LEAN Business Improvement; simple process, simply perfection!
The application of LEAN techniques delivers significant benefits across industry and anywhere where formal processes are utilised to design, make, test, procure, supply, store, deliver and use. SCS has the practitioners who are able to apply the LEAN tool kit (including Value Stream Analysis and 6 Sigma) in such as way that combines their practical experience with their pragmatic approach. We accept that the application of LEAN may not be suitable in every case, so a more AGILE approach is taken taking into account the real and sometimes immovable constraints faced by industry, the NHS and the MOD. Our aim is to create the processes and tools, supported by training and skills transfer that provides a responsive and flexible approach whilst ensuring the costs are controlled and quality delivered.
Our consultants have supported the MoD directly (as previous members of the Lean Support Continuous Improvement Team (LSCIT, now ESCIT)), industry and the NHS. We emphasise continuous improvement and strive to ensure ongoing development through skills transference and the management and realisation of benefits.
Some of the weird and wonderful terms used in LEAN:
Muda - a wasteful process, non value adding
Mura - unevenness or process flow and smoothness
Muri - burdensome process that cause waste
kaizen - Continuous Improvement
poka-yoke - elimination of the ability to make mistakes
Kanban - to assist in 'customer pull'
The 8 wastes, which can be identified and reduced by qualified and experienced practitioners are:
Transport - unnecessary movement of people, products or information
Inventory - stocks and supplies on hand
Motion - movement required to complete a process (swivel chair interface, fetching or carrying)
Waiting - waiting for something or someone to do something you rely upon
Over Production - producing more than is required
Over Processing - producing at too high a tolerance or unnecessary quality
Defects - mistakes, poor quality, reworking, bad data or information
Skills - resources are over trained or higher quality than is necessary to achieve the aim
