This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me.

Just Start Doing It

In May of this year, Mike King attended my presentation at the ASQ World Quality Conference in Houston. Michael works for Duro-Last Roofing, Inc in Saginaw, Michigan. He took the 5S’s back to his operations and has already reported some success. He writes:

Hi Dennis,

This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me.

Lean Leadership

Jim Womack offers this Lean Leadership checklist. How are you doing in Lean Leadership?

Sustaining Lean

Lean Leaders

What is a ‘Lean Leader?’ What type of leader is needed to successfully implement Lean? Lou English, a noted Lean consultant, shares his thoughts on this:

Lean aids Productivity

The results of a recent productivity survey found that most companies have continued to make gains in productivity primarily due to Lean. (1) The research was conducted in Q3 of 2007, and surveyed 3,082 executives in mid-sized to large firms in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil. “Ninety-one percent of the executives surveyed reported productivity gains over the past year.”

“When asked to specify which productivity or quality improvements they used, nearly three-quarters of the executives identified Kaizen as their primary method, up from 29% in 2006.” Kaizen is a key Lean tool. It is a Japanese term meaning continuous improvement. It is commonly deployed during a two to five-day “event in which dedicated teams target one process for dramatic improvements in cycle time and waste reduction, with immediate changes made to the process.”

This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me.

Lean Leaders

What would Santa be like if he went Lean? – Answer is at the end of this email.

****************** How to Lead Lean
Lou English shares his views about how leadership must understanding Lean and be convinced of its value enough:
“To pay attention to it through goals, measures, problem solving and seeing it working every day.
To learn about it without trivial debate or challenge,

****************** The Challenge of Lean
From Lean Enterprise Institute

The Challenge of Lean
Purpose – Provide value to customers cost effectively and consistently in order to prosper.
Process – Through the primary value creating workflows for design, make, and ship, and the streams that support them.

Tools Management

How do you manage tools? Amy Erickson offers these suggestions.

“The best tooling management programs are those that are very visual, simple to use (no computers) and designed by the people who use the tools themselves. If management tries to force a system, then you will also have to force compliance. Getting the users involved will produce a better solution. Also, if done properly, this activity is a lot of fun and will help build a sense of team within the shop. You will be amazed how some people will step up and volunteer to help lead this.