![]() ![]() Not last, but in parallel to, and as a through-line for all of this is to keep people in the loop. Lean builds a network of feedback loops so that every function, every process, every part of the organization is linked to achieving a common purpose. without conscious thought, while giving our conscious mind signals when something is wrong. In the human body, the autonomous nervous system allows us to breathe, digest, etc. A good commonsense explanation of what we are building with lean is the autonomous nervous system. That may seem like a lot to think about when getting started. Lean tools serve us best when they are used to build networks and systems. People have adapted Lean to make it work for them in hospitals, software development, government agencies, farms and all sorts of surprising places. Even if they don’t seem to apply in your industry, it’s important to take the time to do a general survey of the tools and their underlying principles. Many of these tools have manufacturing origins. Some people come up with better ideas when they understand what they are building, working from a set of principles, toward a vision.Īnd yet, it’s easy to get bogged down when getting started with lean, if we try to grasp the full complexity of the management system and its tools. Daily improvement will be much harder for some functions and processes than others. “Fix what bugs you” and “Minimize waste” go a long way. Yet this is not enough even when we’re making steady progress towards our goals. Close Every LoopĪ simple way to get started is to ask people to make very small improvements every day. This in turn creates more belief, enthusiasm and a sense of power over their own work. ![]() ![]() Not only that, making frequent small changes helps people see that their small ideas might also become reality. When we take small positive steps, their cumulative impact adds up to big savings over time. This also acts as a feedback loop, similar to compound interest. One of the easiest ways to get started with improvement the lean way is to take many small steps. ![]() When we use the outputs of our problem-solving patterns as inputs for the next improvement, we have a feedback loop. This begins with learning investigative techniques to help us answer, “What’s causing the bad things that are happening in our organization?” and “What’s causing the good things?” as well as “How much of a role does random variation play?” The better we can answer these questions, the better we can turn cause-and-effect into a predictable loop. Build Positive Feedback LoopsĪ critical part of the problem-solving pattern is to understand cause and effect. Gaining useful information about the content of each problem is the second part of this learning loop. What we must learn is why, and how to make use of that information. What we learn is that the experiments worked or didn’t work. We define the problem, gather data, analyze causes, conduct experiments to address causes, and check our results. These approaches are designed as learning loops. Plan-Do-Check-Act, practical problem solving, the scientific method and their variants are cyclical. The first is to learn about the patterns of problem solving. Whether the challenges we are facing are obstacles to our goals or a matter of survival, developing systematic problem-solving skills is an essential part of becoming Lean. Sometimes we aren’t in a position to set ambitious goals because we are struggling to stay afloat. Sometimes we set goals for growth or to achieve excellence through lean. Pattern Problem Solving into Learning Loops Where is the low-hanging fruit? Complete this initial purpose loop by connecting the intent to get started with the intent to achieve these ends. Which are the vital few? One of the tenets of effective change management is to plan for some early wins. Rather than creating a grand and detailed strategy, keep it simple. Where can we use Lean to build capabilities to delight our customers through speed, flexibility or reliability? Once you’ve identified some opportunities to exploit, it’s time to learn about and begin practicing the 80/20 principle. This should not be a brand-new set of objectives, but rather existing goals. In practical terms this means think through what you want to achieve using Lean. Likewise, when starting out with lean, connect activities to the desired end. In a loop, the end is connected to the beginning. Here is the loopy guide to getting started with lean. Thinking too much about this question can make a person loopy. It depends on where you are, where you’re going, who’s going with you and more. A simple, universal answer continues to evade us. We often hear the question, “Where do I get started?” from people new to lean, continuous improvement or operational excellence. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |