Lean Implementation Strategy:
Literature suggests that there are five (5) steps in Lean Implementation; 1). Identify Value, 2). Map the Value Stream, 3). Create Flow, 4) Establish Pull and 5). Seek Perfection.
For an existing operation, the Value Proposition is often misstated. Inspection, batching, material movement and other wastes are often accepted as part of the Value Add. To fully utilize Lean, the organization needs to redefine the Value Proposition.
Mapping the Value Stream and preparing current and future state maps varies in difficulty with the organization's complexity and convergent streams.
The organization should resist the temptation to wait until Creating Flow to involve the work associates team. They should be involved in the earliest steps to understand the Value and help identify the hidden factory during VSM.
Creating Flow should not be interpreted to mean processing faster. This means to create rhythmic flow. This rhythmic flow will have low waste, reliable outcomes and predictable performance.
Red Tag Events, Job Studies, Job Combination Charts, Cell Design, Work Flow Analysis, Metric (Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost are the Primary metrics used in most applications). It is advisable to focus on the Critical Few rather than the Trivial Many metrics. Additionally, Metrics should support and align with organizations goals and metrics.
The organization should resist the temptation to wait until Creating Pull to involve Material Planning and the Supply Chain. As with the Work Teams, these functions need to be involved early on. It is also a good recommendation to involve Key/Critical Suppliers early in this process.
Creating Pull may or may not work with an ERP system. Special care should be taken to construct a pull system. On hand quantities, shipping, receiving, raw material lead times and many other factors must be known to determine quantities, pull signals, and refill quantities.
Seek Perfection, or Continual Improvement is a fundamental of Lean. The key is this; Continual Improvement is step wise. It isn't Continuous. It is based on the study of the Value Stream to understand where there is waste and benchmarks of other operations.