Fundamentals of Great Cell Design

Work design is more and more critical as space becomes a new constraint for businesses trying to keep people safely distanced from each other.  Great cell design has some proven fundamentals that have stood the test of time, and while simple, are so valuable for creating efficient work design that safely produces a quality product […]

The Four Steps in Cell Design

The rapidly changing work environment and restrictions from the need to create safe distances between team members has created a new constraint out of space.  We need to figure out how to produce the same amount of volume in the same amount of space, but keep everyone safely apart.  That is the role of work […]

When Standards go Wrong

Standards are designed to identify problems. They establish the expectation and let organizations know when there is a problem and the expectation cannot be met.  But when a problem is identified it has to be addressed or knowing can do more damage than good. Standards are designed to identify problems World class organizations create standards […]

Standards Rich Environment

World class organizations create a standards rich environment that quickly identifies problems solved by people in the moment with a pre-specified problem solving process that is focused on continuously eliminating waste.  A standards rich environment is an environment that sets the expectation not only for work content of the operators, but also the safety, quality, […]

Standardized Work Starts with the Sequence of Work

Good Continuing Operations Planning includes the creation of standardized work to help create a more flexible work force able to fill in for missing team members.  That standardized work includes the work content required to build a product or provide a service as well the timing, location, and expected outcome. All of these elements are necessary […]

Standard Work is the Cornerstone of the System

Everything seems simple when you tour a world class organization.  People’s movement, parts placement, tool locations and inventory levels all look as though they are in natural order. It is hard not to believe that it was always that way and  that the operation you are touring is actually an easier business to run than […]

Standardized Work – A Choreographed Dance Between Man and Machine

Observing well executed and well-designed standardized work is like watching a choreographed dance between man and machine. All of the same key elements apply: Content, Sequence, Timing, and Outcome. Both dance and standardized work are designed to synchronize steps in a pre-specified way which creates the impression of two entities operating as one. The music […]

Expectations for All: People, Processes, Equipment and Environment

Expectations for All: People, Processes, Equipment and Environment The conference table surrounded by aspiring operations experts fell quiet when the Sensei arrived. There were no PowerPoints, no hand-outs, no donuts. Just a flip chart and three markers: red, green and black. The Sensei asked, as he used the black marker to draw an x and […]