Page 84 - Linkline Yearbook 2017
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 management and the alignment that comes from the idea that there will be a shift in culture, then we must work on the entire team. Make no mistake about it, the shift that has to happen in the organisation will require buy-in from all levels. My experience has been that as we include employees in decision making and problem solving activities, we enable
a motivated and committed workforce around continuous improvement and lean activities. Another bonus that I have found is the morale of employees on all levels increase as job satisfaction increases.
Initially, the start of the lean journey may be a rough
one, wrought with significant change, but as we emerge and come out the other side the lean enterprise is much easier to manage at all levels. We are shifting from “the way we have always done things” to a lean thinking culture that strives to question everything. The zenith
of empowerment allows for all employees to be part of the process and also requires that they have a voice in bringing solutions to the table. The essence of any lean enterprise is that all employees at all levels work together to identify and solve problems – engagement through total employee involvement.
Lean tools
Where do you begin? How do you determine what is needed and which tools are too complicated to begin with?
I would like to focus on a few simple tools. By simple, I only mean that they can be implemented relatively quickly without a lot of investment or extensive training. My principle is to create a structure and foundation of simpler tools before building on to them as the lean enterprise grows and becomes more successful. There is a fair amount of diligence, rigour, and discipline that go along with using these tools on a daily basis, but there is also the long term sustainability and favorable results that come with them.
Here are a few tools for quick wins to help build momentum in lean implementation:
• 5S/6S: An organised workplace is one without waste.
• Value Stream Maps: Current state vs future State, gap analysis.
• Problem Solving: Pareto charts, 5-Why, PDCA, A3.
• GEMBA: Get to the shop floor and observe and engage.
• Visual Management: Daily management around KPIs.
Each one of these tools is part of the
foundation of lean. I am not going to go
into great detail (each of these subjects has massive amounts data and literature available), however, I will address why they are important and have merit.
5S
To start our quest for eliminating waste what could be better than workplace organisation. What is 5S? Sort, straighten, scrub, standardise, and sustain. You could also add a sixth “S”: safety. This tool is fundamental because it requires a culture
committed to continuous improvement. The basis of lean is standardisation and stability, and 5S is key in standardisation and stability. 5S is not merely about cleaning up, it instills discipline and allows us to easily spot variation from standard operating conditions.
VALUE STREAM MAPPING/FLOW CHARTS
Value stream mapping and flow charts are useful tools
in identifying waste in our value stream. Through analysis we have the ability to identify hidden “factories” or processes that jump out at us; otherwise known as waste. This value stream map helps to point out our gaps and misses and is the basis for our improvement efforts. Remember the value stream includes all value added activities (the ones the customer want) and the non-value add (waste and other activities) that is part of our product/service to the customer. If we focus our flow geared towards the customer requirements, we end up with an optimal flow with minimal waste.
PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITIES AND TOOLS
To borrow from the lean tools of Six Sigma, a good approach to lean as a whole is DMAIC.
Define the problem
Measure the baseline performance
Analyse for significant root cause
Improve the process
Control product improvements and changes
 In the DMAIC process the ‘analyse’ stage is the critical one for success, since if we do not get to root causation we only fix symptoms and not true problems. I have found that the use of an accurate Pareto chart will bring about a clear path to some quick wins. Accuracy of the data going into the Pareto chart is crucial and employees need to understand their role in this process. Using root cause analysis to fix the top issues on the Pareto chart, one or two at a time,
will move the needle in a hurry on the path to world class.
 84 The CharTered InsTITuTe of LogIsTICs & TransporT
 LEAN MANAGEMENT

































































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