🌱 Identify and Improve: Lean Practice
Waste is all around us, lurking in the corners of our daily routines, diminishing our efficiency, even when we least expect it. Just as I delve into processes at a macro scale in my role, you, too, can examine your life's processes and uncover incremental improvements. 🚀
Start with a powerful concept borrowed from Lean practices: DOWNTIME.
D - Defects: Identify any errors that occur in your processes.
O - Overproduction: When production outweighs demand.
W - Waiting: Understand waiting times and unnecessary pauses.
N - Non-Utilized Talent: When resources talents are not being fully utilized.
T - Transportation: Streamline unnecessary movements and transportation steps.
I - Inventory: Manage inventory carefully to prevent overstocking or shortages.
M - Motion: Minimize unnecessary physical movements and actions.
E - Excess Processing: Waste related to overworking or higher quality than required.
Now, let's explore the fascinating realm of process maps and Value Stream Maps (VSM).
Process Maps: You've likely encountered these documents before. They show how a process is "supposed" to work, providing an overview of the ideal sequence of actions. Process maps are a valuable tool for understanding the structure of a process, but they don't always reflect the reality of how it's executed.
Value Stream Maps (VSM): This is where the magic happens. A VSM is a significant enhancement of a process map. It reveals not only the ideal process but how it truly functions in practice. It offers a comprehensive view of a process, highlighting the steps, timeframes, and areas where waste may be hiding. In essence, a VSM is a more accurate representation of how your processes are actually completed, making it a powerful tool for identifying waste.
Now, here's where I challenge you to co-create with me to boost your productivity. Choose a process you regularly engage in, the more intricate, the better. Document every step on paper or your preferred mapping tool, and follow these steps:
Add the start and end points of the process.
Insert process steps.
Record wait times between steps.
Capture the total time for each step and document it as well. Dive further by breaking down the total time into three categories:
Value Added (VA) - Actions that enrich the customer's experience.
Non-Value Added (NVA) - Actions that don't benefit the customer (eliminate these immediately).
Essential Non-Value Added (ENVA) - Actions crucial under current procedures but do not provide customer value.
While VA steps are worth celebrating, the real treasure lies in ENVA. Challenge your preconceptions and consider these three thoughts:
Can I reduce or eliminate ENVA using existing tools?
Is there a tool in the world that could replace or reduce this step's time?
Do I know anyone or any group capable of creating a tool for this purpose?
Thinking through ENVA can be challenging. Some processes become so ingrained in our routines that we can't imagine them being unnecessary. It's easy to accept them as essential, especially when "that's just how it's done." However, it's precisely these processes that, once scrutinized, hold the potential for substantial efficiency gains.
By considering these questions, you begin to unravel the intricacies of your process. Now let’s revisit our favorite acronym: DOWNTIME. You’re encouraged to start by Identifying and dealing with defects, eliminating overproduction, or thinking through and minimizing wait times. It's about reevaluating each action to extract the core value while shedding non-essential steps. The process you've always accepted may have hidden inefficiencies that, when brought to light, lead to remarkable improvements. By considering these questions, you break free from tunnel vision, encourage ingenuity, and cleverly approach previously accepted or ignored wastes. This is how you craft a simple VSM! 🗺️
Now that you're equipped to gauge your efficiency, will you take the next steps to dive into the realm of the possible? Get creative, think beyond the norm, and transform your work. Share your success stories with us, and let's celebrate your journey of improvement! 🌟
Writer's Note: To determine a process's efficiency, use this equation: Value Added Time / Total Time = Process Cycle Efficiency
Reach out and share your process and current efficiency with me! 📊🚀 #ProductivityHacks #WasteElimination #LeanPractices #EfficiencyMatters 🤝
