Lean was born out of manufacturing practices, but in recent times, has transformed the world of knowledge work and management. It encourages the practice of continuous improvement and is based on the fundamental idea of respect for people. Womack and Jones defined the five principles of Lean manufacturing in their book The Machine That Changed […]
Getting Top Management to Support Lean
It is imperative for the top management of any business to have a thorough knowledge of true lean principles. A basic knowledge of lean tools, however, does not suffice. In a nutshell, the lean principles focus on respect for people, continuous improvement at all levels, and a continuous focus on delivering customer value. This, however, […]
8 Six Sigma and Lean Tools to Improve Your Business
Lately, Six Sigma and Lean have become key buzzwords for progressive organizations that seek to improve their efficiency. Six Sigma denotes a methodology used in business management that makes use of a scientific approach to measure quality while reducing defects and variations. On its part, Lean is a combination of philosophies, tools and methodologies […]
Visual Management is the Key to Communicating
One of the most significant parts of Lean manufacturing is Visual Management. It is truly one of the most overlooked, but simplest tools available to manufacturers. Managing visually is the ability of a system to show the current status to anyone that stands and observes any part of the operation, within 30 seconds. It may be […]
[VIDEO] The Challenges of Demand Management
The function of recognizing all demands for goods and services to support the marketplace. It involves prioritizing demand when supply is lacking. Proper Demand Management facilitates the planning and use of resources for profitable business results. Enjoy this educational video on Demand Management! Related Posts:Demand Management Creates a Balance Between Supply…How to Use DMAIC for […]
Heijunka Leveling Production Over Time
After value streams have been solidified and embedded, Heijunka is a crucial process implementation in every successful lean organization. Heijunka quickly and elegantly helps organizations meet demands while reducing waste. By definition, it means leveling’ and enables production to efficiently meet customer demands while avoiding batching and results in minimum inventories, capital costs, manpower, and […]
Bottleneck Analysis Improves Flow
“I say an hour lost at a bottleneck is an hour out of the entire system. I say an hour saved at a non-bottleneck is worthless. Bottlenecks govern both throughput and inventory.” Eliyahu M. Goldratt There can be multiple causes of slowdowns and disruptions in workflow. One of the most serious causes can be bottlenecks. […]
The Best of Shmula
We are proud provide you a recap of five of our most recent blogs for your enjoyment and reference. Please do not forget to dive into the archives from time to time and catch up on reading you may have missed! Using Regression Analysis to Improve Cause and Effect Analysis Understanding the Change Acceleration Process […]
5S Methodology – Understanding and Applying the Concepts
The 5S methodology was developed in Japan, and was identified as one of the techniques that enabled Just-in-time manufacturing. Two major frameworks for understanding and applying 5S to business environments have arisen, one proposed by Osada, the other by Hirano. Hirano provided a structure to improve programs with a series of identifiable steps, each building on its […]
Lean Tools: Gemba Walk Is All About Quality
There is much confusion around Lean tools and the practice of a Gemba walk. Most commonly, leaders sometimes confuse a Gemba walk with the philosophy of Managing By Walking Around (MWBA). The two philosophies are truly in opposite camps, without similarity. Gemba walk denotes the action of going to see the process, understand the work, […]