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lean process improvement

Business Process Management

Why Consider Lean Process Improvement Training

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lean process improvement training

If you have wanted to implement lean processes improvement in your organization, you may be overwhelmed with where to start. Maybe you have already begun the process and feel stuck or need help getting over a challenge. Or it’s possible you have implemented some lean strategies and are ready to take it to the next level. This may mean you need an objective set of eyes, such as a consultant, and/or lean process improvement training.

Lean management concepts have been around for years, reducing unwanted activities and creating more value with less resources. It focuses on creating a culture of continuous improvement that seeks to increase efficiency in a variety of ways. Through lean process improvement training, your team can:

  • Better understand Lean concepts including A3 Problem Solving, Six Sigma, and Kaizen
  • Learn the major principals of Lean, including the tools and definitions
  • See how Lean is implemented in your organization
  • Strategies for ensuring continuous improvement
  • See Value Stream Mapping in action
  • Review your workplace layout with a Gemba walk

And more, according to your needs. All training can be customized for your industry, business and organizational requirements.

Implementing Lean Processes

Implementing lean is a robust processes that takes time to develop. While some changes are immediate and impactful, creating the culture of continuous improvement means diving in deep and having the right tools. Management often needs training in order to understand the principles, buy in to the process, and build the skills needed to keep the implementation moving forward and effective.

 

PBEX, LLC provides a complete review and analysis of the business processes that create efficiency and profitability, and the barriers to them. Providing consulting and lean process improvement training, we are ready to support your organizational goals. Contact us today to learn more about lean business management and to schedule your review with a process improvement expert.

Business Process Management

Want Better Processes? Start with Value

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process improvement expert looks at value

As a process improvement expert, I am called into a business to help them in a variety of ways, usually all to help the company’s bottom line. Sometimes this looks like reducing inventory spending. Sometimes it is increasing productivity through more streamlined processes. And other times it is less quality defects. While there are a number of methods I use to help us determine how to improve, one of them is to look at value.

Who Determines Value?

Economists have a philosophy of supply versus demand, and anyone who has taken a college level economics course has heard of it. Basically, it says that when something is in high demand and low supply, the costs go up (example: diamonds). Conversely, if a product or service is in low demand and is in high supply, the costs go down (example: fill dirt).

This philosophy then tells us that the market, or customers, determine our product or service’s value, but when we think about process improvement, do we go back to the customer to determine what would add additional value to them? Shouldn’t we?

Value Versus Waste

In Lean philosophy, we look at things as a “value added vs. waste” model. We consider steps or tasks to be value added when it transforms the product or service, the customer is willing to pay for it, and it is done correctly, the first time. When all three conditions are met, the business makes money. Everything else is considered waste and cost the business money.

From here, we break this wastefulness into eight categories of waste, and then, as a process improvement expert, we tackle each to create a truly valuable end result product or service for clients and a healthier bottom line for the company.

The Eight Areas of Waste (Non-Value Added)

When I begin to look at processes through the eyes of value to the customer, here are some questions that I may ask to get to the root of the process wastefulness:

Defects: How much do defects and rework cost?  Are there mistake proofing processes that can be implemented to reduce or eliminate defects?

Overproduction: Do processes meet demands? In which cases does it not match, resulting in piles of work waiting for the next process?  Are there people or equipment that are overburdened?

Waiting: Who is waiting for work to be completed and why? What is causing the “idle”?

Non Value Added Processing: What is being done that isn’t adding value to the end user? Why is it important?

Transportation: Between the processes, are there unneeded steps? Is there a way to simplify movement or transportation through the facility?

Inventory: How is inventory being managed? Is there dead/cold inventory? How are raw materials cultivated?

Motion: What is being moved around and why? Is there a way to lessen any movements, including those done by equipment and people?

Employees: Is the business getting the most out of their employees? Are employees empowered and engaged? Are there skillsets or abilities that are not being used?

 

PBEX, LLC provides a complete review and analysis of the business processes that create efficiency and profitability, and the barriers to them. Contact us today to learn more about lean business management and to schedule your review with a process improvement expert.

Blog Business Process Management

What Makes a Lean Management Leader? 

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lean management

 

The topic of Lean Management may have started in manufacturing, but today’s businesses are looking to the tools to improve other industries as well. 

Created by Japanese industrial engineers, the concepts of Lean manufacturing were designed to reduce waste, in a variety of forms. And while developed mid-century, the tools are still being used as a standard in efficient management. 

Lean managers look to focus on providing high value to customers while eliminating wastefulness through improved workflows. The concept works to engage customers, vendors and employees in ways that create a feedback system for continuous improvement. 

What Makes a Lean Management Leader? 

Lean management involves everyone, yet the lean leader needs to be completely on board or “bought in” on the idea of lean practices and continual process improvement. Management must be willing and able to ask probing questions to get to the root of both problems and customer motivations. They must be willing to discover answers they may not like in order to challenge the status quo. 

Regarding Customers: 

Do you know why your customer buys from you? 

Do you know what they value about your business over your competitors? 

Are you able to anticipate their changing needs based on what you know about their values, wants, and needs? 

Do you know what improvements you could implement that would serve your customers even better? 

Regarding Your Team: 

Do you have a culture of blame and mistakes or one of “lessons learned”, which fosters a learning environment? 

Is problem solving guided with the objective of finding the right problem, root cause and establishing the right resources? 

Do you use open-ended questions? 

Is there a focus on processes and their actual, tracked results? 

Is there a plan in place to discover inefficiencies? 

Do you deeply understand the value stream, including sub-processes and their effects? 

Does the management team demonstrate Lean values and behaviors? 

Does management challenge the status quo? 

Does your Lean management team go to the action and use 3Gen? 

 

Gather the information to determine where you are as an organization and where you want to be in regards to lean management. If you discover you need support, a refresher, or even full implementation of lean management practices, consider PBEX, LLC, a leader in Business Process Management, Lean Process Management, Lean Manufacturing, and Organizational Lean Process Improvement.