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From philosophy to tools!

Lean carries a number of basic principles. The objective is to eliminate as much waste as possible and to create as much value as possible for the customer. This includes the delivery of the right quality, at the right price, and at the right time.

Basic principles are:

• Customer focus
• Stability and standardization
• Quality in every step
• Flow created by pull
• Commitment and teamwork
• Continuous improvements

Stability

To achieve stability you need a systematic approach to create processes without noise through:

• Follow up of interruptions on a daily base
• Maintenance of buildings, machines and tools. Common standard through 5S
• Visualization of defects so that everybody immediately recognize a abnormal situation
• Visualization of demand by using a Kan-ban system
• Improvement teams

Standardized work

You have to know the starting point in order to be able to improve. If everyone has their own standard to perform a task, how do you then know what to improve? A first step is to agree on a standard way to carry out a task, irrespectively of who currently is performing the task.

With Lean, the standard is work related. A thick instruction folder on the shelf has little impact, whilst a clear picture close to the work station is easier to follow.

Quality in every step

Except for creating bad-will with external and internal customers, quality problems create interruptions in the workflow.

It is critical to quickly identify the root cause of the quality problem, and implement the right countermeasure. Easy to use warnings are used in order for problems not to be passed on.

The principal is to immediately stop the process in order not to pass on mistakes. This shows the priority the management gives this.

Flow created by pull

Processing in accordance with demand from downstream of the process, and never producing more than is asked for, is another basic Lean principle. Nothing should be produced before external or internal customers have a demand for it. The objective is to become faster, better and cheaper to the customer.

It is important to understand the activities of your customer so as to be able to make him more competitive.

The next step is to create a value flow where lead-time is as short as possible and inventories are as small as possible. The objective is to continuously create value in the process, e.g. by moving people, departments and machines as close as possible to each other.

Commitment and teamwork

A part of the regular work is the work with continuous improvements in a Lean organization. Teamwork is important for the development of the workplace and competence of each team member. It is through the work teams where commitment and motivation is created for the implementation and understanding for improvements.

Continuous improvements

Overall objectives and vision must be consistent with the most basic principle in Lean thinking - daily continuous improvements.

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