When we think of becoming Lean, in many ways, the ultimate process strategy to accomplish this is what is known as “Mass Customization”. This refers to production in batch sizes of one to meet customer specific demand. Mass customization combines the low unit costs of mass production processes with the flexibility of individual customization. Not […]

All too often, decisions are made based on the opinions of those who management deems the “smartest” on the team. When they say, “I think…,” this causes executives to base their decisions on the esteem with which they hold that individual, rather than the value and integrity of the suggestion itself. At the outset of […]

  Companies have for years implemented various methodologies for improving processes in order to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction and ultimately, drive better business results. The Twentieth century saw some of the greatest advances in “process” thinking, with an emphasis on continuous improvement. These include the development of Statistical Process Control, the Toyota […]

This question is often one of the more controversial and hotly debated topics with companies striving to achieve and sustain excellence. There is certainly no right or wrong answer here, but I’m happy to share my personal experience with this dilemma. It’s a very company- and facility-specific set of circumstances that must be understood before […]