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Today's successful companies are flexible, efficient and responsive to change. They produce only what their customers need, precisely when they need it. They have efficient processes, void of waste, and employees who are engaged and committed to continuous improvement. They are on a continuous Lean journey.
Too often companies focus on training employees to use the tools that are part of the lean package. While critically important, simply applying lean tools to existing processes will not yield long term benefits. IMEC's approach, modeled after the Shingo Prize for Organizational Excellence, enables our clients to establish the responsibility for change at each level of leadership, builds habits among all employees consistent with lean thinking and uses lean and six sigma tools to achieve results.
Our approach involves:
- Assessing gaps in the presence of a lean culture to shape the roadmap for successful implementation
- Developing effective and consistent lean leaders and management systems to build trust in the philosophy of lean systems for the long term
- Developing value stream managers who transform the flow of product across departments that focus on customer satisfaction
- Developing supervisors who encourage creative, but scientific problem solving and drive a standardized, visual workplace
- Developing a workforce that contributes to ongoing improvements and trusts the benefits of lean thinking
This image represents the ongoing dependence of governance, culture and tools on long-term benefits. Each is constantly feeding and redefining the requirements and expectations of the others.
For example, a skilled carpenter won't if he doesn't understand the work plan for which he has been hired (governance). Or, if he has the plans and the tools, but lacks the skill and discipline to complete the job, he will fail (culture). Finally, if he has the skills and a plan, but doesn't have the basic what the job requires, his work will be sub-par (tools). |
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Continuous Process Improvement Info Center
Continuous Process Improvement Services |