Recently, we delivered a project in chunks. By design, there were lead time in-between the chunks. OK, perhaps the chunked delivery was not possible to design in another way in this particular case, but work in process can always be prevented in these circumstances. In this case we could have delivered the chunks without parking unfinished work in-between the chunks. This led to customer dissatisfaction as the team had switched out while the customer was expecting feedback up until the next chunk was to be scheduled (i.e switched in). It’s a classic case of undesirable work in process.
A possible remedy to this problem is to run and deliver all chunks as so-called Kaizen burst events, Kaizen events or RAPID Process Improvement activities - leaving nothing un-done after each activity.
A Kaizen event or Kaizen burst event is something of an immersive multi-discipline, cross-functional improvement workshop of three to five days (where kaizen is a small change intended to lead to big improvements). I have had the privilege of participating in something similar (albeit shorter) many years ago where the solution was - as defined by the rules - implemented at the end of the workshop.
A kaizen event is not a (lean management) process mapping event (or value stream mapping event) where a list of possible improvements are to be specified and later followed up on, but a rapid focused immediate small change. The rule is usually to implement the change during the event.
In Lean Manufacturing, the RAPID Process Improvement Method is referenced by multiple sources. According to the Business Process Improvement Shared Service at University of Illinois who developed RAPID, it has the following steps:
- Review the problem
- The purpose of the Review phase of the RAPID methodology is to ensure that the problem to be solved is well-defined and understood, to ensure that there is sufficient management support for the project, and to define the structure for managing the project going forward.
- Assess the current state
- The purpose of the Assess phase of the RAPID methodology is to define the current process – not just how it is documented, but how it is actually executed. Also, the project team will identify any issues or problems that exist with the process and initiate the brainstorming of solutions for these issues.
- Plan for change
- The purpose of the Plan phase of the RAPID methodology is to prioritize and select solutions and plan for process change, making sure to obtain approval from the project sponsor for process changes. A concrete action plan will be formed, including deadlines and action owners.
- Implement changes
- The purpose of the Implement phase of the RAPID methodology is to execute the action plan and tasks that were established in the previous phase. Project team members will complete the tasks on the plan and the facilitator will follow up to ensure progress is made.
- Determine success
- The purpose of the Determine phase of the RAPID methodology is to evaluate the outcome of the project. A final report will be prepared that summarizes the activity, decisions, and improvements made during the project.
Read more on BPI’s site about the process.
The steps are essentially - like everything Toyota and lean-related - the scientific method in a highly practical and action-oriented approach.
Theory Of Constraints
To this, I will add Eliyahu M Goldratt’s Five Focusing Steps from his Theory Of Constraints (TOC) illustrated in his excellent business novel The Goal. Why not checkout the audiobook or this graphic version.
Process of On-Going Improvement (POOGI)…
- Identify the system’s constraint
- Exploit the constraint (how can you utilize the constraint better without investing money or time?)
- Subordinate everything else to the rate/limit of the constraint
- Elevate the constraint (improve/alleviate the constraint, increase flow)
- Prevent inertia (continuously identify new bottlenecks arising from resolving previous bottlenecks)
This short clip from the movie-version of The Goal is sort-of an illustration of what a Kaizen burst may be all about (a quick solution is implemented immediately)…
The following video by Philip Marris of Marris Consulting offers an excellent explanation of The Theory of Constraints…