Lean Organization Articles

The Manager's Role in Embedding Continuous Improvement
The manager plays a very important role in ensuring that the culture of continuous improvement is embedded in the team. ‘Culture’ is witnessed as behaviours exhibited by the members of the group. The manager will directly influence these behaviours by his or her own behaviour (consciously or unconsciously) and managers must therefore consider themselves as role models from which others will take example. Full article

'Quick Wins' vs the 'Mile Deep Thinking' of Six Sigma
The very name of 'Quick Fix' or 'Quick Win' seems to be derogatory of impulsive action in a change project. Senior management too, are always pressuring for results and yet the Black or Green Belt knows they have to conduct a thorough analysis, following an extensive measure phase. After all, that is the strength of the Six Sigma DMAICT methodology.

So are 'Quick Wins' ever legitimate? If so are there any guidelines for recognising when a solution fix might be implemented, even though the Six Sigma project is still in the measure or analyse phase? In this article are just a few thoughts on the matter - by no means a definitive answer, but perhaps of help to the troubled Belt. Full article

ONS engages staff to cut out waste and boost efficiency
The Office for National Statistics in Newport, Gwent has been developing a continuous improvement ethic through a series of staff development programmes, combined with process improvement workshops. The four key elements include:

- ‘Focus’ – in which about ten people were trained to deliver a (lean) simulation to hundreds of staff
- The ‘Ideas’ database – to capture the ‘Voice of the People’ and tap into their creativity
- ‘Rapid’ – the development of in-house facilitators to run Kaizen Blitz-like workshops
- ‘Working Together’ – a programme to explore the working relationships between and within teams, management and individuals. Full article

Changing Mindsets: Developing a Continuous Improvement Culture (Part 1 of 2)
Following three years of Kaizen Blitz workshops, Aberdeenshire Council commissioned BHW to help them develop an approach to embed continuous improvement in the day-to-day activity of its staff in two pilot areas. This article describes how the street cleansers in Aberdeenshire embraced the BHW Bronze-Silver-Gold approach to creating a mindset with continuous improvement at its heart, giving improved performance, better customer service and involved staff. Full article

Embedding Continuous Improvement - Lean Government Presentation

Continuous Improvement - Turning Bronze into Gold

Embedded Continuous Improvement: the foundation for establishing organization-wide excellence