Monday, February 29, 2016

Reprise: Target, Actual, Please Explain

By Pascal Dennis

Are We Ahead or Behind? And if so, why?

Perhaps the most basic Lean questions & an important test in any gemba.


Can the zone leader articulate the production/provision target & actual, and explain any gaps?

Or does she equivocate, and say, "Well, it's in the computer."

If the latter, Job One is to clear the anaesthetizing fog by using huddles boards and other forms of visual management.

It's surprising how often the computer is wrong.

And writing the hourly/daily/weekly target & actual and the reason for shortfalls brings unexpected benefits.

Hand-written team boards are human, and therefore engaging.

Computer screens, despite often impressive graphics, tend to put people to sleep. (Just more TV...)

So practice the above mantra in your gemba walks.

Be brief, be clear & be honest.

Best,

Pascal


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