Which Lean Tool is Appropriate?

Lean Nation,

During my workshop this week, I was asked the question, "How do you know what tool to use and when?"  This is a very common question asked by new lean practitioners.   Having done a quick scan on the number and types of quality improvement  tools, I quit counting at 240.   Yes , there are over 240 discrete quality improvement tools.   When you consider that there are dozens of applications and techniques of  these tools, picking the right one, at the right time,  can be a daunting task. 

By application of the tool,  I mean that the use of takt time in a process that repeats every 50 seconds is entirely different than a process that repeats every 14 weeks.  Time observation on a repetitive process is different than time observation on process that occurs annually.

Fortunately,  for lean thinkers there is some great news!  There are a core group of tools that can be mastered (or at least we can become competent with) that will carry us a very long ways.  Some of the tools help us to see waste and some of the tools help us to eliminate waste.  The following table lists the tools and their purpose.

I refer to these tools as the common tools used to see and eliminate waste. Over the coming weeks, I will publish thoughts on some of the applications and techniques of these various tools individually. 

In my years as a Sensei, I virtually always stay within this tool set when initially trying to understand a problem.   For more complex problems there are some other tools and techniques that will come into play,  but mastering these will enable 10 years of probelm solving within virtually any organization.

Lean Blessings,

Ron

Ron Bercaw
President and Sensei
Shingo Prize Winning Author
www.breakthroughhorizons.com

The Power of Time Observation

Lean Nation,

One of the common tools used to see and eliminate waste in a lean environment is time observation. There is no better way to see waste than through direct observation. You can spin work and processes many different ways, but when we go to Gemba, the place where work is done, and observe, waste is seen everywhere.

As a refresher, waste is any activate that takes time, space, or resources, but fails to deliver value directly to a customer. When we watch work being done, we can quickly observe that 95 to 99% of the time, no value is being added.

So what does time observation have to do with direct observation? Great question! Waste can be quantified in time. as we observe we can document in the waste in increments of time. This is extraordinarily helpful because it allows us to determine the cost of non-value added activity. It also allows us to predict the improvement potential when the waste is eliminated. In effect, time observation is a tool used to help both "see" and "eliminate" waste.

Most team members fail to document the time associated with waste. Team members find it easier to use interview techniques and approximate the time or use averages from computer reports. This is actually sloppy work and should be avoided if possible. We want to use direct observation to see the waste and time observation to quantify the waste if at all possible.

When combined with takt time, the data from the time observation can be used to build a loading diagram (see earlier blogs for this topic), that enables the team to calculate staffing levels and create one item flow. This is the key to productivity.

Lean Blessings,

Ron

Ron Bercaw
www.breakthroughhorizons.com