
The simplest way to get started with process improvement
I have had many conversations lately where people are asking about the simplest way to get started with process improvement. The simplest way is to start with one simple question – why.
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How your thinking filters are affecting your process improvment
There are two thinking “filters” that affect how we problem solve during the continuous improvement process. They are both necessary but should not be used simultaneously.
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PDCA vs PDSA in Problem Solving
Plan Do Check Act (PDSA) is a well known approach to continuous improvement and problem solving. I propose you consider the PDSA approach that includes study and adjust to truly understand why you are getting the results you are.
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Practicing Lean
The idea that just as doctors practice medicine we must practice lean is the premise of a book I contributed to called Practicing Lean which was edited by Mark Graban. We must be wiling to evolve our practices and learn as we move forward. Order a copy of the book today
Read MoreGive authority to those closest to the information
The following video was recently shared with me, and it reminding me of hearing the speaker in person. It’s a great story. It is the story of Captain David Marquet, Commander of a nuclear submarine, which is an environment that is perhaps least tolerance of leadership failures, and therefore a
Read MoreThe relationship between design thinking and lean thinking
Design thinking is a concept that is as hard to pin down and define singularly as it is with lean. But the two have collided and converged as people look for new ideas to solve their most challenging problems and inspire the most insightful thinking. Both practices are meant to
Read MoreThe Principle of Marginal Gains
Today, I ask just one simple question: If we understand that excellence in sport is the product of commutative marginal gains, then why do we think business performance all comes from big solutions to big problems? Marginal gains, in the process, added together one day after the next, is what
Read MoreSuperstorm Sandy relief, lean, and Toyota
This video is great in many ways. First, it’s a great demonstration of how simple lean can be. While it doesn’t capture all of the essence or the experience behind some of the simple improvements, it does show how simple the improvements can be. Second, it demonstrates that when lean
Read More4 Loops of Quality
I just finished delivering an audio conference for Progressive Business Audio Conferences on our 4 Loops of Quality. It’s our lens for both assessing and designing quality systems. Here’s the presentation. It’s not meant to stand alone as a document, but if you have any specific questions, I will do
Read MorePrinting Industries of America Conference
Today I am giving a speech at the Printing Industries of America conference in Tampa, Florida. The topic is Developing People Using A3 Thinking. I have written a lot about the A3 process before and you can find some of my posts here. Here is the presentation I will be
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