Lessons from a Lean Consultant: Avoiding Lean Implementation Failures on the Shop Floor

Making Lean Work: “In-the-Trenches” Help from a World-Class Expert Lean manufacturing can improve productivity and quality, shorten lead times, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. However, succeeding with lean is not easy. Chris A. Ortiz, one of the country’s most respected lean implementers, shows you exactly how to overcome obstacles, drive value from lean, and sustain success for the long term. Ortiz draws on his experience leading many successful lean transitions and more than 150 kaizen events. He shows you how to prepare for a lean shop floor environment, implement best practice procedures and standards, build executive support, lead kaizen within the factory, and deal with the ups and downs you will inevitably encounter. Forget theory: This is a step-by-step, what-to-do guide for professionals in the trenches—plant and engineering managers, lean managers and directors, Six Sigma practitioners, and working engineers. Topics covered include Seven reasons lean can fail—and how to overcome them Establishing successful kaizen programs: champions, events, teams, goals, tracking, and scheduling Avoiding early stumbling blocks in data collection, waste removal, and process design Getting your operators and supervisors to “buy into” lean Training managers, engineers, and new employees Promoting flexibility and cross-training Using lean to drive growth, not just save money Lean leadership made simple: twelve practical techniques, five simple rules—and ten things not to do Sample audit, tracking, and time study forms

Table of Contents:
Preface                       xv Acknowledgments        xvii About the Author         xix Introduction                xxi Chapter 1:  Case Study: How Lean Failed        1 Gung Ho! 2 Lean Training 2 The First Kaizen Event 5 Struggling with Change 9 Raising the Bar: 5S Implementation 11 Improving Work Instructions 12 Lack of Accountability 13 The Second Kaizen Event 14 Giving Up on Lean 17 End of the Journey 19 Chapter 2:  The Change Commitment        21 The Three Main Drivers of Product Success 22 The Big Picture 26 The Strategic Purpose 28 Creating Your Strategic Purpose 34 Chapter Wrap-Up 41 Chapter 3:  The Lean Infrastructure: Kaizen            43 Creating the Company Kaizen Program 44 Kaizen Champion 44 Kaizen Events 46 Kaizen Steering Committee 53 Kaizen Event Tracking and Scheduling 57 Kaizen Event Communication 59 Monthly Kaizen Meeting 63 Getting Started 65 Your First Kaizen Event 67 Chapter Wrap-Up 70 Chapter 4:  Early Stumbling Blocks            71 5S and the Visual Workplace 72 Time and Motion Studies 79 Waste Removal 83 Quality at the Source 87 Workstation Design 89 Chapter Wrap-Up 96 Chapter 5:  Operator and Supervisor Involvement           97 Standard Work 98 How to Get Them Involved 108 Lean Manufacturing Training 111 Chapter Wrap-Up 112 Chapter 6:  Lean Training Programs              113 Training Programs for New Employees 113 Cross-Training Program 121 Training Managers and Engineers 127 Chapter Wrap-Up 129 Chapter 7: Lean Manufacturing as a Growth Creator                131 Lean Goals 132 Pay-for-Skill Program 133 Number of Certifications 134 Years of Experience 134 Attendance 134 Kaizen and Kaizen Event Participation 135 Quality Errors 137 Providing Incentives for Good Ideas 139 Chapter Wrap-Up 140 Chapter 8:  Lean Leadership Made Simple           141 Poor Leadership Traits 143 The Master Delegator 143 A More Congenial Leadership 145 Effective Lean Leadership 149 Chapter Wrap-Up 155 Appendix A: Quick Reference            157 The Seven Deadly Wastes 157 Key Elements of a Company Kaizen Program 158 Appendix B: Supplemental Material              159 5S Audit Form 159 5S Tracking Sheet 159 Time Study Sheet 159 Glossary         163 Index            167