Standard Connection

Connection

Customer

Hand-offs (connection) are a big cause of waste in the office.

The connection between two activities (hand-offs) is one of the biggest causes of
waste in the office.
Make sure that to standardize the connect between activities. Direct and
unambiguous specifying:
• …people involved
• …form and quantity to be provided
• …way requests are made by each customer
• …expected time in which the requests will be met (!)
• …
It creates a clear supplier-customer relationship. This will reduce the possibility
for variance, which increases the quality standard in the office.

Advanced Lean
Standardization and Flexibility

Don’t “Manage” a Standard … Detect the Abnormality

Standardization makes abnormalities soon appear. By looking at the root causes of
the abnormalities, you understand what is going on, and give the possibility to
adjust.
Two solutions: (1) eliminate the abnormality, or if not possible (2) adjust the
standard to the new situation.
Standardization increases your awareness of changes. And through this awareness
you are able to adjust to these changes quickly, which increases your flexibility.

Standardization helps to create a flexible multi-disciplinary workforce. It is easy

for a person to take over work from another person.

Advanced Lean
Relation with other Lean Tools

Value Stream Mapping

First implement the improvements of the Future State
(e.g. continuous flow, 5S, etc.). Then use Standard
Work to standardize all the activities in and between
the processes. It will expose waste (by abnormalities)
and also prevents waste (keep everybody focused on
normal way of working).

Creating Continuous Flow

Standard Work helps to reduce variance allow the flow of value. Less
variance improves the capability to create real continuous flow.

Mistake Proofing / Poke-Yoke

Standard Work is the prerequisite for implementing Mistake
Proofing. Mistake Proofing has to prevent to have defects
going further on the line. If no standard, then defects
difficult to detect
Normal Abnormal

Advanced Lean
Relation with other Lean Tools

Don’t “Manage” a Standard … Detect the Abnormality

Look Here …
Visual Management
Standard Work is the prerequisite for good
visual management. It sets the standards for the
work. Visual management has the objective to
make abnormalities visual, so actions can be
make right away.

Kaizen
Standard Work provides a basis for
improvement, because it exposes waste by Standard
abnormalities. These abnormalities are then
subject to Kaizen Events to improve the
processes.

Not Here …

Advanced Lean
Summary

Standard Work
 …prevents waste to occur.
 …exposes waste and is the basis for continuous improvement.
 …increases your flexibility.

Two levels of Standardization

1. Standard Activity
2. Standard Connection

Don’t “Manage” a Standard … Detect the Abnormality

Advanced Lean
 Introduction to Single-Piece-Flow
(Continuous Flow)

C T
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L E A N
ENTERPRISE

Advanced Lean
Single-Piece-Flow in a Cell

Single-Piece-Flow A B C
Carrying out one-piece-at-a-time
processing in order to eliminate
stagnation of work (queue) in and
between processing steps. A B C

Cell Physical Cell

An arrangement of people, systems, items,

and methods with the processing steps
placed right next to each other (physically or
digitally) in sequential order, through which Incoming
Forms
Output

parts are processed in a continuous flow.

Digital Cell

Advanced Lean
Batch Vs Single Piece Flow

Batch Single Piece Flow

From: The Toyota Production System

Catches Defects too Late Catches Defects Immediately

• How many more do you have? • You only have one

• Where are they in the process? • You know where it occurred
• What is the root cause? • Resolve the root cause immediately

The Next Process is the Customer … Never Send Defects !

Advanced Lean
Why Use Single Piece Flow ?

CTQ Batch Single Piece

Production Flow
Quality Risk  
WIP  
FIFO  
Lead time  
Productivity *  
Changeover time **  

• * Single Piece Flow productivity can be improved by balancing processes versus

Takt Time
• ** Changeover time impact can be reduced by SMED or reducing changeover
frequency, but, in this case, by increasing finished goods inventory.

Single piece flow is always better with respect to FIFO

Advanced Lean
Where to start?

Creating Single-piece-flow Prerequisites

1st time
A. Value Stream Mapping
Value Stream See the flow

Mapping
Process
ProcessLevel
Level B. An (potential) area for Cell

Single
SingleFacility
Facility
(door-to-door)
(door-to-door)

Multiple
Multiple
Service
ServiceFacilities
Facilities

Across
AcrossCompanies
Companies

Advanced Lean
Which process area?

Supplier = Customer ?

Yes
A main characteristic for office processes is that the customer of the process is often the
supplier of the needed information for doing the whole value stream, as well. Therefore,
the customer often has to wait for the whole lead time of the process.
Start within the area with the
biggest potential of lead-time reduction.

No
Start with the pace-maker process.
That are the process steps in the value stream
that are closed to the customer.

Advanced Lean
Roadmap - Creating Continuous Flow

1. Cell Content
Start looking at what items you should have in the cell.
2. Actual Work
Then analyze actual work to be done in the cell.
3. System, Item, and Lay-out
Optimize System, Item, and Cell Lay-out for creating continuous flow.
4. Work Distribution Going to reduce waste out
of:
Distribute the Work among the People
• Steps
5. Implement, Sustain, and Improve • People activities
Actual implementation of Continuous Flow in a Cell • System activities
• Item design
• Lay-out

We are going to look at the cell with Eyes for Flow

Advanced Lean
Questions for Creating Continuous Flow
Key questions
Cell Content
• Do you have the right end items?
• What is the Takt Time?
Actual Work
• What are the work elements necessary to make one piece?
• What is the actual time required for each work element?
System, Item and Layout for Flow
• Is your System suitable for flow?
• Is your item design for optimal continuous flow?
• How can the process be laid out so one person can make one piece as efficiently
as possible?
Work Distribution
• How to use your people efficiently?
• How will you distribute the work among the people?

Advanced Lean
Do you have the right items?

Think carefully about assigning right items to your cell.

Here are some guidelines:

1. Flexibility
Cell for multiple items
+ More flexible for
changing demand
+ Pushes you to create
short changeover time
Cells for one item (waste reduction) Cells for multiple items

A B A&B A&B

Advanced Lean
Identify Items for cell

Start with the product or service, that is the customer’s only interest in GE.
To simplify, identify the product/service families:
A group of products/service that go through the same or similar ‘downstream’ steps.

Process Steps & Equipment

Map together in one
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Value Stream Map.

A X X X X X
Item

B X X X X X
C X X X After analyzing, you
might come up with the
conclusion to have step
5, 6 and 7 in one cell.
2. Similarity of processing steps
When required steps of the different products vary too much, then separate cells.
For example, item C does not look to be suitable for the cell.

Advanced Lean
Do you have the right items?

3. Variance of different product types

Time
Max. ~ 30%
Total Work Content (see also next section) of the
product going through the cell should not variance
more than 30%, otherwise take them apart.
A B

4. Takt Time (production pace)

Purpose: Match Customer Demand Pace with Production Pace

How often should we finish an item to serve the customer on time?

Available Time
TAKT time: It’s the heartbeat of the process
Required Output
(Customer Demand)

Advanced Lean
What are the Work Elements? (for making one piece)

Work element
‘smallest increment of work done by a person (not a system)
that could be moved to another person’

Each process consist of a series of work elements. By collecting all the

work elements in the cell, you get the total work content of the cell.

Calculate the actual work by using a Process Study Form

Guidelines
• Get REAL data, do not rely on standard time or data from the past. Get it yourself.
• Time each work element seperately, otherwise you can include waste. Once timed individual
elements then time operator’s complete cycle from start to finish. Compare to see the waste.
• Time an experienced operator who is fully qualified to perform the job.
• Seperate operator work time from system cycle time.

Breaking work in elements helps you to expose and identify waste

Advanced Lean
Process Study Form

Process Observer Date/Time

Process Study
Process Steps Operator
Low est System
Work Element Observed times Repeatable Cycle Time Notes

m ents
ork ele
as w
ste s
s w a
b vi o u
a n yo
d e
o t i nclu
Do n

Full Process Study Template

Use this Template

Microsoft Excel
Worksheet

Advanced Lean
 Paper Kaizen
First analyze the Total Work Content, and design improvement on paper …

Current Improved
K
Paper Kaizen
240 Approach of immediately leaving
Total Work Content for one item
in the cell are activities A-K. out wasteful steps. You eliminate
some waste on paper before
210
implementation.
J
I K
180
H
Time

First understand all

150
G the work elements
F that make the total
I
work (Current)…
120
H
G Paper Kaizen
90 E F • Elimination: C and J
…then have a critical • Time reduction: A and F
D look on the work
60 C elements and design E
improvement on
B paper (Improved) to D
reduce wastes.
30 B

A A

Advanced Lean
Operator Balance Chart
… then connect to Takt TIme.

210
Operator Balance Chart (OBC)
Takt Time
205 sec. Picture of distribution of work among
180
K operators in relation to Takt Time.
• Simple
150 • Visual
I • Quantative
120
H Takt Time • No guesswork
G 110 sec.
90 F F K Takt Time
82 sec.
60 E E E K
D D D H
I G
30 B B B
H F
I
0 A A G A
1 1 2 1 2 3 = Operator

Advanced Lean
Is your System suitable for flow?

Is your system able to handle the Takt Time?

If a System (or Machine) is
Effective System Cycle Time < (Fastest Takt Time – 20-25%)
part of Continuous Flow
• Fluctuation in demand
Cell, you should make sure
• Equipment is often less flexible than people
it is appropriate enough for
handling the Flow.

Also ask the follow questions about your System:

Valuable? - Does the System add value? • Is it working in batch or
single piece?
Capable? - Does the System create no defects?
• Easy to replace (price)?
Available? - Is the System always available when needed? • Easy to maintain?
Adequate? - Is the System not a bottleneck for the flow? • Easy to use?
Flexible? - Is the System flexible to adjust for changes? • Is it optimal design to
support continuous flow?

Should you have one integrated system, or different small systems connected by a simple workflow tool?

Advanced Lean
Is your item ideally designed for flow?
Are your items optimal designed for creating continuous flow?

• How is the item presented in an easy, simplified, proper way?

• Are there any changes you can make on the item, so it takes less time
for the operator to process?
• Are the items easy accessible, at their fingertips?

Ideally for a process

For example
• with high volume, low variety • Pay-roll
• Policy request processing
• with high frequency of use
• Customer Service Centers
• with stable input

Advanced Lean
Cell Layout

How can the process be laid out so one person can make one
piece as efficiently as possible?

• Avoid isolated islands of activities.

• Minimize inventory accumulation between processes.
• Remove (physical and digital) obstacles for the operator
Make value creating activities easily accessible.
• Design good ergonomics.
• Keep manual, operator-based work steps close together to allow
flexible work element distribution.

Advanced Lean
Office Cell Layout

Cellular environment is an area of continuous flow.

Physical…
• Multi-functional
• Co-located
• One piece flow
• Balanced – waste removed
• Cross trained team
Incoming • Staffed within the ‘interval’
Forms Out • Standard work

… or Digital
A cell can also be designed digital. Think of setting operators
work in a flow by aligning systems.
Workflow IT can help to let differ systems work together in a flow.

Advanced Lean
How to use your operators efficiently?

Total Work Content (after paper Kaizen)

Number of operators:
Takt Time – buffer for variance
Example 134
= 3.2 operators
45 - 3
Lean Option
Option A Option B • Maximize operator work.
Balance the line
Takt Time
Lean Option • Let Op. 4 do other things
45 sec.
45
Buffer for variance
Continuous Improving
30
• More variance reduction,
15 reduces buffer.
• Eliminate by reducing
0 more waste.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Advanced Lean
How will you distribute the work?

What is the optimal way of distribution the work?

There are a lot of way
to distribute the work Specialize Do it all
among operators,
75
here two examples: 2x Takt Time

How will you design 60

that in your physical H H
or digital layout. G G
F F 45
Takt Time 38 sec.

E E E 30

D H D D
B G B B 15
F
A A A 0
Incoming 1 2 1 2
Forms Out

Advanced Lean
Implementation Stages

Implementing the Flow consists of four stages:

1. Initial Process Design
2. Mock-up
3. Debugging (!)

Process associate
4. Sustaining the Flow

involvement
Paper Kaizen & Initial Mock-up Debugging Sustaining
Process Design
½-2 days 2-4 weeks

Avoid making things permanent, until stage 4,

because it is a real learning-by-doing implementation.

Advanced Lean
 Introduction to Pull Production

C T
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Advanced Lean
What Is a Pull System ?

A system in which each process takes what it needs from the preceding
process when it needs it and in the exact amount needed.
• Employs a variety of visual signaling devices and uses the concept of
Kanban
• Just-in-time focused
• Controls production system and limits inventory
• Simplifies or eliminates documentation

Customer pulls the flow

Advanced Lean
What Is a Push System ?

A system in which products are pushed through production or

distribution, based on a schedule.

• “Ready or not, here I come!”

• Products are produced only when scheduled

• Assumes receiving work centers will be ready for the products

when they arrive

• Output continues without regard to actual downstream needs

• Response is delayed and the system disrupted due to short-

interval changes

Advanced Lean
Differences Between Push & Pull

• Planning

• Push: Work is completed based on a planning system

• Pull: Work is completed based on authorization from

downstream users

• Work Authorization

• Push: Work is immediately sent to downstream user upon

completion

• Pull: Work is not forwarded to next operation until requested

Advanced Lean
Why Use Pull ?

A conventional system, based on a schedule, generates

unneeded inventory (overproduction) because true
customer needs never fit perfectly with schedule. For the
same reason, it can also generate shortages.

Schedule :

Customer need :

Inventory :

SHORTAGE SHORTAGE

Pull ensures best inventory control with high customer satisfaction

Advanced Lean
Why Use Pull ?
Conventional ‘Push’ system : WIP = ?

PROCESS #1 PROCESS #2 PROCESS #3

Breakdown

Yield=2/h Yield=1/h Yield=2/h

RAW MATERIAL WORK IN PROCESS FINISHED GOODS

Pull System : Standard WIP = 3

PROCESS #1 PROCESS #2 PROCESS #3

Breakdown

Yield=2/h Yield=1/h Yield=2/h

RAW MATERIAL WORK IN PROCESS FINISHED GOODS

Pull improves work in process management

Advanced Lean
Pull Characteristics

• Standardized application
• Visibility
• Simplicity
• Standard lot sizes
• Discipline
• Versatility/Flexibility

Advanced Lean
How does Pull work ?
Legend
Supermarket
END CUSTOMER

Material
Information
2
1
1 Sequence / Timing

9
2nd LEVEL
SUPPLIER
10

1st LEVEL SUPPLIER 9

2nd LEVEL
SUPPLIER
10

PROCESS #3 PROCESS #2 PROCESS #1

3 4 5 9
2nd LEVEL
SUPPLIER
8 7 6 10

Advanced Lean
How does Pull work ?

Min/Max is the most often used methodology to manage

supermarket/buffer inventory level.

Max>
Pull
Pull Replenish
Pull
Min>

High performance companies use Kanban to

communicate needs to preceding process.

Advanced Lean
Heijunka
Heijunka is the foundation of the Toyota Production system, and is the process of
leveling and sequencing an operation.
There are three main elements of Heijunka…

1. Leveling: Overall leveling of a process to reduce variation in output

2. Sequencing: Managing the order in which work is processed (Mixed Production)

3. Stability or Standard Work: Reduce process variation

Toyota
Customer Demand Leveling Production System
Heijunka

Just-in-Time

Jidoka
Heijunka

Reduction in variation experienced by the customer

Advanced Lean
Kanban
A Kanban is a signal used by a downstream operation
to request a material replenishment
Kanban

Supplying
Supplying Using
Using
Process
Process Process
Process
Required
Part/ material

Cards

Bins

Carts

Labels

Kanbans are used to signal the supplying process that more material is
needed

Advanced Lean
Jidoka
Jidoka allows machines/processes to operate autonomously by shutting down
automatically if an abnormality occurs. This prevents defective products from passing to
the next process.
There are two main elements of Jidoka…

1. Autonomation: Automation with human intelligence – operate autonomously

2. Stop at Every Abnormality

Toyota
Production System

Just-in-Time

Jidoka
Abnormal

Heijunka

Fix the process (problem) before moving on

Advanced Lean