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Where and when to start Lean projects

Two poplar approaches to lean manufacturing are Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control). This is nothing new; anyone with minimal Lean training knows these by heart and probably understands enough to know that DFSS is for new projects from the ground up.

DFSS is the ideal situation by engineering lean concepts into your manufacturing processes from the beginning. With a seasoned Manufacturing Engineer, Project Manager and supportive management you can’t help but place an effective and profitable manufacturing cell into place.

Most often this is not the case and the modification of existing processes is where lean methodologies will be applied. So, where do we start and what factors should influence our start point decision. 

The first step in making this decision should be based on your organizational goals. All goals throughout a organization, whether they are for individuals or the company as a whole, should follow the SMART approach. This will ensure they are applicable, of sound design and financially achievable. Many articles are available online about SMART goals.

Next, you should prioritize your goals into groups based on labor hours involved, time for completion, possible risks and financial burden. Only you and your management team can decide what particular aspects should carry the most weight The possibility of creating your own personalized formula to determine what is most critical is a possibility and it is important you prioritize in accordance to these guidelines set forth prior to the decision making process so there is sustained agreement, organizational focus and minimal overrun potential from the beginning.  

If you are just beginning your diet, it is always best to start with simple and quickly achieved projects first, then slowly work your way up to the more complex and resource consuming ones. Large project obviously will require much more planning and project layout. The smaller projects will be a great warm up and serve as a learning curve for the teams. Just because a project is not considered substantial by any type of metric does not mean it is of any less importance. By definition, the lean methodology is made up of many even thousands of tiny improvements, which over time add up to great benefits. As a matter of fact, larger projects should be broken down into small manageable tasks and divided among teams.

The most important factor in lean project implementation and efficient execution is the process of assigning the best project manager and the appropriate cross-functional team members. Be certain that all the areas of expertise needed during the project process are available and team members are enthusiastic and well informed about the project goals.

Now that a project, team members and project leader has been selected a detailed project charter should be established that outlines leaders, members, goals, scope, timeline and methodologies to be used. Conduct a meeting and insure everyone is on board and educated about the issues and understands the projects definitions.

Taking careful steps in the beginning of your lean childhood will insure that you have successful projects now and in the future. Remember that accurate data and useful metrics are very important in all phases of a project. You can’t know where you are going if you don’t know where you started. Now, it is time for you to start the planning phase of your selected project. Good luck and happy teams.