Lean Blog

Well done Mark. Having experienced the often misg...

2009-11-21T15:51:35.907-05:00

Well done Mark.
Having experienced the often misguided surge of production to far aware places attempting to exploit piece price without regard to total cost of ownership - delayed transportation, quality catastrophies, lost customer responsiveness, increased inventories and obsolescence, etc., we must look to lean principles to know we should simplify every flow, structure every activity, clearly connect every supplier and customer, and experiment at the lowest level possible toward perfection. This often one leads one to build supplier partnerships next door or even in our buildings.

Sanjay Gupta was offered the position of U.S. Surg...

2009-11-20T20:11:06.663-05:00

Sanjay Gupta was offered the position of U.S. Surgeon General by President Obama, but declined because the Surgeon General doesn't get to do any actual surgery and Dr. Gupta wanted to continue to practice neurosurgery.

That and the cut in pay. The Surgeon General makes about $153,000 per year. Dr. Gupta makes considerably more than that at CNN. He reportedly also makes between $30,000 and $50,000 for each speaking engagement he does.

Mark, The problem you describe can be equally app...

2009-11-20T13:16:50.296-05:00

Mark,

The problem you describe can be equally applied to any office worker who's trying to multitask her way through a phone call, four emails, a spreadsheet, and some administrative work. Rather than one-piece flow, they're trying to do multiple things at once, with predictably bad results.

Thanks for telling me, it has been fixed.

2009-11-20T10:54:16.829-05:00

Thanks for telling me, it has been fixed.

The link for the download is not working.

2009-11-20T10:27:31.798-05:00

The link for the download is not working.

Just a side note... I believe, but am not sure, t...

2009-11-20T07:51:16.818-05:00

Just a side note... I believe, but am not sure, that President Obama originally offered the Surgeon General position to Dr. Gupta, but he declined. Given his added dimension of intuitive Lean thinking, he might have been very good.

To Anonymous: you're right, the failure mode could...

2009-11-19T23:47:26.276-05:00

To Anonymous: you're right, the failure mode could have been in accessioning, not the embedding station.

Either way, it sounds like you are in an awful work environment... I'm sorry to hear that.

amy input here is: Has ANYONE considered the perso...

2009-11-19T22:04:25.186-05:00

amy input here is: Has ANYONE considered the persoc accwessioning the specimens? It comes in... with 70 others perhaps... They are prepared and moved along then sent back "YOU ARE GIVING ME TOO MUCH WORK" and the tech is stymied by a screaming doc, administrationWHO KNOWS OF THE ISSUE MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO...DID NOTHING. How do we make this better?? Oh. WE SHALL DECREASE THE NUMBER OF TECHS AND REMOVE THE RESIDENTS AND LEWAVE THE ENTIRE JOB ON THE SHOUKDERS/CONSCIENCES OF TWO TECHS TO COMPLETE AND GET SCREAMED AT WHEN IT IS NOT HAPPENING FAST OR SLOW WENOUGH AND JUST "PUT THAT DSOWN AND GET TO IT LATER. I NEED YOU NOW. THEY HAVE NO SUPPORT BUT THEY WILL BE FIRED BECAUSE RATHER THAN TRULY FIX THE PROBLEM, BLAME WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE LOWLING WITH 20 TO 30 YRS IN THE PLACE. zxdon't offer to train THREATEN and make them sick with fear.And this is a hospital COMPASSIONATE PLACE FOR HEALING??? Maybe thwe dishonest docs nweewdd to be lookeds at. DONT FIRE THEM.... FIX THE GROSS OVERLOAD HRTEN NEGLIGENCE UNINTENDED YET UNAVOIDABLE WILL GO AWAY.
HELP THEWM. THEY ARE LOYAL STAFFERS.
OR MAKE EM CRY. SHAME ON YOU FOR ASSIGNING BLAME. i HAVE SEEN THE GUIDELINES AND THEY WEREE LAUGHABLE, INCONSISTENT AND CONFUSING.

For those who are interested in Mistake Proofing, ...

2009-11-19T16:56:51.408-05:00

For those who are interested in Mistake Proofing, I am producing a webinar through the Lean Enterprise Institute.

Click here for more details.

December 10, 2 PM EST
John Grout, PhD is the presenter

I appreciate your thoughts on this important topic...

2009-11-19T10:19:32.940-05:00

I appreciate your thoughts on this important topic, Mark. I think you might find our post about the same case of interest.

http://www.knowerror.com/know_error_blog/2009/11/lab-mix-up-results-in-another-unneccessary-surgery.html

We have created a specimen security system for biopsies to prevent these switching errors and any eliminate adverse patient outcomes as a result of the errors.

Clearly, you are passionate about the problem for which we have created a solution. I welcome your thoughts and comments.

My question is what happened to the patient whose ...

2009-11-18T07:42:32.600-05:00

My question is what happened to the patient whose name was placed this partient's sample. Did the other patient, who must have cancer, have her name put on a clean sample and is now at risk of her cancer progressing? If the cancer is found later, who would be to blame? Too often this is just accepted as the way of lab tests. It makes you wonder if these kind of procedural issues are the reason that the disclaimer is given that there could be so many false positives or negatives related to a lab test? Maybe the test can be accurate but the procdures for handling the tests are what causes the variance.

It is amazing to me that this situation was allowed in the first place. In manufacturing, our customer would never accept the excuse of human error. They expect substantial evidence that there are attempts at mistake proofing the processes that produce their parts. Only if we can prove that the procedures were not followed will they accept human error as the root cause of a problem. It is disturbing that the medical field in dealing with life and death issues does not take error proofing to a much higher level than manufacturing.

Simon - if you find value to yourself and your tea...

2009-11-17T15:35:25.647-05:00

Simon - if you find value to yourself and your team by doing that then that's great, that's not stupid at all.

What is stupid is when taping off the stapler is forced in people or there's no articulation of value or the problem being solved.

Only just came across this post but thought I'd sh...

2009-11-17T14:08:05.398-05:00

Only just came across this post but thought I'd share my opinion in any case.
I'm a Senior Manager in our manufacturing company and have been successful in implementing 5s in 2 main production areas. My own desk is my primary workspace when not at the gemba but others leave files/PO's/Invoices etc for review and sign-off when I'm out. It was getting very frustrating because there was no "flow", my desk was just strewn with random files. So, my solution was to 5s my desk showing where the main items were (calculator, notebook, pens, stapler etc) and also a clearly marked "To Do", "In Process" and "Completed". I also have a clearly layed out whiteboard above my desk with a section for each day with my main tasks for the day. People (CEO, my engineers etc) can walk in and if I'm out at the Gemba, they can still see what I'm working on, what I've completed etc so time isn't wasted trying to find me for something trivial if I'm working at something more important at the Gemba).

5s is only anal if it doesn't seem to have any purpose. If your job is 95-100% desk-based, then yes, I would argue against "5s-ing" the workspace. However, don't write it off just because you think "it's stupid". Anything that can improve communication and productivity is to be welcomed.

The gizmo on top of the paper bin is probably supp...

2009-11-17T05:56:52.587-05:00

The gizmo on top of the paper bin is probably supposed to help with supressing fires. For example see the claim on: http://www.wb.com.tw/ismart/smart10.html

Right on Bruce, gotta go with the Gemba every time...

2009-11-16T18:37:43.670-05:00

Right on Bruce, gotta go with the Gemba every time.

I feel kind of like an elephant hiding behind a fl...

2009-11-16T18:30:41.854-05:00

I feel kind of like an elephant hiding behind a flagpole for suggesting with going to the gemba first (since I tell people to do that) but since you are asking - I definitely think the suggestions above that I would kind of folloe the theme of visuality would are probably good ideas. Since these were there to support a specific gathering, is it possible a lot of the stuff going in these were of a few specific types. If so, use those specific things (if water bottles or plastic cups for water were passed out at the event, or if lunch was service then the disposable plates and utensils) in the visual scheme - maybe not even pictures of them - use the things themselves maybe.

I feel like anonmymous is exactly that. If you le...

2009-11-16T17:56:35.902-05:00

I feel like anonmymous is exactly that. If you left because you felt like a number then why are you commenting, "anonymously"?! I have known several friends who have worked at In n' Out in several Las Vegas locations and they absolutely love it! They say it is great pay, great work, great environment, and they are learning great skills. It seems like everytime I pop in for a bite, no matter how busyt they are, these in n' out workers have a smile on their face, unlike so many other fast-food workers.

Could adding a "mixed waste" bin help? It could ve...

2009-11-16T17:53:29.193-05:00

Could adding a "mixed waste" bin help? It could very well have too much garbage, but what's left for "specialized bins" would possibly be sorted way better as those would be used more by the people who actually care at the moment when they have time to care rather than by people who are just forced to sort garbage regardless of their attitude, time and experience (yeah, experience. Should paper cup with remainings of coffee go to paper, organics or even plastics since paper cups are made of unusual paper?)

You've both got it right. The organics barrel has ...

2009-11-16T17:40:24.184-05:00

You've both got it right. The organics barrel has to be red with a picture above the lid showing a sandwich; the paper receptable has to be blue with a picture of sheaths of paper above the lid; the bottles & cans box has to be green with a picture of bottles & glass & cans above the lid.
Mike Davis ex-Toyota www.mma.ca

I can't figure out what they are trying to do with...

2009-11-16T16:45:29.238-05:00

I can't figure out what they are trying to do with the three styles of tops to the bins (form doesn't seem to fit any particular function). A better way to differentiate, as Mark Welch suggested above, would be to have three different colors. Also, maybe more visual, less text-based labels (a cartoon depiction of the types of waste perhaps?) would be more effective, if only slightly. Unfortunately, these are rather weak forms of visual control, akin to hanging a warning sign in a dangerous area of a factory. A better approach would be to design receptacles with mistake-proofing features, although I'm not sure how feasible that is. Also, just like out on the shopfloor, maybe some good old Job Instruction training is in order. This obviously couldn't and shouldn't be an in-depth thing, but a quick announcement and demonstration by the event staff might go a long way towards gaining compliance. It also might be goofy and a waste of time in the eyes of the attendees!

With a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the s...

2009-11-16T16:10:13.258-05:00

With a lot of people who are unfamiliar with the setting, I do think that zero waste will be very difficult. One thing that might help (I emphasize "help" - not cure) would be to have the "Organics Only" and the "Paper Only" in different colored bins. Too easy to just glance at it and mistake one for the other.

Other ideas out there?

"Command-and-control ogre"...good one...reminds me...

2009-11-16T12:30:47.096-05:00

"Command-and-control ogre"...good one...reminds me of several construction managers that I've met in my line of work. In fact, I'd say that is pretty much part of the standard job description in the construction industry. One of the big challenges of trying to develop a Lean management system in my industry is getting our managers to loosen up a little bit and stop commanding and controlling all the time, but without misinterpreting the "respect for people" principle as a laissez-faire approach.

Standardization needs to always be an invitation t...

2009-11-16T11:15:44.803-05:00

Standardization needs to always be an invitation to improve. The standard allows us (and anyone else) to see the anomalies, the problems, the surprises, and address them together.

To not do that once you understand it and can see how, does indeed look like coawardice and apathy.

When have I backslid in my lean journey? Too many times to enumerate in this forum, but we try to live in the improvement cycle. In personal development of a leader PDCA might be captured as "success isn't never falling down, but getting up one more time than you fall"

Nice post and great analogy. In reflection, I offe...

2009-11-16T07:50:47.950-05:00

Nice post and great analogy. In reflection, I offer another analogy: Finding the middle ground may be another phrase for continuous improvement.

When a company begins the Lean journey the tendanc...

2009-11-16T07:40:52.781-05:00

When a company begins the Lean journey the tendancy is to be more "command and control" because management sees the need for Lean implementation but the people may not understand it. Associates see standardized work and 5S as just another way that management is trying to control their work lives. They may have heard the horror stories of L.A.M.E. and therefore they resist the idea of Lean outright. It is critical that all associates be trained in the true meaning of the Lean principles and tools so that they can actively participate in the transformation of the company. Then, as associates are given the opportunity and responsibility of making improvements to their work, mangement can take more of a partnership approach. The people that "get it" will appreciate mangement holding others accountable in order to sustain the improvements they see with Lean. Those who resist will eventually find themselves on the outside looking in because even their fellow associates will not tolerate their negative attitudes and resulting non-constructive actions. Empowerment, responsibility, and accountability go hand-in-hand and as management and associates work together, a good middle ground can be reached and the company culture will be transformed to one of continuous improvement.