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05/07/2012 10:56 AM
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I was asked to participate in developing a Lean Assessment for our company.
I have my ideas on this but I was hoping to get some input from folks in this forum:
What are the do's and don'ts with Lean Assessments?
What questions/criteria would you want to assess (and how would you assess each)?
Any real life lessons learned (+, - ) to share?
Steve
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05/07/2012 12:50 PM
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Steve,
Although this may sound overly basic, make sure your lean assessment is done at Gemba. Don't depend on checking metrics from afar. For instance, high inventory turns might be considered a good indicator of how Lean a business is. Go and see how they attain those numbers. Same goes for superficial measures like "# of Kaizens" or "# of Kanban systems." As unscientific as it may sound, you can feel a Lean outfit as soon as you walk in the door.
Believe it or not, my biggest (personal) measure of how Lean somebody is comes from talking to people at Gemba. I'm looking for Lean knowledge from the Operators all the way to the CEO. That's a rare find BTW.
Tom
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05/07/2012 01:59 PM
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Steve,
Have the teams that you will be assessing do a self assessment first. My experience is that self assessments will score higher than non-advocate assessments. When comparing scores, identify the gaps and opportunities. This is an excellent learning opportunity.
Ken
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05/08/2012 11:12 AM
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Steve,
Our company developed and performed internal lean assessments for about six years. We review everything from flow line performance, 5S to employee training. The assessment was first developed as a feedback and learning tool so a score was not given and findings were kept confidential only within the plant. This was the ideal state for me; however some of the plants did not correct the findings so we had to start giving out scores which senior leadership eventually wanted visibility.
Some items you may want to consider are: provide a score, frequency of audit (ours is annual), performed by an internal or external team, should internal team comprise of other plant personnel and define a process to improve the assessment questions.
We have found the assessment value added.
Good Luck,
Rick Martin
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05/08/2012 11:12 AM
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Ken, Thank you for the suggestion. As for as the content in a Lean Assessment, what questions do you ask?
Thanks again!
Steve
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05/08/2012 12:55 PM
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Steve,
Send me a PM and we can talk about this. There are far more questions to ask than i would want to attempt to write here.
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05/08/2012 12:55 PM
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Rick, thank you for your input. Good stuff!
Would it be possible to share your assement form with me?
Steve
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05/09/2012 11:53 AM
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Here's how we approached it at a couple companies I work(ed) with:
A. Developed a short overview / training session of Lean based of Lean Production Simplified. (4 - 8 hours)
B. Performed internal assessment:
1. Key Performance Measures and Performance such as Inventory Turns, Scrap and Rework, Downtime, Efficiency. (some of these were pretty rough estimates but we had to start somewhere)
2. Identification of key issues that frustrate operators, supervisors and staff that the above metrics might miss. (often the cause of gaps in above targets)
3. Checklist of Lean Tools to identify which are used and to what extent.
4. Identification and analysis of causes gaps in Performance vs Targets and causes of frustration and which tools could be developed to improve significant gaps and reduce issues.
The goal is to identify key areas to develop that can provide a bang for the effort to get individuals from operators to top management to buy in.
Good Luck
Brian
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05/10/2012 11:47 AM
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Hi,
I am currently developing a scoping tool to be linked to our methodology, if I was you I would ensure you focus on the desired behaviours required in your future state and measure against those.
I would be keen to link up to share what I have done with and would like to have sight of ours if possible
Many thanks
Lee
www.leansecrets.co.uk
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05/14/2012 02:56 PM
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Hi
Lean assessments are based on the different steps to achieve world class
We need to assess practices and not just documents or presentations and connected with KPI's
I have been lean assessor for the past 4 years and assessments are based on facts in Gemba
Regards
Viswa
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05/14/2012 02:57 PM
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Steve,
I'm not permitted to share this document with you, but I can tell you at a high level the assessment is divided into sections looking at process performance (value stream maps, line designs, resource planning tools, operator work instructions, etc.), material replenishment (kanbans, sequencing, early warning processes, plan for every part, etc.), operator training, TPM and continuous improvement (kaizen events, 5S, etc.) and performance measures (enter your KPI's here).
This assessment was an evolution over years so make sure ya'll have a continuous improvement process.
Good Luck,
Rick
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05/15/2012 02:47 PM
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I agree with you 100% Viswa. Too many companies are focused on the outcomes and results and fail to evaluate the processes. My company won't even support daily management gembas but will spend hours going over reports, charts, graphs, etc. evey type of post performance data you can imagine. And then can't understand why we don't see improvements to the KPI's with all of our so called lean efforts. I liken it to driving a car forward while looking at the review mirror. Thank you for your insight.
Leroy Jenkins
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05/21/2012 10:57 AM
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There is a nice free Excel based Lean Assesment tool available from AME. AMEconference.org Look for the link in the upper right corner for the Lean Assesment Tool. With the tool, you will rank your company in fourteen different areas and will be able to compare yourself to 80 companies in different stages of their lean journeys.
The areas are:
1. Management Support
2. Culture
3. 5S
4. Value Steam Mapping
5. Setup Reduction
6. Total Productive Maintenance
7. Pull Systems
8. Production Flow
9. Plant Layout
10. Standard Work
11. Lean Product and Process Design
12. Accounting Support for Lean
13. Supply Chain
14. Continuous Improvement
Hope this helps.
Angie
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