Can Continuous Improvement Help?
A few weeks ago, I had a lengthy discussion with a friend about an organization to which we both belong. He was lamenting the fact that the organization has been losing members over the past few years. He went on to tell me about some of his ideas to improve the organization so as to increase the number of people participating in the group. One of the suggestions that my friend had was to utilize Lean Six Sigma (LSS) to correct the problems seen within the association. Unfortunately, he ran into a problem that many novice continuous improvement (CI) practitioners face: the urge to use LSS for to correct non-process-related problems. All organizations, be they a business, civic, religious, or any other type of association, are established on basic tenets such as patient care (healthcare) or product production (manufacturing). How those tenets are fulfilled is the actual operation of the institution. The tenets of the association are usually based on philosophy and as such are not appropriate targets for CI. I recommended that my friend focus on the activities related to how the organization operates, especially as it relates to membership and the daily processes and tasks. Hopefully this will lead to a voice of the customer discussion that will bring to light some of the issues related to members leaving. As for the organization’s basic tenets, leave those discussions to the philosophers in the group. How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreThe Hidden Waste of Overengineering
A few weeks ago, I purchased a new computer desk. This desk is one of the kind that falls into the category of “some assembly required.” The unit came in three boxes and multiple pieces. In addition, there was a bag of screws and a hex wrench. Each box came with a set of instructions. I laid out the parts from each box and began the assembly, following the instructions. After only a few minutes, I ran into problems. Not only did I have three sets of instructions, each appeared to have been translated and printed in a different country. Set one of the instructions referred to a drawing in set three while set two had no images. Each set had parts A through H, with each A looking different between the sets. Multiple pieces could be used in several positions. Needless to say, I spent all afternoon trying to assemble my new desk. Not only did I spend several hours putting together an “easy to assemble” unit, I was ready to never purchase anything from this company again. This is an example of a product that has been overengineered or overcomplicated. As a practitioner of continuous improvement, these types of processes are very maddening. I see this as an example involving one of the major types of wastes (overengineering). With just a little effort this product, including components and instructions, could be made much more user friendly. A little time spent understanding customer needs can greatly help to reduce ambiguity, decrease service calls, and increase customer satisfaction. Every process should have a very clear objective and method of execution. Some companies, including a certain furniture maker, can learn a lot about how their products are used in the field. The simpler that a process (or product) can be made, the better for all! How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreGaining Financial Credibility for Your CI Initiative
Earlier this month I attended a meeting for health care-focused Lean practitioners in the Indianapolis area. While we discussed several subjects, one topic was at the top of everyone’s list: how to financially justify employing continuous improvement (CI) in an organization, especially with senior staff members. As part of the presentation that day, a CI team from a local hospital explained their journey from a limited and obscure function within the organization to one that holds a key role in the eyes of the business. An important part of this transformation came about by changing how project savings were calculated. Early in the program, the CI team determined the value and/or savings associated with a project. This led to several discussions about the validity of the savings calculations. It did not take long for the CI team and management to agree that monetary valuations should be determined in conjunction with members of the Finance Department. This gave the financial validation needed for data presented by the CI team to the management team. The CI program went from an unknown entity to an important part of the organization. This was done, in part, by a joint effort of the CI team working with the Finance Department. Every CI program needs to establish credibility within the business. How has that been done in your organization? How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreEngaging New Employees in Continuous Improvement
I enjoy speaking with other Continuous Improvement (CI) practitioners. It is always interesting to see how different companies implement their CI programs. One key aspect of any CI program is employee engagement. It is critical that all employees not only be aware of the corporate CI efforts and its successes, but also understand where they fit in the effort – what is their role? I have heard of many ways to involve employees in the CI program. One company requires all of their employees to attend White Belt training, so that they are exposed to CI (Lean and Six Sigma) concepts. Another organization brought in a team of consultants so that a majority of employees could take part in CI projects in a short amount of time. One of the most interesting proposals I heard involved a way to engage new employees. The company found many small improvement projects in which new employees could participate. This approach has the advantage of teaching participants the fundamentals of CI while they are helping their new teammates improve company performance. Implementing and maintaining a strong CI program requires that everyone in the organization, from the newest employee to the senior leadership members, be engaged in continuous improvement. While not all employees should be Green or Black Belts, everyone should know the basics of CI and be able to support the CI efforts. How are you helping your company to work smarter by reducing the amount of time spent on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive workplace. ...
Read MoreSaving Lives, and Costs, With Lean Six Sigma
Like most people, I enjoy a good story. I especially like stories that have happy endings. While I usually read fiction for pleasure, I particularly enjoy true business case studies that showcase successful workplace problem solving. In the February 2017 issue of the ISE Magazine, Navicent Health’s Casey Bedgood tells a great story about the use of performance improvement techniques (PI) to save lives, as well as save costs. Georgia-based Navicent Health’s EMS department operates ambulance services in both rural and suburban settings across a four-county area. Their 911 call volume exceeds 40,000 calls a year! While Navicent has long been a well-respected provider with a strong reputation for clinical excellence, the organization was experiencing a variety of operational inefficiencies in 2013. The PI team identified several areas for improvement, including an outdated pay and staffing model, response times, and the number of emergency calls lost to competitors due to these problems. The team collected data to establish baselines and develop control charts. This information was then used to set key performance indicators (KPIs) for operational problems. The team also recommended changes to pay scales and shift lengths, allowing for better coverage in both rural and suburban settings. One year later, the results of these efforts were quite significant. Navicent Health EMS saved almost $800, 000 per year while reducing emergency response times by more than 37,000 minutes, a 12% improvement. Bedgood states that well-defined goals and KPIs, measurable in real time, were essential in obtaining long-term, sustainable change. For most companies, time is money. But for the patients of Navicent, quicker response times truly mean the difference between life and death. This is just one of many success stories being written by the 6,000 employees at Navicent. The health system/academic medical center serves 800,000 residents in Central and South Georgia with 830 beds for medical, surgical, rehab and hospice care in more than 30 locations. In 2015, the hospital system created its Center for Disruption and Innovation, in partnership with Mercer University. The Center, where Bedgood is now a black belt leadership fellow, focuses on creative thinking and problem solving using Lean Six Sigma and other techniques to develop successful strategies — just like in the EMS case study — that ultimately will significantly improve care for patients. How are you helping your company to work smarter by reducing the amount of time spent on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive...
Read MoreA Solution Looking for a Problem
I am often asked, “What makes a good Lean Six Sigma (LSS) project?” There are many factors to be considered, including project scope, potential savings, and available data. Often it is better to delay a project until the appropriate information is available. There are times when a LSS project is not the best course of action. On occasion, an in-depth study is not needed to solve a problem. Many times, the solution is readily available. In these cases, it is best to follow the advice of a familiar sporting goods company and “Just do it.” Another reason to not use a LSS team is when a solution has already been decided upon. Sometimes a manager develops a solution that he or she wants to implement and then looks for a way to justify the decision. It is important to be able to identify these “backdoor solutions.” A continuous improvement (CI) team should not be used to promote a potentially political agenda. There are effective and ineffective ways to utilize CI. Forcing a team to use a preconceived solution is not a good use of a CI team. Neither is asking a team to develop a solution that is obvious. A healthy CI program must be able to identify when a project is appropriate for a team or is simply something that needs permission for implementation. How are you helping your company to work smarter by reducing the amount of time spent on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive workplace....
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