Implementing Lean management

Challenge

It is not unusual for organisations which underwent a successful implementation of process management methods to experience certain adverse effects of the employees’ old behaviours and habits. That kind of inefficiency is impossible to detect as part of a regular process analysis.

The employees’ reluctance to get involved in the efforts to identify the sources of inefficiency on a daily basis and their indifference to efficiency enhancement initiatives is a frequent obstacle which makes further streamlining of process management outright impossible.

Carrywater’s solution

The only effective method we use while facing employee refusal to participate
in efficiency improvement is the so-called lean management approach. It involves resorting to the organisation’s good practices in the area of motivating the staff to initiate improvement projects, visual communication, time management, adaptation of the forms of communication to the expectations of its recipients and building proper relationships between the employees and their managers.

Based on the processes defined, we train our Customers in value stream mapping techniques and tools, which we also use ourselves. We put the 5why and Ishikawa (fishbone diagram) techniques into practice as the leading methods for analysis of sources of process flaws.

To us, Lean Management is primarily a philosophy and an organisational culture that provides a perfect environment for process-managed companies. The main message behind Lean Management is to keep driving the organisation towards perfection and to focus on the needs of the Customer.

Business value

Using that approach and the techniques mentioned above we are able to change the Customer’s organisation’s “mentality” and make its employees gradually aware of their ability to influence the shape of the processes used by its company.

That, in turn, is certain to release a huge potential and enormous creativity in the Customer’s organisation, which shall effectively increase its performance.

Deliverables

Depending on the scope agreed, our involvement usually produces the following deliverables:

• Description of Lean Management principles and tools implemented in the organisation