Lean Thinking
“The endless transformation of waste into
value from the customer’s perspective”.
Womack and Jones, Lean Thinking
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What Lean Is and Is Not
Common misunderstandings LEAN:
It eliminates jobs.
(False. The ultimate goal of LEAN is to improve the business so that we can become more competitive and grow).
It forces people to work harder.
(False. One of the goals of Lean systems is to make the work safer and “sustainable” and without fatigue).
It tries to speed up all the work.
(False. The focus of LEAN is to eliminate WASTE. Production is paced by the customer’s demand).
It is just Quality Circles with a new name.
(False. There are over 20 Systems, Tools and Analysis Methods that are found only in LEAN).
It focuses on manufacturing or operations only.
(False. It looks for waste in the entire delivery system of products and services).
It was invented in Japan in the late 1970’s.
(False. All the basics were created by Henry Ford dating back to 1908).
It is just common sense.
(False. If LEAN was so “common”, every company would be achieving the same dramatic improvements).
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Adapted from Jeff Liker, Optiprise
The Toyota Production System
Best Quality - Lowest Cost - Shortest Lead Time
Through Shortening the Production Flow By Eliminating Waste
Just in Time Jidoka
“The right part
“Built-in Quality”
at the right time
in the right amount”
•Automatic Machine Stop
•Fixed Position Line Stop
•Continuous Flow •Error Proofing
•Pull System •Visual Control
•Takt Time •Labor-Machine Efficiency
Production Lines
That Stop for
HEIJUNKA
Abnormalities
Standardized Work and Kaizen
Mutual Trust; Employee Development Robust Products and Processes
Stability; TPM; 5S Supplier Involvement
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Michigan Quality System
Quality – Safety – Efficiency – Appropriateness – Service
Just-in-Time Built-in Quality
• Error Proof
• Pacing by Demand
Customer
• Surface Problems
• Continuous Flow Defines
Value
• Stop and Respond
• Pull Systems
to Abnormalities
• Solve Problems
at Root Cause
Leveled Continuous Improvement Standardized
Workload (P-D-C-A) and Learning Work
Make Value Flow by Eliminating Errors and Waste
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MQS House – Master version (All Missions) Sources: J. Shook, J. Billi, J. Liker, S. Hoeft, J. Womack, Park-Nicollet /jmk 06.23.07
Important Point………
Aggressive pursuit of waste elimination
extends to all activities,
including presentation of
information and decision making process
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What is an A3 ?
• “A3” is just a paper size
• Concise report on one sheet of paper
• At Toyota, it evolved to become the
standard format for problem-solving,
proposals, plans, and status reviews.
• What is important is not the format, but the
process and thinking behind it.
Importance of A3
• Clarity of the story
• Dialogue
• Critical Thinking
• Mentoring Tool
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A3 Report
• One 11X17 sheet of paper
• Most critical information.
• Graphical ( charts, graphs , pictures)
• Minimal words
• Logical format (Right to left, top to bottom)
A3 Process
• As a standard process, it becomes easier for
you
– to persuade others, and
– to understand others.
• It fosters dialogue within the organization.
• It develops thinking problem-solvers.
• It serves as an organizational learning tool.
• It leads to effective countermeasures and
solutions based on facts and data.
A3 Report
• Proposal A3……used to propose an idea or
change.
• Problem Solving A3… used to identify problems
and identify root cause and countermeasures
• Status A3……used to provide an update of key
milestones on a project.
• Information A3….used to provide information (not
intended for analysis)
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Creating an A3
Imagine clearly the story of the
proposal you want to make, the
improvement you want to initiate or
the problem you want to solve.
A3 Outline
• Outline items (boxes):
1. Theme
2. Background
3. Target
4. Action Plan
5. Investigation of facts, Current State
6. Analysis
A3 Outline
• Outline items (con’t):
7. Countermeasures
8. Verification of countermeasures
9. Review/Critique
10.Possible next steps, further action
Create between five and seven or so boxes,
combining the appropriate above items to
make your story as simple and clear as
possible.
A3 Outline
• Each (box) should contain a graph, chart,
or sketch.
• Use words only when a graph, chart, or
sketch cannot show the details of the
contents, or it is impossible to explain the
contents with a graph, chart, or sketch.
A3 Template
What you are talking about.
Title:
Background Recommendations
Why you are talking about it.
What is your proposed
countermeasure(s)?
Current Situation
Where do we stand?
Where we need to be?
Plan
Where we want to be?
What activities will be required for
Goal implementation and who will be
What is the specific change you want responsible for what and when?
to accomplish now?
Analysis
-What is (are) the root cause(s) of the Follow - up
problem?
-What requirements, constraints and How we will know if the actions have
alternatives need to be considered? the impact needed? What remaining
issues can be anticipated? 15
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A3 Process
In summary, the purpose of the A3 process
is to:
• structure effective and efficient dialogue to
• foster understanding followed by
agreement.
Winston Churchill
“The length of
this document
defends it well
against the risk
of it being read.”
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