Catchball may sound like a game of throwing and catching a ball, and in Japan it is a game just as that. However, catchball is also a common business practice used in lean businesses during the strategy deployment phase of Hoshin Kanri or simply Hoshin Planning. Needless to say, it does not include the use of an actual ball. Instead, it is more of a figurative term…
Mike Wilson | March 29, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma
If you have ever worked in a business setting, you have probably heard people talk about forecasting. No, we are not talking about the weather, but instead the projected sales or amount of business transactions expected to help prepare a business for the future. Many businesses focus quite a bit in the area of forecasting, by looking at preceding seasonal trends, data, and discussing overall knowledge and…
Mike Wilson | March 27, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
Why does everyone always seem to be in a rush? Whether dropping kids off to school in the morning, trying to squeeze in a haircut during a lunch hour or tempted to open a new credit card just because a credit decision is promised within 60 seconds, people seem to always be rushing and often gravitate towards speed over taking things slow. In general, as a society…
Mike Wilson | March 21, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
Have there been mistakes made in your business operations? The answer is obviously yes. Whether mistakes happen while an employee is stacking pallets on warehouse floor, or while working on an assembly line out in the factory, mistakes are simply a part of life. There will always be some sort of human error value when humans are working, it is just human nature. However, there are tactics…
Mike Wilson | March 12, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
Generating new ideas and creating new product is often exciting, yet a bit daunting. There are many unanswered questions along with new product development (NPD) and with that also comes a strong sense of vulnerability when introducing it onto the market. Some common concerns include: Will people like the product? Will the product function as intended? Is there truly a need for this product in today’s market?…
Mike Wilson | March 6, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
The term “quality” is somewhat ambiguous in nature as it means differing levels of satisfaction to different people. However, even though acceptable levels of quality vary widely from person to person, one thing is for sure, when a person purchases a product to meet a specific need he or she expects the product to fulfill the need it was intended to fill. In essence, quality can be…
Mike Wilson | February 26, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
Value stream mapping is a technique which is commonly used to analyze and design the flow of materials or information that is required to move a product from conception to the hands of a customer. It is an important part of the lean manufacturing process and when done properly can help increase the efficiency of any company while also driving profits up. Unlike many other process improvement…
Mike Wilson | February 25, 2013 | Value Stream | 5S, Kaizen, Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream, Value Stream Mapping
What is considered a good or quality internal audit? What are the goals of an internal audit? What are some tips to ensure a quality audit? These may be some of the questions floating around in your head. For many business owners an internal audit is less daunting than an external audit because when an external audit is conducted many issues (some tax-related) are revealed without even…
Mike Wilson | February 12, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
Verification versus validation is a tricky concept to understand. However, to put it into simple terms in basically means verifying that something is correct such as correct tools, correct products, correct process, etc versus validation or fulfilling the need that is expected to be fulfilled. Verification The definition of verification can be described as the process of establishing the truth or validity or accuracy of something. In…
Mike Wilson | February 5, 2013 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
The definition of quality can be ambiguous and may differ tremendously between different people. While one person may be satisfied with a mediocre product that performs a function properly “most” of the time another may be completely dissatisfied unless the product delivers proper performance “all of the time.” Many people have innate connotations related to the expectation of true quality that may stem all the way from…
Mike Wilson | January 18, 2013 | Safety Solutions | Lean Manufacturing
Foam inserts, as the name suggests, are used for packaging and filling out packages. There is a wide range of packaging foam available for this purpose. Today, one can purchase custom foam inserts in following formats: Polyethylene Closed cell polyethylene Polyether Polyurethane Neoprene Stratocell Foam inserts can also be made available in laminated finishes using suede, leather and other combinations along with a self adhesive backing layer.…
Mike Wilson | December 27, 2012 | Safety Products | Facility Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, Tool Organization
Contrary to misconceptions, lean manufacturing is not only for the manufacturing sector but rather can be applied in all business organizations. The basic drive behind lean manufacturing is the need to reduce wasteful practices, improve upon quality and reduce costs. These are principles that can be applied to any business model or department regardless of the industry. If applied appropriately, lean manufacturing principles have the potential to…
Mike Wilson | December 10, 2012 | Lean | Lean Manufacturing
Six sigma training and certification can be achieved through online and offline. There are a number of programs designed to train working professionals and managers to understand the quality systems. Six Sigma involves a process where a refined process is charted out after going through DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) methods. It is a systematic and well defined scientific method. By going through the training…
Mike Wilson | November 27, 2012 | Lean | Lean, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma
Supply chain management ensures that products are delivered to the end market with minimum waste. If you are implementing lean methods in your organization, lean supply chain management is the right fit for the overall success of your organization. You will be able to take up and continue your lean journey in an appropriate way by implementing lean methods. It is possible to respond to your customers…
Mike Wilson | November 23, 2012 | Lean | Lean, Lean Manufacturing
On the A Lean Journey blog, Tim McMahon offered up the reins to Lean Six Sigma writer, Kathryn Thompson, about a case study in lean manufacturing and six sigma. Inappropriately titled “The Successes of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma: A Case Study,” Thompson’s post is sparse on details and any data backing up the claim that Midlake Products is a decent model for lean and six sigma.…
Mike Wilson | November 16, 2012 | Lean | Continuous Improvement, Lean, Lean Manufacturing
