Lean quality methods

– When I mention applying lean tools at work, most people immediately think of streamlining their processes, because lean is all about efficiency, moving material, information, and ideas in a smooth, well-organized manner, while removing waste and decreasing cost along the way. But lean can also reduce defects in your processes and help to improve your overall quality level. I’ll talk about three different practices that can do that for you. First is kaizen, which is the Japanese word for improvement. Kaizen calls for small, incremental improvements that are continuously made over the long-term. It’s the foundation of every company’s continuous improvement program. And that certainly applies to quality teams looking for ways to reduce errors and eliminate defects. I once worked for a company that didn’t allow reworks in the factory. At any process step, if the product wasn’t within specification, it was thrown away. We then had to start a replacement from the very beginning. Believe me, we worked very hard to improve quality every shift. Another lean practice is called quality at the source, meaning that each worker is his own inspector. Nothing leaves a workstation unless it meets standards. This tool was originally designed to eliminate inspection stations in the factory and streamline the overall production process, but the impact goes far beyond improving efficiency. Quality at the source catches defects before they happen because each employee is inspecting for quality, and the minute a worker sees their output doesn’t meet standards, the workstation is shut down. No more defective products are made. With the old system, the machine keeps producing nonstandard products until an inspector catches the problem. All of that material would have to be reworked or scrapped. This leads us to the third lean tool, which also is aimed at preventing defects, poka-yoke. This is the Japanese word for mistake-proofing, and you’ve probably experienced this in your personal life. After you place your order in a restaurant, the waitress will often repeat it. you can correct the error before the order goes to the chef. That’s poka-yoke. The intent is to prevent the error from happening. But what about poka-yoke in production operations? Here’s a good example. In a factory workstation, if four bolts are required to complete the task, the bolts are provided in packages of four. When the package is empty, you know the job is done properly and the product can move on to the next workstation. You won’t have a rework for incomplete bolt assembly. These are just three of the many lean tools that can be directly applied to eliminate defects and errors. Look for them in your daily practices. Poka-yoke is a good place to start. You can pick just about any activity at work. Is the process mistake-proof, or can you make it better? or can you make it better?