards, there is no entry fee. The Assembly Plant of the Year award is sponsored by ASSEMBLY Magazine. The goal of the Assembly Plant of

#Toyota Unveils Revamped #Manufacturing #Process

A great article by YOKO KUBOTA TOYOTA CITY, Japan—Toyota Motor Corp. broke a two-year silence on a revamped manufacturing process—built on sharing components among vehicles—that the world’s best-selling auto maker says will produce half its vehicles by 2020 and slash costs. But its unveiling follows a path blazed in recent years by German rival Volkswagen AG—a reversal for the Japanese pioneer,

ACADELEAN & Lean6Sigma4all

Lean6Sigma4all has become one of the ACADELEAN Partners!!!   For further information visit: http://www.acadelean.com

Creating a Standard #Lean #Workstation in a Low Volume, High Mix Industry

When a team of craftsmen come together to discuss their needs for a standard workbench, you can imagine the struggle this can be for a team who is just starting on their Lean journey. There is plenty of theory and principles of lean workstation design and layout (see “Lean Workstations: Organised for Productivity” ), considering ergonomics, Takt time and range

6 #lessons from your local church on #managing #organizational culture

1. They write down what they believe – All religions have written text that documents what they believe. Moreover, these texts are sacred; only selected few can change them. The documents are treated with respect. They are read and studied diligently. They are even memorized and recited. If you desire to create a strong organizational culture in your company, start

Lean6Sigam4all & KPI Fire

We are glad to present our new sponsor KPI Fire! An innovative software to measure your Business Performance: Stop wasting time with reports and focus on what they’re reporting! Contact us to get your PROMOTION CODE for a software trial version>> contact@lean6sigma4all.eu You can also use the feedback form>>

EMC Workstation Solution

Is #continual business #transformation a must?

A great article by Torben Rick For companies that don’t want merely to #succeed in their industries but to lead them, continual business transformation is a must. The drivers of transformation vary widely, ranging from the increased globalization of markets, disruptive technology, shifting energy prices, consumer expectations. Whatever the business driver, the initiatives born from strategic calls to action will always

How to Easily Attract #Clients Who Are the Perfect #Match

A great article by Gerry Martin (inarticlezone.com) One of the biggest things that people want to learn about is how to attract new and potential clients. Regardless of what industry you are in, what product you are selling or what service you are providing, being able to attract the right client is the key. As a Heart-Centered entrepreneur, it is even

The #Kata of Leader #Development

A great article written by Mark Rosenthal  (TheLeanThinker.com) I’ve been parsing Turn the Ship Around to better understand David Marquet’smessage from his experience as captain of the USS Santa Fe (SSN 763), a Los Angeles Class nuclear powered attack submarine. And I’ve been promising to link his concepts back to Toyota Kata. So now I’m going to try to do that.

Baby #Step Backwards to Big #Solutions!

A great article published by Lean Genesis. One of the most common struggles when determining a countermeasure is: how to come up with the idea for a solution.  I’m going to tell you what works for me. Often times, we’re told to walk before we run, take baby steps, don’t bite off more than you can chew.  Surely, there is a

The 7 #Benefits of Focusing on #Results by Angelina Palmer

A great ARTICLE written by Angelina Palmer (Entreprisenk.com) Leaders are tasked with delivering results for their organisation which leads to personal success. When people think of getting results, they often imagine the leader as being someone who has disregard for people. Yet the reality is that leaders who get results know the importance of people in getting results. So what are

You Can’t Become Lean If You Only Eat Fried Food!!

If you want to lose weight by eating organic, low calorie food but…. you deep-fry everything, you will not only stay overweight, you will become sick. However, most American manufacturers do just this with regard to lean. They want to become lean organizations but they do not want to change the way they manage. Success with lean can only be

Six Sigma methodology can improve ASC cash flow and patient satisfaction

The implementation of #SixSigma at General Electric played a well-publicized role in Jack Welch’s effort to lead it into the 21st century. In the first five years after it was implemented at GE, Six Sigma produced an estimated $12 billion in cost savings. While a simple concept at hand, Six Sigma must be implemented and understood thoroughly as a team to

Lean’s a Journey, Not a Sprint

Changes are driven by the  #people who actually work with #patients! NorthBay Healthcare’s Lean journey enters its fourth year next month.  It has been an uneven ride because of some personnel changes, and to some degree, my impatience. READ THE FULL NEWS

Manufacturing’s Future: How to Engage and Retain Gen X & Y

This is a great article written by Dan Batson According to a recent Gallup Poll, the American workforce is distinctly divided into thirds. While the “live-to-work” baby boomers make up about 31%, and the “self-reliant” Generation X has 32%, the “Me Generation” or Millennial Generation comes in at about 33%… READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Transformational Leadership: Inspiring to Change

Say the word “leader” and most of us envision a knight-like figure charging headlong, inspiring his troops and generally leading from the front. That’s the dramatized version of a special type of leadership called “Transformational Leadership”. Transformational leadership is probably the ideal interpretation of leadership, and the most romanticized. Leaders of this kind are visionaries, full of enthusiasm and boundless

Not Everything That Can be Automated Should Be

Article written by Robert Simonis (RESOURCE: http://www.sme.org) Robert H. Simonis is the Senior Consultant for Manufacturing and Operations at KCE Consulting LLC.  Robert has over twenty years of leadership experience including ten years factory management and ten years of global responsibilities in automotive, electronics, machining, and complex assembly operations and is recognized as a Lean enterprise expert The assembly cell

What’s the point of Lean training?

This is great article written by David Bovis. I love to hear people discussing the importance of ‘Purpose’ and how it has to be clearly defined at all levels of an organisation, if alignment and accountability are to flourish. It reminds me of the philosophy I’ve read, in which it has been agreed across the ages that through language, the

Increasing needs of Kaizen in Pharma Industry

This is an interesting article romoted by THE KAIZEN INSTITUTE INDIA. Increasing cost pressures, rising competition, country specific approval procedures, losses in sales due to expiring patents, etc. are few of the hurdles faced by organizations in pharmaceuticals industry. Research shows that most of the organizations have adopted or implemented Kaizen/ Lean/ Operational Excellence, however more than 50% have not

Britain’s economy: Boosting productivity with Lean Six Sigma

Britain’s biggest problem today is not the deficit but stagnant productivity growth that leaves output per hour 2% below its peak in 2008 (see article). The country’s economic future depends far more on… READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Flow Where You Can, Pull Where You Can’t

This is a great article wrote by Mike Orzen It seems that since the beginning of time we’ve all learned, “Lean is about continuously developing people and improving processes to create and flow value to customers using the least possible resources required.” Value of products and services is created through a series of work processes, some which create value and some

How Wrong Representation of Problem Can Hamper Your Improvement Journey

This an interesting article wrote by Mr. Nitali Zaveri Many organizations are perusing Six Sigma as an organization philosophy to improve process performance. One of our clients, a leading manufacturer of the capital machineries was interested in understanding and perusing Six Sigma. So they called many consultants for discussion including our consulting company. We proposed to conduct… READ THE FULL

Why Lean Six Sigma is Bad for Not-For-Profit

This is a very interesting article wrote by Georgina Hust. Broadly speaking Lean is the process of reducing waste, while Six Sigma is a tool which seeks to identify and reduce variation and defects. Both are focused on improving processes, quality of service and therefore customer satisfaction. READ THE FULL ARTICLE

5X Why most Leaders are not Good Enough

This is a very interesting article wrote by Philip Holt! Jeffrey Liker first provided real insight into Lean Leadership in his book, the Toyota Way , in 2003. This followed on from the insights into the Toyota Production System, or Toyota Way, that Womack and Jones had first introduced to us in the 1990s and attempted to provide insight to the

Lean Six Sigma Courses

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Who said Lean Six Sigma is not about People?

Article written by Michael Ballè Without mastering these seven foundational behavioral skills, even with their heart in the right place, leaders fumble their presence at the gemba and, consequently, feel disappointed by the bottom-line results they get from their lean efforts. With Lean Thinking, Jim Womack and Dan Jones ushered a true (and rare) revolution in management thinking: To deliver a

10 Tips for Getting Most of Your Work Done By Noon

Many successful people have developed methods that allow them to get as much as 90 percent of their work done before they take their lunch break. That doesn’t mean they are…>>Keep reading… Do you want to share your article? Contact us to: contact@lean6sigma4all.eu

How to program a robot in less than 2 mins

IndustryWeek Technology Editor Travis Hessman put Ed Mullen, Universal Robots national sales manager, on the spot, asking for a live demonstration of how to program the company’s latest robot. It took Mullen less than two minutes to complete a demonstration. How long would it take for an operator to learn? “Five minutes,” asserts Mullen. Do you want to share your

The Lean WORKSTATION that makes work easier

When configuring a work area, the following need to be considered…>>keep reading RESOURCE http://www.kaizeninstituteindia.com Do you want to share your article? Contact us to: contact@lean6sigma4all.eu

Starbucks Coffee and Kaizen

I am a confirmed Starbucks addict. Because the burnt flavor of their beans titillates my taste buds in just the right way, at 5am every morning I walk to my neighborhood Starbucks and kick start my day with a whole milk grande latte, no foam, extra shot. Makes my mouth water just to think about it! This morning, as the

Using robots to improve Customer Service Experience at stores

TOKYO – Food giant Nestle (IW 1000/35) said Wednesday that its Japan unit would hire 1,000 robots as sales clerks at stores across the country. The first batch of the robots — chatty humanoids called Pepper — will report to work by the end of this year at outlets that sell coffee capsules and home espresso machines. “From December, they