Does Your Cycle Time Have a Weight Problem?When production cycle times vary, weighted-average cycle time can help maintain lean manufacturing
Wed, 04/06/2011 - 12:47
Understanding a process’ cycle time is extremely important, especially in the context of takt time. In a mixed-model environment, cycle time can be a bit less straightforward. That’s where weighted averages may make sense.
Weighted-average cycle… Two Cents on Lean Certifications… and a Cow Named ‘Fuku’Beware of confusing certification with effectiveness
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 06:00
A colleague of mine recently shared a story about the renowned Chihiro Nakao, student of Taiichi Ohno and founder of the Shingijutsu, the consulting group that teaches Toyota Production System principles. According to the story, a client once asked… Two Cents on Lean Certifications… and a Cow Named ‘Fuku’Beware of confusing certification with effectiveness
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 06:00
A colleague of mine recently shared a story about the renowned Chihiro Nakao, student of Taiichi Ohno and founder of the Shingijutsu, the consulting group that teaches Toyota Production System principles. According to the story, a client once asked… The Intrinsic Discipline of the Lean Leader Faith and commitment to lean principles inspire others to aspire
Tue, 03/01/2011 - 09:10
A recent George F. Will column referenced the sign re-created to the right. Although I don’t necessarily believe that the signage encompasses the complete definition of discipline, it certainly provides food for thought.
A lot of… Bridging to Daily Kaizen—14 (no, 15) QuestionsCrossing to organized lean requires answering 15 (or so) questions
Mon, 01/31/2011 - 04:30
My teenage education was (maybe) enhanced by substantial doses of Monty Python. Occasionally, I discover a lean metaphor somewhere within their body of work. One of my absolute favorite scenes is from the movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.… Kaizen and ChemistryOften overlooked, chemistry is the glue that bonds successful teams
Tue, 10/05/2010 - 05:30
I recently experienced the pain associated with coaching a team with poor chemistry. It happened within a kaizen event team, so the pain was finite, being that a kaizen event is a rapid improvement of a limited process area. It was, however, an… Lean Leadership: Lessons From My Dog-Obedience SenseiConstructive insights from man’s best friend
Tue, 08/10/2010 - 06:00
My dog, Bailey, has a sensei—a dog-obedience trainer. Actually, my wife and I have a sensei to teach us how to train our dog. In fact, my wife and I have used the same dog-obedience trainer for the last three dogs, all German shepherds. No one…
