On Monuments and Productivity Paradoxes When a system is trying to talk to us, we should heed its words
Tue, 07/19/2016 - 15:20
There is a concept in lean known as a “monument.” It refers to a large machine, piece of equipment, or something similar that can’t be changed right away, and so you have to plan your processes around it. This generally impedes the flow and… PDCA and the Roads to Rome Can a lean purist and a Six Sigma purist reach the same answer to a problem?
Tue, 06/14/2016 - 15:32
In this article I want to look at the concept of equifinality in relation to the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle. In systems theory, equifinality is defined as reaching the same end, no matter what the starting point was. This is applicable only in… The Mother of Modern Management Getting to know Lillian Moller Gilbreth
Tue, 05/31/2016 - 13:11
May 8 was Mother's Day. In today's article I will be writing about somebody who has been called "The Mother of Modern Management" and "America's First Lady of Engineering." Many of this woman's concepts and ideas lend themselves really well to the… The Order for Kaizen Develop the abilities of people first
Wed, 05/11/2016 - 18:07
Today I’d like to talk about kaizen—specifically, the order for kaizen. The term has come to mean “continuous improvement,” but kaizen originally translates from Japanese as “change for better.” To help clarify this useful concept, I’ll present…