
Lean Problem Solving – The PDCA Approach to attacking the shop floor!
Lean Problem Solving
Lean Problem solving using the Scientific Method is a key part of many organizations since Dr. Deming and Toyota applied this process in quality circles and manufacturing processes. The method, which in it’s most simplistic form is described as Plan, Do, Check, Act….or PDCA, is the basis of Lean today.
The tools of lean, the management system, and the principles of Lean all aim to create a PDCA cycle. This cycle helps businesses learn and achieve lasting results. This should be true at all levels of a truly lean organization.
At a strategic level there should be a longer PDCA cycle with appropriate KPI’s, visuals, and reviews. This PDCA supports the organization’s long-term vision. It should be broken down to all functional levels. More frequent PDCA cycles should occur throughout the organization.
Many companies are fairly effective of having the key components at the strategic level and the next level down of functional areas typically have the basic components for a PDCA at that level. Where gaps usually exist in designing a lean problem solving culture is at the shop floor level, where true value for the customer actually exists.
The Gap on the Shop Floor
The term “shop floor” refers to the area where value-added work takes place in an organization. This applies to any type of processes in the company. At the shop floor level, Problem solving needs to happen at a speed that most companies don’t know how to manage or facilitate to be effective.
When companies realize the need to have a plan and solve problems at a weekly, daily, and hourly pace…typically this is causes a situation where no action occurs at all. The fear of failure comes from work cultures that work on problems for weeks, months, or even years. They hope for a perfect solution to fix everything at once. This fear stops them from addressing simple problems they face today.
Toyota Lean Leaders teaches that every problem, big or small, is important for creating positive change. Each issue helps the whole organization learn and grow. So, if your organization is only focusing on problem solving on a Monthly basis…how much is your company really learning?
What if your organization was solving 10, 20, 50 problems a day? Think of the learning and how those results can add up to help your organization achieve larger strategic goals. This is the key to unlocking the potential of continuous improvement with Lean problem solving. It helps us improve every day in a structured and sustainable way.
Daily Improvement Plan
Fail fast and fail often. This is the type of thinking that must be adopted in order to unlock daily improvement.
There can’t be a fear of failure if rapid, quick improvement through PDCA is going to take place. In fact, if PDCA is being used properly, there really is no “failure” in terms of the bigger vision because with every PDCA cycle comes learning. The learning allows the team member to be that much more equipped and capable for the next cycle of PDCA.
To make the daily PDCA process work, the organization must focus on three key things. This will help build a culture of daily improvement.
Empower the Process Owners
First, empower the process owners and employees doing the work to make change with a “Bias for action” approach. Encourage them to take small problems, quickly come up with a plan on how to solve it, and test it. Without fear of failure, without pressures of specific business goals…just solve something! Focus on the “Bias for action” before being concerned with how effective the solution was or what problem was chosen.
Creativity Before Capital
Second, work with them to use “creativity before capital”. Many of the daily problems that are focused on should be able to solve, or at least test, with little to no money. Encourage using cardboard and duct tape to test a solution before buying the solution. This Lean problem solving approach will create a much better learning experience and will eliminate the default of buying solutions and instead focus on how to solve the problem today in a very quick manner.
Focus on the Learning First
Lastly, focus feedback very heavily on the learning and the process, not the results. The results will come. Many companies focus so much on the results, that it undermines the process. The process of using PDCA as a way of quick problem solving should be front and center with the long-term expectation that the learning will translate into long term sustainable results.
Final Thoughts
Every organization needs this army of problem solvers moving the improvement needle everyday, but it does need to be focused. Otherwise we are not deploying our resources in the organization on our most important problems.
There are processes to accomplish this which leads into the overall management system for the organization and how all activities, in all areas are aligned. This is very important….but start failing fast and often with a bias for action…alignment in the organization can come later, in another post.
Jason Burt – Lean Consultant
This blog was originally posted on www.ehiipconsulting.com