Where to Start with Lean When a Company Has Too Many Problems at Once?

Lean doesn't start with a tool

5S, boards, Kaizen, TPM or training are not the goal. They are means. When an organization implements everything at once, it creates activity without focus and quickly loses engagement.

1. See the flow

Walk the process from order to shipment. See where work waits, where it comes back, where defects appear and where decisions have no owner.

2. Count the losses

Measure waiting, breakdowns, changeovers, quality defects, overproduction, unnecessary transport and administrative work. The data should lead to a priority, not to another report.

3. Choose the priority

Choose one or two problems with the strongest impact on the customer, the financial result or production capacity. Only then choose the tool and the action owner.

Author

Andrzej Smoleński — production and operations transformation manager, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. More than 20 years of experience developing processes, teams and management systems.