Determining where you want to go is the first step in getting there. Lean requires a journey best taken through learning, planning, and doing. Lean Visioning assists Senior Management create a “Lean Road Map” with which they may guide and direct the company to greatness.
Implementation: Lean Visioning sessions are held with Senior Management to guarantee at least a basic understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles and expected results. We’ll help you determine targets for change, create an implementation plan, establish goals, and lead the efforts. Later, middle management, supervisors and leads are taught the basics of Lean and their roles in implementation are assigned.
Once the management support structure is in place, all employees are instructed in the basics of Lean and presented with the “Lean Vision” of Senior Management. Implementation plans are discussed, along with the allocation of resources to effect the changes. Expectations for success are then established.
Lean is always more successful when driven from the top down. The time required to create the Lean Vision, instruct, and generate excitement about the efforts is determined by many factors. The internal facilitator serves as a support during initial phases, and then becomes the trainer/facilitator during later sessions and for future employees.
Summary: If you are just exploring or beginning your transition to Lean, it is crucial you know where you are going. We at TPS do our very best to avoid and help you recover from “flavor of the day” syndrome (programs and efforts that come and go like the wind) by actually doing what we say we will and supporting management in doing the same. The proof is in the doing.