LEAN Program - Structure Thoughts

Once, I was asked how I would structure a LEAN program. I had just finished guiding a Seattle Business Book Study Group through the review of William W. Scherkenbach’s book ‘Deming’s Road to Continual Improvement.’ In his book Bill commented about organizing a quality department along the lines of Physical, Logical, and Emotional.   This question got me thinking about combining Scherkenbach’s concept of three focus of change with my own article ‘Improvement Triad: Processes, Products, and Management Practices.’   This is a brief collection of thoughts about these concepts.   Scherkenbach’s Three Deployment Focus Areas:   Emotional, or Promotion focus - This group would create the desire for improvement. This is the sales group. Focused on identifying and engaging change. •    Sales oriented – benefits (not features), wants, worth – advertise – attract prospects – establish relationship – gather requirements •    Creating desire •    Coordinating communications – both internal and external •    Keeper of the message •    Keeper of the vision •    Tap into ‘Intrinsic Motivation’ •    Dependence, Independence, and Interdependence   Logical – Profound Knowledge - Focused on Education (knowledge based) •    Stay at the cutting edge of quality methodologies •    Advance questions that advance knowledge •    Explanations of Rationale   Physical – Quality Process – Front line efficiency & effectiveness – Tactical,  •    Coordinates measurements (what is measured can be physical, logical, or emotional) •    Audits, reports and standards •    Keeper of Training (skills based) •    Keeper of Policies, Procedures, standards and reporting relationships   What would interactions of those areas of focus look like:   "Physical - Logical" interactions - Science "Physical - Emotional" interactions - Art "Emotional - Logical" interactions - Psychology Interactions between all the three - HARMONY   Improvement Triad: Processes, Products, and Management Practices (A Balancing Act) – for the full article see the link below   Processes: •    Activity based: a ‘thing’ is changed •    Feature based •    Short term time horizon •    Results are quick and localized •    Improvement is temporary because the environment changes •    Assumes current product/service configuration satisfies customer requirements   Products (and services) {in services, the process is the product} •    Function based – the intent •    Translates requirements into value •    Method of providing a benefit to the customer •    Method to satisfy the customer’s needs – current, perceived, not yet realized •    Mid-range time horizon •    Results are moderately quick and moderately localized   Management Practices •    Strategy based •    Human activities and effort based •    Create an environment of learning and cooperation •    Long-term time horizon •    Results are long to become visible •    Results are wide spread – throughout the organization •    Results are deeply rooted in the culture of the organization •    Focused on long-term results and long-term efforts •    Based on the organization’s values and ethics •    Influence the social and economic well-being of the organization   Imagine what a LEAN program would look like with these concepts!