Lean - improve process by eliminating waste

Lean is an approach that puts what the customer values at the top of the agenda and then works to eliminate wasteful activities that destroy value.
Originally developed by Toyota, Lean is also a philosophy that insists that the people who do the work are involved in standardising and improving it and that managers and leaders support them and go see the problems for themselves.

Key concepts

• Value is defined from the perspective of the customer
• Lean focuses on the processes that deliver value to the customer
• Lean identifies and removes waste from processes, so only value adding activities remain
• Work in the process is only initiated on demand from the customer (pull)
• Inventory is kept at the lowest level possible
• Flow of information and material is simplified to achieve the shortest possible cycle time

Lean toolbox - some of the tools we could use

• Voice of the customer - what is of value?
• Value Stream mapping - current and future states
• Eight types of waste - to help identify and eliminate
• Root cause analysis - to find the real causes of waste
• Spaghetti diagram - to visualise physical movement
• Cost-Benefit analysis - to make commercial decisions
• 5S (Sort; Straighten; Scrub; Standardise; Sustain) - to improve workplace organisation
• Visual management - to immediately see the status of a process

Lean training and services

• Basic Lean approach and techniques for all - 3 days
• Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma - a 5 day programme
• Lean leadership - leading and managing in the Lean way
• Lean support from a Master Black Belt - as much or little as you require