What Does Lean Mean to You?

"What Does Lean Mean to You?"

For the customer, it would be the least time and number of steps to satisfaction.

For the provider (service or manufacturer), it would be the least time and number of steps to get paid by the customer. (or satisfaction)

For the provider as an employer, this inherently means improving the competency of every employee.

For the employee, it would be the least time and number of steps to deliver the required value, at the required quality.

thank you. I have little to no experience with it. (studied it a bit...)

It seems to me that organizations never really implement the full scope of any program they adopt. They take what they want. When I started at my current company, the boss told me "Oh Lean, we tried that.... and like ISO, it was too much paperwork..." which told me he was talking bs.

ga for the fuller presentation of Lean.

They take what they want.

You are right, Chris. That's one of the problems. Some of these systems, eg Toyota, are often seen as a toolkit - just use the tool you think might fix things best and most easily. I think that with some systems (Toyota in particular) you will find that if you don't completely embrace the whole system (philosophy as well as processes), then at best it won't work well, and at worst it could be quite destructive.

"What Does Lean Mean To You?"

Can be viewed and expressed in many ways, although my knowledge and experienced gained in study of Lean, Six Sigma, and Quality practices is based on the following:

"Lean is really a systematic approach to uncovering known problems through implementation and use of a series of tools (Six Sigma) and proven methodologies (Quality Principles) to improve upon the current process flow by eliminating waste and reducing variation." Hence the word "Lean," is often viewed by many organizations as a way to quickly reduce workloads and workforce in hopes to improve their bottom line without really understanding the implications and effects to increasing efficiency within the organization. As a result, (like most improvement and change processes that are not fully understood), it creates a sense of reluctance among management teams and its workforce. In order for "Lean" to be effective and efficient, it must be embraced by the entire organization. Companies like Motorola, GE, Toyota, and some others have been able to successfully implement this practice throughout their organization and sustain the results without decreasing workloads and/or workforce. There have been hundreds of case studies and books written by these organizations, along with others, demonstrating the challenges and proven techniques to effectively use Lean practrices across all facets of business and manaufacturing today. In order for "Lean" to be effective you must first seek to understand those processes that are creating waste (muda). As waste is eliminated, the quality of those processes will improve therefore resulting in a reduction of process variation and decreased costs in the production of goods and/or services. In addtion, the smoothness or workflow becomes less burden and more efficent in getting the job done right the first time!

What you say is absolutely true but I also think that you have your blinders on. Since this is an engineering blog, I choose to focus on the impact "lean" production control will have on engineers. To make my point let me contrast two businesses in the Miamisburg OH area that are in the same non-engineering business, one operates completely lean while the other doesn't; Taco Bell and Bullwinkle's Top Hat Bistro.

Taco Bell with its lean operation provides the exact same product where you are in Ohio as I can find here on Long Island. All of the operators at Taco Bell can do any and all operations required. Now an often overlooked implication of this multi-skilled requirement for all workers but I believe that actual advantage of a lean operation is that this means that the lowest skill set employee is suitable for any position since any and all can do the operation the way the operation is designed. The employer can hire the lowest legal pay scale for employees. The lean operation at TB minimizes the amount of food wasted by statistical calculations that are handled most often at TB corporate headquarters or the software comes from there. Creativity by the staff is frowned upon.

In contrast I'm certain that BTHB has hired people with different skill sets that allows them to excel in their particular facet of the operation. BTBH still has busboys at the lowest pay scale but servers, bartenders, and chefs will earn a higher pay as they perform more creatively with their jobs. While BTHB certainly strides to not waste food they do accept that waste will happen in the name of flexibility. I'm certain they do dabble in customer requested order variations and intriguing daily specials to show off their chef's skills. Ironically I suspect that the six sigma training team came to your company, they more than likely went to BTBH instead of TB.

So for the engineering group here at CR4, take an announcement that your work place is going lean as a possible warning sign for your career. Certainly going lean can be the best option for a company. It can also be the difference between existing and going under. But it does mean that you as an engineer are more secure in your job. In contrast it can easily mean that the creativity, flexibility and occasional waste from failed attempts that all engineers bring may make your position less stable in a lean company.