Industry Week

My latest IndustryWeek column shares some thoughts on equipment excellence, more from a strategic perspective than simply how to fine tune what you have. Here is the beginning of one of my 3 points on equipment assets: 1. Be frugal on features. I saw a recent mock advertisement for Apple

I have performed a lot of assessments over the years. If done right, they’re actually quite exhausting. You’re trying to absorb everything you are hearing, seeing, not seeing, while trying to follow a process, draw conclusions, and generate next questions. But when done well, and received openly, they can provide

Is innovation born or built? I don’t know the answer as it applies to people. But as it applies to organizations, it’s built. My latest IndustryWeek Lessons from the Road column, titled Making Innovation a Capability, focuses on building an innovative organization. There are key lean skills and mindset that

Everyone performs work, and everyone has the opportunity to improve how that work is executed. In my last 2 columns for Industry Week, I have focused on different aspects of value, the customer, and waste elimination. I continue that theme in this month’s installment of Lessons from the Road in

In the last installment of my Industry Week column, Lessons from the Road, I talked about waste elimination. In it, I also explained that the commonly used phrase “do more with less” is often perceived about being about the “less” when I believe truly lean organizations focus on the “more.”

  My latest IndustryWeek Lessons from the Road column has been released. This month’s topic is hopefully a fresh look at an old lean topic: waste elimination. Despite the many definitions to the contrary, many of you know that my view is that lean is not “all about” waste elimination.

I just love this idea: a Manufacturing Hall of Fame. Not only have these folks contributed more to American society than any baseball player (except Red Sox players of course), but we need to celebrate manufacturing and make it more attractive for the best and brightest. We could use more

My latest column for Industry Week, Lessons from the Road, titled Lessons from the Road: Reducing Lead Time Changes Everything has been posted. Here is the intro:   Ever hear “get it done faster”? It comes from many sources, most importantly, customers. The most time-tested — and ineffective — means

My latest column for Industry Week, Lessons from the Road, titled Decisions about Making Decisions has been posted. Here is the intro:   One of the most important domains within organizations that lean too infrequently injects itself is decision-making. The who, what, when and how of decision-making is ultimately one

My latest column for Industry Week, Lessons from the Road, titled Don’t Waste Your Metrics has been posted. Here is the intro:   Most every company has metrics permeating every meeting, discussion and decision. Metrics are as ubiquitous as email and problem solving and taken for granted to an equal level.