When it comes to implementing a Lean methodology across your organisation, kaizen is a must. The precise definition is “change for the better,” and it entails a commitment to continuous improvement across all departments and processes. Small initiatives taken on a daily basis build a common perspective that focuses on making improvements wherever possible rather than waiting for huge problems to arise.Every employee must be committed to continuous improvement as part of a Lean management system. Only by making it a fundamental part of everyone’s function can you achieve top results; thus, managers and team members alike should embrace it. However, there’s or somebody you will always need to be looking to remove whenever you see him – we call him Tim Woods, the enemy of Lean.
Who is Tim Woods?
Don’t worry, Tim Woods isn’t a member of your team; he’s just a quick method to recall the eight types of waste that our Lean programme is continuously looking for and reducing. You must first guarantee that you can recognize the various forms of trash that make up Tim Woods before proceeding. Each letter in the word “Tim Woods” represents a different form of trash, as stated further below.
T : Transport
Transportation is required for the movement of goods, people, and information. Physical logistics, such as your fleet of vehicles or staff movement within your premises, or digital infrastructure, which houses your data, are all possibilities. Unnecessary transportation must be discovered and eliminated, as doing so will result in other wastes such as waiting and even potential flaws caused by transportation damage.
I : Inventory
Keeping components, pieces, or paperwork on hand when they aren’t needed is inventory waste. Purchasing raw materials just when needed, minimizing work in progress, and better planning can all assist to cut expenses associated with excess inventory and free up capital for business improvement.
M : Motion
Bending, turning, reaching, and lifting are all motions that not only slow down your processes by adding non-value add time, but they can also lead to tiredness and even accidents. It’s time to assess your workplace design, including storage systems, to see if they’re optimized or in need of replacement. This is where our visual management solutions, such as our 5S boards, play an important part
W : Waiting
Is it ever necessary for your staff to wait for something in order to complete their tasks? It could be instructions, data, parts, equipment, or access to any other resource needed to complete the work. Your employees will be able to get to work without wasting time if you make everything available at a minute’s notice.
O : Over Production
When you warehouse items, you waste energy and take up far more room than is necessary. Instead, your organisation should just manufacture what is needed right now, which will help with both workflow and cash flow
O : Over Processing
While consistency and quality are important, many firms unintentionally enter a system where over-processing is generating problems. This frequently manifests itself in tighter tolerances and higher-grade materials than are required, reducing productivity and profitability.
D : Defects
Defects occur when a product or service fails to implement the customer’s expectations or specifications. Any flaws must be corrected or removed, which may require physical parts to be modified, repaired, or replaced, but may also require correcting documentation errors created by communication barriers.
S : Skills
Make the most of your staff because you hired them because you believe in their abilities. This entails maximizing delegating and providing training to employees who are lacking in certain skills. Your firm will run smoothly across all departments if everyone has the opportunity to put their knowledge and expertise to good use.
Let’s join force to fight Tim Woods.
Visualmitra is here to assist you in making Lean work for you by implementing continuous improvement via Visual management project throughout your organisation. Get in touch with our Expert on +9820061281 or fill out our contact form to learn more about how our visual management expertise can help you.