Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Why Images?
By Pascal Dennis
As you may know, we've worked hard to illustrate Lean Thinking, Tools & Leadership with doodles.
We've developed three corresponding suites of Brain Booster Pocket Cards, as well as an App (& more to come).
We're lucky to have a gifted artist in Dianne Caton.
But even the humblest drawings (like mine) can be interesting.
My latest book, The Remedy, is full of my scribbles, which Di transformed charmingly.
Images go directly to the limbic brain -- the timeless world of direct experience, memory & intuition -- where learning happens.
The rational or Left brain is helpful in processing and applying learning.
But we learn largely in our limbic brain.
Our limbic brain likes stories, images, drama, emotion...
Disengaged students don't learn. Accident victims, who tragically have suffered damage here, also struggle to learn.
So...in our own modest way, we're trying to connect with the seat of learning.
Humor also helps. It's a grim world -- the "Light Touch" has always been my ideal.
People learn best when they're laughing.
Cheers,
Pascal
As you may know, we've worked hard to illustrate Lean Thinking, Tools & Leadership with doodles.
We've developed three corresponding suites of Brain Booster Pocket Cards, as well as an App (& more to come).
We're lucky to have a gifted artist in Dianne Caton.
But even the humblest drawings (like mine) can be interesting.
My latest book, The Remedy, is full of my scribbles, which Di transformed charmingly.
Images go directly to the limbic brain -- the timeless world of direct experience, memory & intuition -- where learning happens.
The rational or Left brain is helpful in processing and applying learning.
But we learn largely in our limbic brain.
Our limbic brain likes stories, images, drama, emotion...
Disengaged students don't learn. Accident victims, who tragically have suffered damage here, also struggle to learn.
So...in our own modest way, we're trying to connect with the seat of learning.
Humor also helps. It's a grim world -- the "Light Touch" has always been my ideal.
People learn best when they're laughing.
Cheers,
Pascal
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Value of Images
By Al Norval
What is the value of an image?
We’ve all heard the old adage – “A picture is worth a thousand words” but what is the real value that’s implied by this phrase? We all know that value is driven by the customer so what value do customers see in images?
Let’s start at the beginning - who is the customer of the image? It’s the person who is
receiving the information the image is conveying.
What do the customers want? To receive the information in the least waste way; this means understanding it at a glance and to be able to retain the information.
Let’s look at an example situation. We have new hires into the organization and are trying to bring them up to speed quickly and safely without compromising quality. They are the customers of our training process. We use a TWI based process where we have an experienced trainer and standardized work.
Would our customers, the trainees, see value in images so they can tie what their instructor has shown them to the critical elements of the work? Of course! Images reduce training time and take away much of the confusions that occur when using only words even when we show people as well as talk them through the steps.
Would our customers, the trainees, see value in being able to use images to poke yoke their standard work after the training? Again the answer is Yes. Simple images trigger recall of key learning points.
What is it that makes images so powerful in learning a new concept? Images are much deeper, richer and convey more information. Our brain reacts differently to images. Images cause an emotional connection to be formed in our brains so we form more neural connections with images than with words only. This means we have a greater rate of retention with images and a faster recall of the learning point.
My observation from working with many different organizations is that most training consists of slide after slide of PowerPoint? Why? Because it fits into computer systems better. In reality, our minds work so much faster than the words appear on the screen that we become bored and don’t retain the key teaching points. I believe that images are undervalued in training and we in the Lean community should be striving to change this as part of our work.
For more information on the use of Lean images in training, see Lean Pathways Images.
What is the value of an image?
We’ve all heard the old adage – “A picture is worth a thousand words” but what is the real value that’s implied by this phrase? We all know that value is driven by the customer so what value do customers see in images?
What do the customers want? To receive the information in the least waste way; this means understanding it at a glance and to be able to retain the information.
Let’s look at an example situation. We have new hires into the organization and are trying to bring them up to speed quickly and safely without compromising quality. They are the customers of our training process. We use a TWI based process where we have an experienced trainer and standardized work.
Would our customers, the trainees, see value in images so they can tie what their instructor has shown them to the critical elements of the work? Of course! Images reduce training time and take away much of the confusions that occur when using only words even when we show people as well as talk them through the steps.
Would our customers, the trainees, see value in being able to use images to poke yoke their standard work after the training? Again the answer is Yes. Simple images trigger recall of key learning points.
What is it that makes images so powerful in learning a new concept? Images are much deeper, richer and convey more information. Our brain reacts differently to images. Images cause an emotional connection to be formed in our brains so we form more neural connections with images than with words only. This means we have a greater rate of retention with images and a faster recall of the learning point.
My observation from working with many different organizations is that most training consists of slide after slide of PowerPoint? Why? Because it fits into computer systems better. In reality, our minds work so much faster than the words appear on the screen that we become bored and don’t retain the key teaching points. I believe that images are undervalued in training and we in the Lean community should be striving to change this as part of our work.
For more information on the use of Lean images in training, see Lean Pathways Images.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Reflections on 9-11
By Pascal Dennis
A decade ago we watched in horror as fanatics murdered innocent people.
What did they hope to achieve?
An immediate goal, evidently (which marks them as pathetic), was carnal delight in the afterlife.
A broader goal appears to have been the destruction of pluralism -- the free interplay of people, ideas, goods and services.
Commerce, if you will, between cultures, religions, ages, genders, with only minimal, common-sense restrictions.
The fanatics sought to isolate & "purify". (We've heard that story before, no?)
In the Lean Business System, this commerce is called yokoten -- direct, experiential sharing and learning.
Commerce/Yokoten is perhaps our species most distinguishing trait.
Does any other species exchange and build off one another's ideas?
Does any other species record and share its learning across generations?
In our magical age, we are able in a matter of moments, to download the collected wisdom of the ages.
My Kindle library includes free downloads of Epictetus, Seneca, Avicenna, Maimonides, Rumi, Gracian, Confucius and other sages.
Another of humanity's distinguishing traits is compassion -- the desire to help others in need.
A decade ago, we saw compassion in abundance, did we not?
Are not yokoten and compassion linked?
When we share, learn, break bread with one another, do we not also learn compassion?
Not along ago, the Chinese and Japanese were perceived to be the implacable enemies of America and the west.
After decades of mutual sharing and learning, former adversaries have become friends, colleagues and partners.
We have gotten to know each other & realize we're not that different, so why not be friends?
Yokoten (and compassion) which will continue to grow as we become more interconnected.
And that's why, after a gut-wrenching decade, I believe we are going to be okay.
Best,
Pascal
A decade ago we watched in horror as fanatics murdered innocent people.
What did they hope to achieve?
An immediate goal, evidently (which marks them as pathetic), was carnal delight in the afterlife.
A broader goal appears to have been the destruction of pluralism -- the free interplay of people, ideas, goods and services.
Commerce, if you will, between cultures, religions, ages, genders, with only minimal, common-sense restrictions.
The fanatics sought to isolate & "purify". (We've heard that story before, no?)
In the Lean Business System, this commerce is called yokoten -- direct, experiential sharing and learning.
Commerce/Yokoten is perhaps our species most distinguishing trait.
Does any other species exchange and build off one another's ideas?
Does any other species record and share its learning across generations?
In our magical age, we are able in a matter of moments, to download the collected wisdom of the ages.
My Kindle library includes free downloads of Epictetus, Seneca, Avicenna, Maimonides, Rumi, Gracian, Confucius and other sages.
Another of humanity's distinguishing traits is compassion -- the desire to help others in need.
A decade ago, we saw compassion in abundance, did we not?
Are not yokoten and compassion linked?
When we share, learn, break bread with one another, do we not also learn compassion?
Not along ago, the Chinese and Japanese were perceived to be the implacable enemies of America and the west.
After decades of mutual sharing and learning, former adversaries have become friends, colleagues and partners.
We have gotten to know each other & realize we're not that different, so why not be friends?
Yokoten (and compassion) which will continue to grow as we become more interconnected.
And that's why, after a gut-wrenching decade, I believe we are going to be okay.
Best,
Pascal
Thursday, September 8, 2011
How Do You Motivate People to Keep Asking Why?
By Pascal Dennis,
What's the most common attribute of great organizations?
Problem solving...
Whether problems of design, marketing, manufacturing or distribution -- great companies are full of problem solvers.
Toyota's famous Five Why technique has been widely adopted now -- but results vary widely.
Some cultures get it -- others, not so much.
Here are a few thoughts as to why...
To get to root cause, you have to keep asking why. You have to care...
People have to feel, "This is my machine, department, factory, company." and "Getting to root cause benefits me."
So how do leaders create this sense of ownership, loyalty and esprit de corps?
Focus on Safety first -- everything else (Quality, Delivery, Cost...) follows.
Safety is our window on the process, as well as, as concrete message to team members:
“You’re our most valuable asset. We’re going to keep you safe, we’re not going to lay you off except in the direst of circumstances and as a last resort, and we’re going to teach you stuff that’ll make you even more valuable to us.”
Who wouldn’t want to work at a place like that?
Pascal
P.S. We've launched our Lean Leadership Brain Boosters -- to help lock in the fundamentals. Would love to get your feedback on them.
What's the most common attribute of great organizations?
Problem solving...
Whether problems of design, marketing, manufacturing or distribution -- great companies are full of problem solvers.
Toyota's famous Five Why technique has been widely adopted now -- but results vary widely.
Some cultures get it -- others, not so much.
Here are a few thoughts as to why...
To get to root cause, you have to keep asking why. You have to care...
People have to feel, "This is my machine, department, factory, company." and "Getting to root cause benefits me."
So how do leaders create this sense of ownership, loyalty and esprit de corps?
Focus on Safety first -- everything else (Quality, Delivery, Cost...) follows.
Safety is our window on the process, as well as, as concrete message to team members:
“You’re our most valuable asset. We’re going to keep you safe, we’re not going to lay you off except in the direst of circumstances and as a last resort, and we’re going to teach you stuff that’ll make you even more valuable to us.”
Who wouldn’t want to work at a place like that?
Pascal
P.S. We've launched our Lean Leadership Brain Boosters -- to help lock in the fundamentals. Would love to get your feedback on them.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Purpose of True North
By Al Norval,
Many companies as they implement Lean and go through a Lean transformation, develop a continuous improvement system modelled after the “Toyota Production System”. These come in all kinds of names and formats ranging from …Production System to … Business System and all manner of variations in between. Often these are just a collection of tools and other stuff and really don’t make up a true system.
If we zoom out and look at the definition of a system, we see that a system can be defined as:
- Broadbrush Hoshins that speak to the heart and define direction, purpose and values
Together these are deployed through the organization to align and focus the organization. An analogy I like to use is one of river. The river flows to the ocean which is True North. The broadbrush Hoshins define the banks of the river. The river can take many paths to get to the ocean but we want it to remain inside it’s banks. Along the way it encounters rapids which are problems which must be resolved for the journey to the ocean to continue but all the time the river continues to flow to the ocean.
For more on True North and Lean Leadership, please see Lean Leadership Brain Boosters at http://leansystems.org/cart.php?page=pocket_cards
Many companies as they implement Lean and go through a Lean transformation, develop a continuous improvement system modelled after the “Toyota Production System”. These come in all kinds of names and formats ranging from …Production System to … Business System and all manner of variations in between. Often these are just a collection of tools and other stuff and really don’t make up a true system.
If we zoom out and look at the definition of a system, we see that a system can be defined as:
“an inter-related set of parts with a clearly defined outcome”
So the parts of a system are all connected to one another and have to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. Standardized Work needs to have 5S and Visual Controls in place for it to work. Without them, we could never get repeatable cycles of work. We would be endlessly searching for things. Even with them, there are many interruptions and disruptions to the standard cycles of work which we need to turn into problems and launch problem solving.
So we can see how the parts of a system are related to one another but what about the purpose? A system must have a clearly defined purpose. True North gives us that purpose.
True North defines the outcomes of the system and where we want the system to take us in the future. In essence it pulls us into the future.
True North defines the Philosophical and Strategy Objectives of the organization. It is comprised of two parts:
- Hard Goals that speak to the head and define the hard business targets
- Broadbrush Hoshins that speak to the heart and define direction, purpose and values
Together these are deployed through the organization to align and focus the organization. An analogy I like to use is one of river. The river flows to the ocean which is True North. The broadbrush Hoshins define the banks of the river. The river can take many paths to get to the ocean but we want it to remain inside it’s banks. Along the way it encounters rapids which are problems which must be resolved for the journey to the ocean to continue but all the time the river continues to flow to the ocean.
For more on True North and Lean Leadership, please see Lean Leadership Brain Boosters at http://leansystems.org/cart.php?page=pocket_cards
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Lean & Green
By Al Norval,
A topic that doesn’t get as much time as it deserves is the relationship between Lean and Green.
We know that Lean is based on Team Members driving the elimination of waste to provide our Customers with more value. Toyota has summarized these in three key principles:
Green has become the symbolic color of environment protection and social justice. It was chosen for its association with nature, health and growth.
But how are they related?
One of the key tenets of Lean is “do more with Less”
– less human effort, less time and less resources so we’re able to turn our inputs into outputs faster with less waste.
Normally we think of this as the waste of production materials but let’s look deeper and see what other wastes we can uncover. This means less waste in:
The list is almost endless. The truth is our current cost systems don’t track these types of wastes very well, if at all, so they form part of a large, barely visible mountain of waste. The Remedy to this is to begin to see waste with a new set of eyes and that begins with developing a new set of Mental Models to guide us. The Lean Thinking Brain Booster pocket cards are a great starting point for anyone beginning this journey and for people who need a quick refresher.
Elimination of Waste – great for customers, Team Members, Shareholders and good for the environment.
A topic that doesn’t get as much time as it deserves is the relationship between Lean and Green.
We know that Lean is based on Team Members driving the elimination of waste to provide our Customers with more value. Toyota has summarized these in three key principles:
- Continuous Improvement
- Elimination of Waste
- Respect for Humanity
Green has become the symbolic color of environment protection and social justice. It was chosen for its association with nature, health and growth.
But how are they related?
One of the key tenets of Lean is “do more with Less”
– less human effort, less time and less resources so we’re able to turn our inputs into outputs faster with less waste.
Normally we think of this as the waste of production materials but let’s look deeper and see what other wastes we can uncover. This means less waste in:
- The water & energy used to produce the materials
- The effort, equipment & energy required to move the materials
- The man-power, materials and energy needed to build equipment that over-produces to customer demand
- The energy required to heat & cool buildings built to house these over-sized pieces of equipment
- Information systems needed to track the materials and transactions
- The effort needed to maintain all this extra stuff
The list is almost endless. The truth is our current cost systems don’t track these types of wastes very well, if at all, so they form part of a large, barely visible mountain of waste. The Remedy to this is to begin to see waste with a new set of eyes and that begins with developing a new set of Mental Models to guide us. The Lean Thinking Brain Booster pocket cards are a great starting point for anyone beginning this journey and for people who need a quick refresher.
Elimination of Waste – great for customers, Team Members, Shareholders and good for the environment.
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