How to Prioritize the Steps in Your Lean Journey

To overcome the organizational paralysis that comes from overanalyzing lean projects, manufacturers can benefit from faster implementation of solutions that are “good” rather than “perfect” with a commitment to leverage iterative development more frequently in their processes. It has become increasingly important to show rapid results along the lean journey. While this is critical to […]

Financial Metrics dangerous than Poor Quality

Henry Ford achieved world-class results with three key performance indicators (KPIs), none of which were financial. His successors’ changeover to financial metrics, on the other hand, caused the company to forget what we now call the Toyota production system. Henry Ford’s creation of what we now call lean manufacturing is an excellent reason to listen […]

Planting the Seeds – The Concept Tree

Many organizations have, with varying degrees of success, tried to implement project management in their organizations. The success rate depends on the awareness of the people undergoing the Lean Six Sigma Program. If the assumption is that LSS is mere flavor of the month, the implementation and outcome takes a hit. Once the awareness is […]

Hoshin Kanri Helps Toyota Improve for the Long Term

When the 2008 Lehman Brothers bankruptcy triggered a global recession, Toyota Motor Company lost money. In December of that year, with a photo of Toyota board members bowing in shame, a New York Times headline trumpeted, “Toyota Expects its First Loss in 70 years.” “They’ve caught the same cold that Detroit has caught,” said Christopher […]

Legal transformation: Gather the data, Establish a baseline, Realize a win

  In 2010 BT undertook a process excellence project – their aim was to improve efficiency and bring down costs within their legal departments, both internal and external. The project was headed by Chris Fowler, General Counsel, UK Commercial Legal Services at BT. As with all operational excellence projects, it wasn’t easy, but the hard […]