Develop a “Why?” Mindset
Lean, at its heart, is about finding the root causes of problems that prevent you from achieving your goals. Often, what stands in the way… Read More »Develop a “Why?” Mindset
Root Cause Analysis
What Peas Can Teach You About Process
You know you have many miles to travel when it comes to improving your business processes, but you’re likely wondering where to start. If… Read More »What Peas Can Teach You About Process
Cut the Noise and Tame the Common Cause (Part Two of Two)
In my last post, I laid out the difference between special cause and common cause variation. Why is it important to know the difference?… Read More »Cut the Noise and Tame the Common Cause (Part Two of Two)
Variation in Your Processes—A Game of Chance (Part One of Two)
As most of you know, variation is a very big deal in manufacturing, because even the smallest change in production processes can have big consequences… Read More »Variation in Your Processes—A Game of Chance (Part One of Two)
Three Warning Signs Your Process Improvement Effort Will Fail
“Constraint: anything that limits a system from achieving higher performance versus its goal.” —Eli Goldratt, What Is This Thing Called Theory of Constraints and How Should… Read More »Three Warning Signs Your Process Improvement Effort Will Fail
A Better Way to Brainstorm Root Causes
Determining root causes seems to be a lost art. It’s a discipline, and if we aren’t willing to apply disciplined thinking when diagnosing a problem… Read More »A Better Way to Brainstorm Root Causes