Lean Management, which is promoted by Toyota, in which the focus is upon improving the “flow” of all the business processes and eliminating the wastes that exist within these processes. Some of the Lean Tools include Kanban pull system, 5 S, Total Productive Maintenance, production load leveling, error proofing (poka-yoke), Jidoka, Heijunka and many more.

On the other hand, Six Sigma objective is  to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in the business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, especially statistical tools. It also creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization (“Black Belts”, “Green Belts”, etc.) who are experts in these methods. Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified financial targets (cost reduction or profit increase).

Therefore, Lean & Six Sigma is a hybrid of both the Lean and Six Sigma program utilizing the tools that exist in both of the program according to the needs of each individual organization. However, we must always remember that you don’t have to use all the tools that exists in both the Lean and Six Sigma program in order to be successful. Ultimately, Lean & Six Sigma program is to help your organization to be better.

Gemba is a very important word that we learn in Lean Management. Gemba means the workplace or the place where the actions are.

Why do we always emphasized on Gemba in lean management?

When problem occurs in our workplace, what is the first thing that you normally do? Most of the time, the people who is involved, would call a meeting and they would invite all parties involved into a meeting room and have a meeting. And the worst thing is that the meeting would take up a long time and sometimes there’s no decision makes so the team will have to come back again the next day or the day after again. They’ll spend a lot of time having meeting after meeting and meetings. That is why today a lot people hate meetings.

In Gemba management, when we have problems in the workplace or Gemba, the worker will immediately highlight the issues through some Andon or signal devices.  And, the supervisors or the leaders will immediately go down to the Gemba to observe or listen to the workers who are involve in the problem or issues. Therfore, they are able to resolve immediately the issues within a short period of time. If not, this problem would immediately escalate to the next level of management. Now this system basically creates an urgency for the people to solve the issues

Gemba Coaching

We have put in place a learning program to help your managers and leaders to understand how you can systematically put in place this type of Gemba Management practice through creating your own internal Gemba Coaches. This program is a hands-on workshop that will help your coaches set up the Gemba Management system within days so that your organization can start benefit from your Gemba Coaches.

Click this HERE to know more about our Gemba Coach Program.

5S and Visual Workplace Management Examples

What do you think? I feel that they have really done a great job practicing 5S and putting up the Visual Controls. You can also clearly seen that they are practicing one of the key principles of 5S which is “A place for everything, and everything is in its place”. Now that you have seen some good examples, it’s time to get your team to start working in your workplace. Lean is all about learn and immediately put into use what you learn. So, show your team this video and challenge them to come up with ideas how they can improve their workplace. Now, bear in mind that end of the day, Lean is to create a problem solving culture and this is the first step that you can challenge your team to start thinking rather than instruct them what to do.

Even though this video is a 5S and Visual Workplace Management examples for a factory environment, 5S can be applied in office environment as well as in your daily personal life. For 5S examples in office, click here and for how to apply 5S in your daily life, click here.

The Lean manufacturing definitions covered in this Lean video include

• Takt time
• Waste
• Supermarket
• Kanban
• Pull system
• Jidoka
• Heijunka
• Buffer inventory
• Value Stream map
• SPC
• CPK

Enjoy this video and remember to leave your comments…

Lean Manufacturing used to known as Toyota Production System (TPS) or JIT manufacturing and many other names as well. Originally Toyota Production System developed by Sakichi Toyoda in Japan, lean manufacturing focus on creating value and eliminating wastes. In the original Lean Manufacturing model or Toyota House of Quality, there are two important pillars – Jidoka and Just-In-Time. The main focus of Jidoka is to ensure that product produced is of good quality and if there is any defects or problems, the operations will stop to rectify the issues. Click this link to learn more about Jidoka definition in my previous blog.

The other pillar – Just In Time (JIT) focuses on making the material or product flows to ensure the operation has the right quantity at the right time. And, one of the Lean Manufacturing tools that Toyota used to control JIT is Kanban pull system. (Click here to learn more about Kanban card system) By applying Lean Manufacturing principle in your operations, you will be able to significantly lowers waste and enhances productivity on the factory floor.

Ultimately, Lean manufacturing is to create a working culture of getting everyone involved to identify and eliminate waste (non-value-added activities) through continuous improvement or kaizen in pursuit of perfection. To learn more about Lean Manufacturing, click here to download one of my recorded Lean seminar (worth USD$97) for FREE.

I strongly assure you that 5S definitely can be implemented in the office area but we must use our own discretion not to “over-implementing” it. Take a look at the following video and tell me what do you think?

So, do you think they are over doing it in some areas?

Jidoka is known as “automation with a human touch” in Toyota Production System or Lean Manufacturing. The word jidoka traces its roots to the automatic loom invented by Sakichi Toyoda, Founder of the Toyota Group. The automatic loom is a machine that spins thread for cloth and weaves textiles automatically.

In 1896, Sakichi Toyoda invented Japan’s first powered loom called the “Toyoda Power Loom.” And, he put in a few creative controls into his powerlooms, such as automatic stopping device, which automatically stopped the loom when a thread breakage was detected, the warp supply device, and the automatic shuttle changer. Then, in 1924, Sakichi invented the world’s first automatic loom, called the “Type-G Toyoda Automatic Loom (with non-stop shuttle-change motion)” which could change shuttles without stopping operation. From then on, all these control features have been turned into key concept of Jidoka which is one of the key pillars in the original House of Toyota Production System (TPS) besides Just-in-Time (JIT) pillar.

Today, the Jidoka principle is practiced by all workers. When there is an abnormal situation arises the machine stops and the worker will stop the production line. Autonomation prevents the production of defective products, eliminates overproduction and focuses attention on understanding the problem and ensuring that it never recurs. It is a quality control process that applies the following four principles:

1. Detect the abnormality or problem.
2. Stop the operation.
3. Fix or correct the immediate condition.
4. Investigate the root cause and install a countermeasure.

Objective of Jidoka Principle

The main objective of Jidoka is that it makes possible the identification and solving of mistakes that occur in a process. Autonomation relieves the worker of the need to continuously judge whether the operation of the machine is normal; their efforts are now only engaged when there is a problem alerted by the machine.

Jidoka Examples

The first example of this at Toyota was the auto-activated loom of Sakichi Toyoda that automatically and immediately stopped the loom if the vertical or lateral threads broke or ran out.

Today, the same Jidoka principle is applied to the production line. For example, in the production operations, a worker who is practicing Jidoka will self-inspect their own work, or source-inspect the work produced immediately before their work station is encouraged to stop the line when a defect is found. This detection is the first step in Jidoka.

Once the line is stopped, a supervisor or leader will immediately go and help solve the problems raised by the worker or machine. To complete Jidoka, not only is the defect corrected in the product where discovered, but the process is evaluated and changed to remove the possibility of making the same mistake again. One solution to the problems can be to insert a “mistake-proofing” device somewhere in the production line. Such a device is known as Poka-Yoke.

To understand more on the Jidoka definition and examples, watch the above Lean video taken from Toyota museum.

If you have any questions related to Lean, click here to ask our Lean experts.

In this first week of New Year, it is the best time to reorganize our work, stuffs and life to get ready for this brand new year. One of the most useful concept that helps me organize myself is utilizing the Lean 5S methodology. Since I am teaching and coaching corporates implementing 5S in their workplace, I also use the same principles to help me to be efficient and effective as well. A lot of people would think that 5S is purely a housekeeping program for the factory. This is totally untrue because besides using that myself, I have help clients implementing in offices, warehouses, etc. You can even use the same principle to organize your fridge if you want.

Now, let’s get down to work.

Number 1S is Seiri (Japanese term) which means Sorting. The first S is to segregate the things that you want and don’t want. Find an area such as your work desk, fridge, kitchen or cabinets. Take a look and list down all the things in the area that you have chosen. Now the first S principle is to sort all these things out. But, before you can sort them, you need to set a standard. Normally, I set my standards by the frequency of usage of my things. So, I can categorize all my things for example on my work desk to 4 categories such as

• Use minimally once per week
• Use minimally once per quarter
• Rarely use
• No use anymore

Of course, you can set your own categories. So now that you have your standard, you can go through all your things (leave no stone unturned ) and categorize them accordingly.

Number 2S – Seiton or “Set to Order” is all about organizing. Basic idea of this principle is to have a place for everything and everything in its place. Another key consideration is to keep the things that we use frequently within our reach and those less frequent items somewhere further.

Third S – Seiso or “Shine” is to get rid of the items that we no longer want or need. It is about cleaning our workplace or desk or kitchen or which ever area till it “shines”. This is a simple principle that will help us free up more space and also make our work place unclutter. A lot of time we use our precious space for unwanted things.

The last two S of the Lean 5S principle is to put in place rules and regulations or process to continue to maintain the place that we have just reorganize using the first 3S and continue to do that until it becomes a habit.

Even though the 5S principle is so simple and if you really just practice it, it will definitely help you by reducing the non-value added time you spent searching for things. Keep your things in good shape and fresh (for Fridge items). If you have any ideas on how to apply 5S in your life, do share with us your ideas or experience by clicking the “comment bubble” below.

Start practicing it now and enjoy your improvement.

1. 5S & Visual Workplace Management
2. Hoshin Planning
3. Introduction to Lean
4. Kaizen
5. Kanban
6. Lean Material Handling
7. Measuring for Lean Success
8. Poka Yoke (Error Proofing)
9. Enterprise Value Stream Mapping
10. Total Productive Maintenance