A brief description of a lean continuous improvement process, applicable to any business. written and presented by Andrew Church www.ewet.biz

According to Stephen Parker, CEO of Datacraft Solutions, “The Datacraft Solutions team believes in Continuous Improvement (CI), not only in manufacturing operations and supply chain management, but also in the Lean tools offered to our customers. CI in inventory and supply-chain management means the continuing pursuit of higher inventory turns, less stockouts and improved on time delivery in a challenging and ever-changing business landscape. This, in turn, requires fine tuning of the Kanban card-sets to reflect Sales and Operations Plans (S&OP), forecasts and a combination of other demand management factors.”     Kaizen (Japanese for “improvement”) is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. When applied to the workplace, Kaizen activities continually improve all functions of a business, from manufacturing to management and from the CEO to the assembly line workers. By improving standardized activities and processes, Kaizen aims to eliminate waste, Lean manufacturing.    Kaizen is a daily activity, the purpose of which goes beyond simple productivity improvement. It is also a process that, when done correctly, humanizes the workplace, eliminates overly hard work (“muri”), and teaches people how to perform experiments on their work using the scientific method and how to learn to spot and eliminate waste in business processes.   To be most effective kaizen must operate with three principles in place:     The challenge is to do this in a simple process with minimal administrative overhead, and quickly. Working with Lean Thought Leaders and after five years of advanced research and development, we have created the industry’s first card releveling tool: Intelligent Card Leveling (ICL).  Intelligent Card Leveling will be deployed this year in the third quarter.     Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com) delivers a revolutionary digital kanban process of automation solutions to lean manufacturers through a secure Internet gateway, eliminating the need to install and maintain a complex IT infrastructure. The company has experienced significant growth in the past two years by eliminating complicated, expensive, time-intensive software implementations as well as extensive training regimens and the need for internal support. Datacraft Solutions’ replenishment supply chain digital kanban system (Signum) allows customers to access and utilize powerful lean benefits immediately for a low, predictable monthly fee. Services are scalable so manufacturers can design an appropriate digital kanban solution.     Datacraft Solutions www.datacraftsolutions.com Sonja Foust sfoust@datacraftsolutions.net 800-819-5326   WP Robot WordPress Autoposter

Kaizen (Japanese for “improvement”) is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. When applied to the workplace, Kaizen activities continually improve all functions of a business, from manufacturing to management and from the CEO to the assembly line workers. By improving standardized activities and processes, Kaizen aims to eliminate waste, Lean manufacturing.    According to Stephen Parker, CEO of Datacraft Solutions, “The Datacraft Solutions team believes in Continuous Improvement (CI), not only in manufacturing operations and supply chain management, but also in the Lean tools offered to our customers. CI in inventory and supply-chain management means the continuing pursuit of higher inventory turns, less stockouts and improved on time delivery in a challenging and ever-changing business landscape. This, in turn, requires fine tuning of the Kanban card-sets to reflect Sales and Operations Plans (S&OP), forecasts and a combination of other demand management factors.”       Kaizen is a daily activity, the purpose of which goes beyond simple productivity improvement. It is also a process that, when done correctly, humanizes the workplace, eliminates overly hard work (“muri”), and teaches people how to perform experiments on their work using the scientific method and how to learn to spot and eliminate waste in business processes.   To be most effective kaizen must operate with three principles in place:     The challenge is to do this in a simple process with minimal administrative overhead, and quickly. Working with Lean Thought Leaders and after five years of advanced research and development, we have created the industry’s first card releveling tool: Intelligent Card Leveling (ICL).  Intelligent Card Leveling will be deployed this year in the third quarter.     Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com) delivers a revolutionary digital kanban process of automation solutions to lean manufacturers through a secure Internet gateway, eliminating the need to install and maintain a complex IT infrastructure. The company has experienced significant growth in the past two years by eliminating complicated, expensive, time-intensive software implementations as well as extensive training regimens and the need for internal support. Datacraft Solutions’ replenishment supply chain digital kanban system (Signum) allows customers to access and utilize powerful lean benefits immediately for a low, predictable monthly fee. Services are scalable so manufacturers can design an appropriate digital kanban solution.     Datacraft Solutions www.datacraftsolutions.com Sonja Foust sfoust@datacraftsolutions.net 800-819-5326   Professional Marketing FirmRocket French or Bust

Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com) delivers a revolutionary digital kanban process of automation solutions to lean manufacturers through a secure Internet gateway, eliminating the need to install and maintain a complex IT infrastructure. The company has experienced significant growth in the past two years by eliminating complicated, expensive, time-intensive software implementations as well as extensive training regimens and the need for internal support. Datacraft Solutions’ replenishment supply chain digital kanban system (Signum) allows customers to access and utilize powerful lean benefits immediately for a low, predictable monthly fee. Services are scalable so manufacturers can design an appropriate digital kanban solution.     According to Stephen Parker, CEO of Datacraft Solutions, “The Datacraft Solutions team believes in Continuous Improvement (CI), not only in manufacturing operations and supply chain management, but also in the Lean tools offered to our customers. CI in inventory and supply-chain management means the continuing pursuit of higher inventory turns, less stockouts and improved on time delivery in a challenging and ever-changing business landscape. This, in turn, requires fine tuning of the Kanban card-sets to reflect Sales and Operations Plans (S&OP), forecasts and a combination of other demand management factors.”     Kaizen (Japanese for “improvement”) is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. When applied to the workplace, Kaizen activities continually improve all functions of a business, from manufacturing to management and from the CEO to the assembly line workers. By improving standardized activities and processes, Kaizen aims to eliminate waste, Lean manufacturing.    Kaizen is a daily activity, the purpose of which goes beyond simple productivity improvement. It is also a process that, when done correctly, humanizes the workplace, eliminates overly hard work (“muri”), and teaches people how to perform experiments on their work using the scientific method and how to learn to spot and eliminate waste in business processes.   To be most effective kaizen must operate with three principles in place:     The challenge is to do this in a simple process with minimal administrative overhead, and quickly. Working with Lean Thought Leaders and after five years of advanced research and development, we have created the industry’s first card releveling tool: Intelligent Card Leveling (ICL).  Intelligent Card Leveling will be deployed this year in the third quarter.     Datacraft Solutions www.datacraftsolutions.com Sonja Foust sfoust@datacraftsolutions.net 800-819-5326     Professional Marketing FirmWordPress Autoblog Plugin

What is 5s? Why Implement 5s? What Are the 5s Steps? Sort: Clearly distinguish needed items from unneeded items and eliminate the latter; Sort means that you remove all items from the workplace that are not needed for current tasks. If you sort, you only leave the bare essentials – “When in doubt, throw it out.” Set In Order (also known as Simplify): Keep needed items in the correct place to allow for easy and immediate retrieval. Set in order means that you arrange the items that are needed in the area and identify them or label them so that anyone can find them or put them away. The key word is “anyone”. Shine (also known as Shine): Keep the work space orderly and clean. Shine emphasizes removing the dirt, grime, and dust from the work area. This is a program of keeping the work area swept and clean of debris. Standardize: Standardized cleanup. This is the condition we support when we maintain the first three pillars. Create a consistent way of implementing the tasks that are performed on a daily basis including “Sort”, “Set in Order”, and “Shine.” “Do the right things the right way, every time. Document the procedures and guidelines for sorting, simplifying and organizing Document the schedule in which they are to be completed and reviewed Sustain (also known as Self-Discipline): Make a habit of maintaining established procedures. Sustain means that the 5S program has a discipline that ensures it’s continued success and that the 5S mentality is ingrained in everyday work life and procedures. Don’t let it become another “flavor of the day” A Process for Implementing 5s? 1. Open the Event: Management kickoff 5S 2. Prepare the Team: Explain benefits of 5s; Teams are usually representative of the 5s area and usually 4-6 members in size 3. Get the Facts: Take pictures of current layout; measure inventory; count items; estimate value 4. Assess the Waste: Rework, Trash, Duplication; etc… 5. Generate improvement ideas: 10-20 minutes average – no more than 1 hour 6. Select the best ideas: An affinity diagram may help before making final selection 7. Make improvements: Target improvements that can be completed in less than 1 week first 8. Measure the Results: Show before and after picture, track savings in travel distances, etc.. Steven Bonacorsi is a Senior Master Black Belt instructor and coach. Steven Bonacorsi has trained hundreds of Master Black Belts, Black Belts, Green Belts, and Project Sponsors and Executive Leaders in Lean Six Sigma DMAIC and Design for Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodologies.
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