Aug 19 2013

There’s heavy demand in all sectors for ‘lean’ specialists | The Globe and Mail

See on Scoop.it – lean manufacturing
“When Sun Life Financial goes to market to bolster its growing team of “lean” business specialists, it faces wide-ranging competition – jostling on job boards with companies as varied as Telus, Bombardier, Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, Shoppers Drug Mart, Kraft Foods and the City of Vancouver.

On any given day, there are hundreds of postings on Canadian online job sites for people with formal certification in techniques known as Lean and Six Sigma, as well as the strong managerial skills needed to lead organizational change.”

Michel Baudin‘s insight:

The quotes around Lean in the title are certainly appropriate.

As discussed before, Lean is not a standard body of knowledge that people can be certified on the way you get a driver’s license. Six Sigma has nothing to do with Lean and has been abandoned at GE, the company the article mistakenly quotes as having originated it. It was Motorola, not GE.

According to the article, management in the quoted companies views “managing a portfolio of transformation and improvement efforts” as a job for which it hires specialists. It’s not. Instead, it is a skill every manager should have.

Wait another three years, and my bet is that we will see an article in the same paper describing how disappointed these companies have been with the certifications, and how little their performance has improved.

See on www.theglobeandmail.com

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Aug 18 2013

Obeya Ops | IW Presentation, April-2013 | Sam McPherson

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Obeya example from Sam McPherson
Obeya example from Sam McPherson

“The Theory behind Obeya is based on a simple idea: Dedicate time and space to coordination and problem-solving and organizational barriers will be minimized.

The ability to maintain Proper Problem Awareness in Real-time, listen to Teammember concerns, make discoveries, resolve problems together, collaborate, accelerate leader and team-member development and reach our full potential is critical to a Lean Organization

The Obeya promotes coordination, strategy and flexibility while leveraging the  expertise and support of teammates from diverse areas.

The Result: Effective solutions and actions that can be developed and implemented quickly…”

Michel Baudin‘s insight:

A clear presentation, with many informative pictures, as befits this topic.

See on www.leanleadershipacademy.com

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Aug 15 2013

Don’t ‘Lean’ on Me, Hospital Workers Say | Labor Notes

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“A sign in the newborn intensive care unit invited nurses to suggest changes that would speed up their work.

One popular suggestion: replace a sticky combination lock with swipe-card entry. But that would cost too much.

Instead, on a consultant’s recommendation, supplies were rearranged. Blue masking tape outlines now show where each item is supposed to go. A sign lists the “five S’s” of workplace organization (sorting, straightening, cleaning (shine), standardizing, and service). Each shift, one nurse is supposed to check them off.”

– See more at: http://www.labornotes.org/2013/06/dont-lean-me-hospital-workers-say#sthash.BUCnk306.dpuf

Michel Baudin‘s insight:

I had seen articles bashing Lean from a union perspective in manufacturing, but this is the first one I see about hospitals.

On the one hand, the author thinks that the work processes cannot be improved, and that the only way outcomes can be is by new equipment or more people. On the other hand, the “improvements” she describes are definitely L.A.M.E. (Lean As Mistakenly Implemented) rather than Lean: 5S as the most visible change, curtailment of communications between outgoing and incoming nurses as shift change, or reduction in the skill level of heart monitor operators, etc.

If that is what “Lean Health Care” boils down to, she has a point. But what about the use of Kanbans to manage supplies, as described in the “Par versus Kanban” article I scooped on 8/13?

See on www.labornotes.org

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Aug 14 2013

The Apparent Contradictions of Lean | Lonnie Wilson | IndustryWeek

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“Concepts of lean are both counterintuitive and counter-cultural. If you want to be a lean leader, you must go back to the basics and make sure you have a clear understanding of lean. Only then are you able to teach others.”
See on www.industryweek.com

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Aug 14 2013

3 Reasons You Need to Include Employee Engagement in Your Lean Improvement Efforts | Becker’s Hospital Review

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“Done well, the Lean quality improvement philosophy can transform a healthcare organization when it comes to safety, quality, patient satisfaction and overall efficiency. So why aren’t healthcare leaders including employee engagement in the Lean mix? Here are three reasons you should.

1. Employee engagement needs to be on your radar screen daily.
Now more than ever, employee engagement is a game changer in healthcare. Every commitment we’re making to patients, our communities, the board, etc. depends on having engaged employees to deliver the services we are promising; therefore, engagement needs to be a recurring thought — not an afterthought…”

Michel Baudin‘s insight:

Makes you wonder what kind of “Lean effort” is not based on employee engagement from the start…

See on www.beckershospitalreview.com

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Aug 13 2013

Par Versus Kanban: Managing Variable Usage | Lean Hospital Group

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The great majority of hospitals in the United States manage hospital supplies using what is called the Par Level method. One of the strengths of this method, it is claimed, is that it works well in the face of variable usage.

 

 

Michel Baudin‘s insight:

If you have always wanted to know how hospitals managed their inventory of medicines, the article will both tell you the traditional method they have been using, and how the Kanban system can outperform it.

See on www.leanhospitalgroup.com

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