Implementing standard work in an organization should be second nature for all companies on the lean journey. The truth is we find that a majority of our clients do not take advantage of this practice. Standard work is very important because it sets the foundation for continuous improvement efforts throughout the organization by documenting and capturing the current best practices to efficiently and safely make a quality product or conduct quality service. This foundation then creates a current state for which it can be continuously improved upon. Thus, standardized work is a process that never ceases.

Kanban/Pull Systems are based on the concept of building products to actual demand and not to a schedule or forecast. Kanbans are visual signals or records that authorize the production or withdrawal of a product and can also be used to trigger Team Members to perform tasks in addition to their daily routine. When implemented correctly, Kanbans will eliminate waste due to overproduction and excess inventory.

Job Instruction Training is a dynamic program that instructs supervisors and leaders within an organization based on the five (5) needs of a supervisor: knowledge of the work, knowledge of responsibility, skill in instructing, expertise in improving methods, and skill in leading. Companies typically fulfill the first two needs, but many organizations fall short in supplying their leaders with training in the other three areas. Companies must provide their leaders with this type of training because lean implementation and continuous improvement are nearly impossible without guidance from a competent leader that has the five (5) qualities above.

5S is a program that strives to organize and keep tidy the entire business so that teams can work efficiently. Organizational clutter is a significant cause of process inefficiency, safety issues, and low team morale. Work areas need to be 5S’ed so that additional continuous improvement efforts can be put in smoothly.

Kaizen is a lean tool that helps companies eliminate non-value activities (Muda) with quick bottom-line results. The traditional way of thinking is Cost + Profit = Selling Price; the lean way of thinking is Price – Cost = Profit. Therefore, the lean way to increase profit is to reduce costs, and the lean way to reduce costs is to eliminate waste. Typically, kaizen events are driven by internal continuous improvement teams that are appointed by senior management to improve one process at a time rapidly.

Equipment changeovers can become a real burden if not done efficiently. SMED (single-minute exchange of die) is a system designed to take the equipment changeover process and dramatically reduce the time it takes to complete changeovers. This type of procedure, when implemented, has many benefits including but not limited to: less equipment downtime, smaller lot sizes, flexible scheduling, decreased inventory levels, improved consistency and quality, and standardized changeovers. SMED is an ideal tool for those companies that wish to reduce the changeover time and set-up time while increasing the flexibility of production that leads to an enhanced process flow.

Perfect production is something that all companies strive towards, but few take advantage of the holistic approach TPM (total productive maintenance) offers. TPM is a proactive approach to maintenance that allows companies to keep their equipment uptime near 90%. With a quality TPM system in place, companies maximize the operational efficiency of their equipment and maintain their desired level of production through shared responsibility. This shared responsibility creates a sense of unity amongst the team members and creates a much more proactive culture. Without a proper TPM system in place, companies cannot maintain the level of quality and production needed to keep up with the competitive pressures around them.

Efficient and effective information flow is imperative in each process throughout the organization. As value chain activities increase in complexity, this need becomes more critical. Visual management is a set of tools that creates value stream transparency. It allows for leaders and team members to quickly identify, in real-time, if a process is functioning correctly or if there is a problem.

Mistake proofing assists the value chain by adding controls into each process to prevent defects from occurring, reduce the severity of those defects, or, best-case scenario, eliminate all errors. Mistake proofing is a vital part of lean because it can eliminate the repercussions, usually intangible, of sending defective products to customers.

Solving problems can be very costly to organizations when they are not taught how to solve problems correctly. There is a comprehensive structure for determining the root cause of problems, and organizations need to utilize this structure. When a standardized problem-solving structure is in place, taking corrective actions that eliminate future occurrences becomes second nature. Beyond this, correct problem solving, over time, becomes a structural framework for lean thinking.

One of the most important skills to have as a lean practitioner is knowing when to use the tools and which one best suits the need of the process. Many organizations push tools into a value stream rather than allowing the value stream to pull tools into the processes as they are needed. This is where our lean management consultants differ.