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HEADLINES ADDED: November 28, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #48
Lean in HealthCare Helen Zak of the Lean Institute writes about the national healthcare debate and Lean: “No doubt you've heard and read a lot about the debate in Washington D.C. over healthcare reform. read more... Read More
Lean & 5S's in Construction #49
5S’s Tips from Brad Schmidt, President of Gemba Japan “5S Training - Insist on giving people training about kaizen and the 7 types of waste before doing 5S with them. If 5S doesn't make sense to them, they will oppose it. Tops of Cabinets - Always check on top of machines and cabinets. A whole bunch of stuff is up there. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 20, 2009
Lean & 5S's in Construction #50
Lean Leadership I tell people that all employees are managers – they manage at least one person. BUT not all employees are leaders. We need Lean Leaders. John Shook, Lean guru and Senior Advisor of the Lean Enterprise Institute gave a keynote address at the 2009 IW Best Plants Conference in Nashville. He had much food for thought on leadership. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 15, 2009
Lean & 5S's in Construction #50
Lean Leadership I tell people that all employees are managers – they manage at least one person. BUT not all employees are leaders. We need Lean Leaders. John Shook, Lean guru and Senior Advisor of the Lean Enterprise Institute gave a keynote address at the 2009 IW Best Plants Conference in Nashville. He had much food for thought on leadership. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 07, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #47
Lean and Safety read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 03, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #47
Lean and Safety read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: June 20, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #40
Newsletter #40 November 2008 read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: June 17, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #43
Best practice How do you keep everyone focused on eliminating waste? Brian Fluetsch of Sunset Air, Inc. in Lacy, WA has a very practice approach. He explains, “One of the best things we did is to continue our MUDA meeting every Wednesday. I do minutes of every meeting and distribute them to each participant. If people are held accountable for their actions or lack there of, they normally will rise to the occasion.” Constancy of purpose James Womack reminds us to read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 29, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #46
Preparing for the future read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 28, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #46
Preparing for the future read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 20, 2009
HEADLINES ADDED: April 03, 2009
Lean Works in Construction – Milwaukee, WI
Start: Oct 6 2009 - 1:00pm End: Oct 6 2009 - 3:00pm Oct. 6, 2009 - Lean Works in Construction – Milwaukee, WI – Sponsor: Plumbing Mechanical Sheet Metal Contractors Alliance Contact: Dajen Bohacek at 414/543-7622. Must be a SMACNA member company, associate or sponsored by one to participate.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 09, 2009
Lean & 5 S's #42
read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 15, 2009
Introduction to Lean in Service
Start: Oct 15 2009 - 12:00am End: Oct 15 2009 - 12:59am Oct. 15. 2009 - Introduction to Lean in Service, – Phoenix, AZ – Sponsor: PIPE & 469 JAC, contact Cathy... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 03, 2009
Lean Construction Applications #41
The Race A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (FORD Motor) decided to have a canoe race on the Red River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race. On the big day, the read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 16, 2008
Lean & 5 S's #38
What is Lean Success? “Lean success (success in anything, for that matter) is defined by the customer. If the (program) is yielding what they originally wanted, it will be deemed a success. If it is not, it will be deemed a failure. Nothing profound about it, but true. And this is where misconceptions arise. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 04, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - March 08 #32
Lean aids Productivity The results of a recent productivity survey found that most companies have continued to make gains in productivity primarily due to Lean. (1) The research was conducted in Q3 of 2007, and surveyed 3,082 executives in mid-sized to large firms in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil. “Ninety-one percent of the executives surveyed reported productivity gains over the past year.” “When asked to specify which productivity or quality improvements they used, nearly three-quarters of the executives identified Kaizen as their primary method, up... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 24, 2008
Lean & 5 S's #40
Newsletter #40 November 2008 read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 01, 2008
Lean & 5 S's #38
What is Lean Success? “Lean success (success in anything, for that matter) is defined by the customer. If the (program) is yielding what they originally wanted, it will be deemed a success. If it is not, it will be deemed a failure. Nothing profound about it, but true. And this is where misconceptions arise. read more... Read More
Introduction to Lean in Construction, – Phoenix, AZ
Start: Jan 15 2009 - 4:00pm End: Jan 15 2009 - 8:00pm Jan. 15, 2009 - Introduction to Lean in Construction, – Phoenix, AZ – Sponsor: PIPE & 469 JAC, contact Cathy at pipetrust@qwest.net... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 02, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - Aug 08 #37
This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 01, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - Aug 08 #37
This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 30, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - July 08 #36
Just Start Doing It In May of this year, Mike King attended my presentation at the ASQ World Quality Conference in Houston. Michael works for Duro-Last Roofing, Inc in Saginaw, Michigan. He took the 5S’s back to his operations and has already reported some success. He writes: Hi Dennis, read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 28, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - July 08 #36
Just Start Doing It In May of this year, Mike King attended my presentation at the ASQ World Quality Conference in Houston. Michael works for Duro-Last Roofing, Inc in Saginaw, Michigan. He took the 5S’s back to his operations and has already reported some success. He writes: Hi Dennis, read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 03, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - June 08 #35
This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. Lean Leadership Jim Womack offers this Lean Leadership checklist. How are you doing in Lean Leadership? read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 02, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - June 08 #35
This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. Lean Leadership Jim Womack offers this Lean Leadership checklist. How are you doing in Lean Leadership? read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: June 21, 2008
Applying the 5 S's for Lean Construction
Start: Jul 29 2008 - 5:00am End: Jul 29 2008 - 5:59pm July 29, 2008 - Lean Works In Construction – presented in the morning, Applying the 5 S's for Lean Construction presented in the afternoon... Read More
Lean Works In Construction, SMACNA of Oklahoma
Start: Jul 30 2008 - 5:00pm End: Jul 30 2008 - 5:59pm July 30, 2008 - Lean Works In Construction – presented in the morning, Planning that really Works - The Last Planner presented in the afternoon, Tulsa, OK, sponsored by SMACNA of Oklahoma, Inc., Contact: Terry Elliott at (918) 838-3223.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: June 14, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - May 08 #34
Sustaining Lean read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: June 10, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction #33
Lean Leaders What is a ‘Lean Leader?’ What type of leader is needed to successfully implement Lean? Lou English, a noted Lean consultant, shares his thoughts on this: read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 31, 2008
Oct 2, 2008 – Lean Works in Construction, Seattle, WA – Sponsor: SMACNA
Start: Oct 2 2008 - 10:00am End: Oct 2 2008 - 10:59am Oct 2, 2008 – Lean Works in Construction, Seattle, WA – Sponsor: SMACNA - Western Washington Chapter – contact Joanne Williams at 206 285-4144. Must be a SMACNA member to attend.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 29, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - May 08 #34
Sustaining Lean read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 08, 2008
Manufacturers Need to Look at Lean Construction
See original article here Manufacturers Need to Look at Lean Construction Lean is proving that you can build for less, faster and still maintain quality. read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 30, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction #33
Lean Leaders What is a ‘Lean Leader?’ What type of leader is needed to successfully implement Lean? Lou English, a noted Lean consultant, shares his thoughts on this: read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 08, 2008
What is the Lean Approach in Construction Contracting?
In a phrase, we define it as asset productivity. (Current and fixed assets along with people) Productive assets means higher ROI. Healthy financial results bode well for construction contractors and their staffs. As you know, cash in the bank can determine whether your business future will be a) troubled b) robust or c) extinct. The bank does not have an opinion about your balance; it is not debatable. That balance allows you to take a long-term view or forces you focus only on the short term. Greater asset productivity... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 21, 2008
Lean & 5S' in Construction #16 Nov 2006
***************** Attack the Waste of Transportation This is the waste of moving materials or goods. Though often necessary, any time material or tools are moved it does not usually add value. In construction unless one is able to fabricate while transporting the material to the job, nothing is changed during the movement to add value. Sometimes the material is damaged while being transported, resulting in more waste. Transportation waste happens when we move material around the shop; when we load it on the truck or trailer; when we haul... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #18 - January 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction - Newsletter #18 - January 2007 ***************** Attack Waste of Over Processing OVER-PROCESSING: This waste happens when there are unnecessary or extra steps in the process or if steps that do not create value. The more steps in any process, the more chances for mistakes in processing. In construction this waste includes over-engineering, having to have someone’s’ signature on a requisition, multiple handling of timesheets, duplicate entries on forms or data-entry fields, and getting double and triple estimates from suppliers. Over-processing is caused by... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #19 Feb 2007
Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #19 February 2007 Attack the Waste of Motion MOTION: Employees moving around do not add value and is waste. These ‘treasure hunts’ happen when we store material away from the job or when workers must go looking for tools, material or information. Treasure hunts happen in the office, when we are looking for files, reports, reference books, current drawings, contracts or vendor catalogues. Poor planning and organization often cause this waste. It happens because we don’t have a designated place for everything. A... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #20 March 2007
Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #20 March, 2007 This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share - please contact me. Keep it Simple Some suggestions on the how to do the 5S’s and keep it simple: “Whatever you do, don't seal it in the concrete, as you have to improve it as soon as you've implemented it! Better stick tapes than paint lines, Better use movable... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2008
Lean & 5S' in Construction #22 May 2006
***************** Office Efficiency and Waste in Knowledge Workers Work Daniel Markovitz, a Lean consultant, reports helping reduce the waste in knowledge workers' behavior. In one project the workers gained nearly 10 hours per week for value added work. What would an additional 10 hours do for you office admin, estimators and engineers? Dan feels that “Lean work habits are critical for knowledge workers, because the multiple value streams flowing through them create a constant tension. Without lean habits to guide their work, the critical flow of information in the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 06, 2008
Lean Works in Construction, Oakland, CA
Start: Jun 2 2008 - 11:00am End: Jun 2 2008 - 11:59am March 3, 2008 – Lean Works in Construction, Oakland, CA – Sponsor: Bay Area SMACNA Chapter – contact Audrey Kerns at (510) 635-8212. Must be a SMACNA member to attend.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 29, 2008
Case Studies: Increasing Throughput with Lean Concepts
After attending a Lean 101 class, Joe Oakley, powdercoat team leader for Edmond, OK-based Pelco Products Inc., manufacturer of traffic signal hardware, structural poles, decorative lighting and utility hardware, knew he wanted to use lean in his department.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 20, 2008
Lean Project Management
="http://bradapp.blogspot.com/">Brad Appleton reviewed Lean Project Management, by L Leach concluding, "I found Lean Project Management to be a fairly quick read providing a good overview of some TOC and CCPM fundamentals and how they align with Lean thinking." © 2008 Hal, Reforming Project Management. | Permalink | No comments Add to del.icio.us. | Search blogs linking this post with Technorati Want more on these topics? Browse other posts tagged asides.... Read More
Humility Makes Toyota Different
e Lean Insider: Speaking to Toyota employees at the Detroit Auto Show President Watanabe asked that they take responsibility for recent quality problems. "I do not regard the problem as something that suppliers are responsible for. We must work together so that we are fully aware of where suppliers are." Bernstein closes saying, "At Toyota, they know that doing the best job of serving the customer is what makes the company profitable." © 2008 Hal, Reforming Project Management. | Permalink | One comment Add to del.icio.us. | Search blogs... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 18, 2008
High Performing Contractor - Feb 2008
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER - Feb. 2008 This e-newsletter is dedicated to supporting High-Performing Contractors and all contractors working to become one. Written by Dennis Sowards read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 12, 2008
Have You Enjoyed Yourself this Week?
lass="pull_ad">Hi. I’m Alan Mossman, a consultant based in the UK. Hal has invited me to contribute occasional posts to RPM in the areas of design, safety and collaboration. my profs at Uni, Stafford Beer, asserted "A system is what a system does". So why would anyone create a system that in Hal’s words “turns strangers into enemies”. Will Lichtig addressed this issue in an article for the Fall 07 American Institute of Architects Practice Management Digest. In Projects as Patients, Will suggests a scoring system for project health —... Read More
Please Welcome Alan Mossman
We have another new blogger at RPM, Alan Mossman, Director of Lean Construction Institute UK. He trained as an architect and then worked as a socio-technical systems consultant. Returning to construction in 2000 he is co-editor of the Lean Construction Journal and from 2005-07 was Director of Constructing Excellence South West. Alan will be contributing articles every few weeks, or so. Please welcome him with your comments and questions. When you're done reading the following post, head over to ChangeThis to vote on his manifesto proposal Together at the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 11, 2008
The Proximity Principle and Project Success: Revisiting Project e-Tip 016
lass="pull_ad">In my first guest-blogger entry, I mentioned the importance of managing perceptions. I wrote that not doing so was the main cause of why only one project out of three was considered successful by major stakeholders, according to the Standish Group's Chaos Report1. I concluded that "not managing perceptions" could be considered the 10th waste of ill-managed projects. asy to say that we have to manage perceptions. But where and how should we start doing that? The Chaos Report gives us pretty good leads on that. The report identifies... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 29, 2008
Lean Works in Construction, Oakland, CA
Start: Mar 3 2008 - 11:00am End: Mar 3 2008 - 4:00pm March 3, 2008 – Lean Works in Construction, Oakland, CA – Sponsor: Bay Area SMACNA Chapter – contact Audrey Kerns at (510) 635-8212. Must be a SMACNA member to attend.... Read More
Lean Construction Practices, SMACNA – SMWIA
Start: Apr 3 2008 - 11:24am April 3, 2008 – Lean Construction Practices, SMACNA – SMWIA – 2008 Partners in Progress, Las Vegas, contact http://www.pinp.org/conf08/registration.htm... Read More
Job Planning that Works - Phoenix, AZ
Start: Apr 17 2008 - 11:00am End: Apr 17 2008 - 11:59am April 17, 2008 – Job Planning that Works - Phoenix, AZ – Sponsor: PIPE & 469 JAC, contact Cathy at pipetrust@qwest.net... Read More
Lean Works in Construction, Portland, OR
Start: May 21 2008 - 11:00am End: May 21 2008 - 11:59am May 21, 2008 - Lean Works in Construction, Portland, OR – Sponsor: Columbia SMACNA Chapter – contact Tom Goodhue at 503.220.2303. Must be a SMACNA member to attend.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 22, 2008
Lean & 5S's in Construction - Jan 07, #30
This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. Lean Leaders read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 21, 2008
5S’s Any CEO Would Love - Phoenix, AZ
Start: Mar 20 2008 - 3:00pm March 20, 2008 - 5S’s Any CEO would Love - Phoenix, AZ – Sponsor: PIPE & 469 JAC, contact Cathy at pipetrust@qwest.net... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 13, 2008
Not Managing Perceptions: The 10th Waste of Project Management
ject Quality Management must address the management of the project and the product of the project" (p.180, PMBoK, 3rd edition) In an earlier blog entry, I presented the Nine Wastes of Mismanaged Projects, according to Lean Project Management gurus (Howell, Macomber, Koskela, Bodek). I said then that I saw a 10th waste adversely affecting project success: Not Managing Perceptions. Today, I will briefly explain why I believe that not managing perceptions is a major project waste, and why it has to be taken care of for our projects to... Read More
AIA “Hot Topic”: Target Value Design
lass="pull_ad">Back in the fall 2007, the AIA Practice Management Digest asked Greg Howell, Executive Director of the Lean Construction Institute, to convene a panel of design and construction lean thinkers to write on lean design (for construction). I was one of the invited essayists. I wrote a paper with Greg and John Barberio. Our topic was Target-Value Design. osed that Target-Value Design (TVD) turns the current design practice upside-down. Rather than estimate based on a detailed design, design based on a detailed estimate. Rather than evaluate the constructibility of... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 10, 2008
Ease into (Lean Project) Cold Water — Not!
lass="pull_ad">Our inclination is to ease into new situations. We take baby steps thinking that it is the safe way to engage in something new. Two of my sons just went sky diving. There's no reasonable way to ease out of the plane…particularly when you are jumping tandem. There's no reasonable way to ease into cold water. How do I know? I've tried it. I suspect many of you have tried it too! quote class="pullquote">"…incremental change promotes a parochial outlook and attitude" Lean practices are as shocking as cold water.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 07, 2008
Be Lean…Build Lean
As 2007 came to a close, lean design and construction got some well-deserved press. The manufacturing community shares their successes and learning about lean through Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and their "Target Magazine". Most lean manufacturers operate in buildings that were neither designed or built lean. That can change. Karen Wilhelm, writing for Target, spent quite some time investigating the lean construction movement. She shares what she learned in a cover story, lean construction is making headway">Collaboration Makes Construction Lean. "The culture of heroes works against the smooth flow... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 26, 2007
Lean & 5S's in Construction - Dec 07, #29
What would Santa be like if he went Lean? – Answer is at the end of this email. ****************** How to Lead Lean Lou English shares his views about how leadership must understanding Lean and be convinced of its value enough: “To pay attention to it through goals, measures, problem solving and seeing it working every day. To learn about it without trivial debate or challenge, read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 19, 2007
Rework Ruins JobSite Morale
There are few management decision that can crush the morale on a job site more than excessive major rework orders. I’ve sat in too many management meetings where major demo/rebuild changes were discussed without any consideration given to communicating the reasons for the change to the responsible work crews. In these instances management focuses on the economic and design considerations of the finished product without sharing that information with the workers. The folks on the ground are left to interpret their own reasons for the change: Management doesn’t value... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 13, 2007
Construction Verification Makes Doesn’t Replace Your Experts - It Makes Them Better
A... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 10, 2007
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER Nov 07
Nov. 2007 This e-newsletter is dedicated to supporting High-Performing Contractors and all contractors working to become one. Written by Dennis Sowards Leadership & the Environment Want to have engaged employees? One way may be to focus more on environmental issues. A recent study summarized by Adrienne Selko found that employees who are satisfied with their employer's concern for the environment are more likely to take pride in their jobs. Adrienne cited research by Sirota Survey Intelligence that found: “The level of employees' satisfaction with their employers' environmental policies decreases... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 04, 2007
The Factory Worker vs. The Construction Worker
The Factory Worker shows up to work every day ready to put in a hard day’s work. The Construction Worker shows up to work every day ready to put in a hard day’s work. The Factory Worker reports to the same building every day. That is unless his job has been outsourced to some far away land where the same job can be done at a fraction of the cost. The Construction Worker reports to a job site or a union hall or a day labor center every day.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 03, 2007
Is Being Unproductive Contageous?
We’re trying to link to a Viewpoint article from the ENR website for our next blog post, but their finicky member log-in app is making things very difficult for us. It strikes me as ironic that in this instance, the practices of one of the main media outlets of the construction industry are inhibiting our productivity as we try to shout out to the world about the productivity problems of the construction industry itself. (I think I hurt myself just typing that.) In any case, we’ll keep working with... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 29, 2007
Knocking Down the Silos
A recent article by Eric Anderson and Mark Wagner discusses the success that can be achieved when the silos of Architects, Engineers and Contractors are removed through the use of the integrated practice process. As someone who comes from manufacturing and has seen firsthand the benefits of the Design for Manufacture I say here, here! When I joined the workforce in the mid eighties as a newly trained engineer, pumped up with information on the latest cutting edge practices and technologies, DFM was a new concept that I embraced... Read More
Succeeding with Lean Thinking Requires Changing Our Stories
rly 20 years ago Robert Reich made a big claim: Americans can't change who they are until they change the story of who they've been. His book, Tales of a New America detailed classical American stories: the rot at the top; the mob at the gate; the rise of the individual… e class="pullquote">It's only in changing the story that we can be someone different. I've come to believe it's our stories that anchor us — that keep us from achieving what we say we want. Norman calls it resistance.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 28, 2007
Norman Bodek Invents Ninth Waste
lass="pull_ad">People can't seem to leave Ohno's Seven Wastes alone. Norman Bodek, godfather of lean, made the latest addition. He calls it "Saying No." Norman chose to share this in an article for Industry Week in The Ninth Waste — Saying, "No". Norman is in his best story-telling form. quote class="pullquote">Mystery solved: the godfather of lean gave us the eighth waste. Norman claims that managers are generally resistant to change. That it is in their resisting change that they say, "No," to suggestions for improvement from employees. It may only... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 27, 2007
Sutter Contract Is 'Lean' Enabler
Jessica Kelley, project manager for Southland Industries, says Sutter Health's relational contract encourages team members to build mutual trust quickly because of its shared risks and rewards.... Read More
JI for Developing the Five Why Habit
lass="pull_ad">I spent the last week in Bellingham, WA in a training program. I am now a TWI Institute Qualified Trainer for the Job Instruction (JI) program. This is the same program Toyota uses to teach their team leaders and supervisors how to train their staff. I am quite pleased with the training. The TWI Institute is doing a good job replicating the TWI Service's training program. We used the same basic materials, although the guide was well-annotated and included very useful references for trainers. ht be wondering, "Why did... Read More
Tell New Stories to Make the Lean Change
t must we do to open our organizations to change? Whether it's pursuing lean or any other transformational change it's only when we break with history that we have a chance for change. One necessary way we do that by changing the stories we tell. e class="pullquote">Few business leaders appreciate the power of stories to connect with their audiences. Business Week just reported on leadership…the kind of leadership that alters forever who we are and where we are going…The Seven Secrets of Inspiring Leaders, by Carmine Gallo. He says... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 26, 2007
Why Don’t We Make the Lean Change?
lass="pull_ad">Norman Bodek is concerned that companies are not taking up a lean way of working. This is in the face of overwhelming evidence that a lean approach is one of the best ways of working. What gets in the way? Norman attributes it to middle managers who resist change. He says the resistance is manifest in saying, "No," to employees' proposals of improvement. I don't buy it. is right when he says the people get in the way of change. It is not organizations that resist change. Only individuals... Read More
Surprise! It’s a Lean Herrero at the 9th Lean Construction Congress
s that time of year again. I'm attending the Lean Construction Congress in San Francisco. This is the 9th annual event. As usual, the focus is on companies who have adopted lean approaches for delivering AEC projects. The morning presentations have been great. Company presenters are doing a fine job speaking about the benefits they are getting and how the lean approaches and principles cause that to happen. e class="pullquote">Becoming lean and being evermore lean is fundamentally about learning, not about lean. It's a little early in the two... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 25, 2007
Lean Gurus See Big Gains in Use of Lean Project Delivery
Gregory A. Howell, co-founder with Glenn Ballard of the Lean Construction Institute, is part philosopher and part skeptic.... Read More
Sutter Health Unlocks the Door to A New Process
"I've been waiting for 27 years to do a job like this....No more finger-pointing....It's about trusting your partners or it doesn't work....We all sink or swim together....Nobody cuts corners....We are 'incentivized' to help each other.... There is no 'we' or 'they'....It’s one team....Our goals are Did the professionals making these comments drink construction’s magic elixir? Close to it, say NBBJ’s Jay Halleran and David Swain.and contractor."... Read More
Newest Kaizen Book — by Shigeo Shingo
lass="pull_ad">This is not a book review. That will come later. I'm only sharing the news that there is a new Shigeo Shingo book: kaizen and the Art of Creative Thinking. Norman Bodek gave me the chance to review an early version of the book. I'm quite impressed. I've wondered for quite some time if there is a systematic behind Toyota's success other than PDCA. We now all know the answer. Shingo developed an approach that helps everyone to be more creative. And that approach is readily learned. p>(...)Continue reading... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 06, 2007
Lean & 5s' in Construction - Oct 07 #27
****************** The Challenge of Lean From Lean Enterprise Institute The Challenge of Lean Purpose – Provide value to customers cost effectively and consistently in order to prosper. Process – Through the primary value creating workflows for design, make, and ship, and the streams that support them.... Read More
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER Nov 07
Nov. 2007 This e-newsletter is dedicated to supporting High-Performing Contractors and all contractors working to become one. Written by Dennis Sowards Leadership & the Environment Want to have engaged employees? One way may be to focus more on environmental issues. A recent study summarized by Adrienne Selko found that employees who are satisfied with their employer's concern for the environment are more likely to take pride in their jobs. Adrienne cited research by Sirota Survey Intelligence that found: “The level of employees' satisfaction with their employers' environmental policies decreases... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 05, 2007
Lean Construction: New tools and old combine to reduce waste
by Dennis Sowards read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 23, 2007
Bringing 'Lean' Principles to Service Industries
"In terms of operations and improvements, the service industries in general are a long way behind manufacturing," Upton says. "The motivation for this work was to gain some well-grounded research on how improvements can be brought to services through some of these lean concepts."... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 16, 2007
Lean & 5S's Newsletter #25 Aug 2007
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 15, 2007
Lean & 5S's #26
Tools Management How do you manage tools? Amy Erickson offers these suggestions. “The best tooling management programs are those that are very visual, simple to use (no computers) and designed by the people who use the tools themselves. If management tries to force a system, then you will also have to force compliance. Getting the users involved will produce a better solution. Also, if done properly, this activity is a lot of fun and will help build a sense of team within the shop. You will be amazed how... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 19, 2007
Lean & 5S's #26
Tools Management How do you manage tools? Amy Erickson offers these suggestions. “The best tooling management programs are those that are very visual, simple to use (no computers) and designed by the people who use the tools themselves. If management tries to force a system, then you will also have to force compliance. Getting the users involved will produce a better solution. Also, if done properly, this activity is a lot of fun and will help build a sense of team within the shop. You will be amazed how... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 17, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #22 May 2006
***************** Office Efficiency and Waste in Knowledge Workers Work Daniel Markovitz, a Lean consultant, reports helping reduce the waste in knowledge workers' behavior. In one project the workers gained nearly 10 hours per week for value added work. What would an additional 10 hours do for you office admin, estimators and engineers? Dan feels that “Lean work habits are critical for knowledge workers, because the multiple value streams flowing through them create a constant tension. Without lean habits to guide their work, the critical flow of information in the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 11, 2007
Lean & 5S's Newsletter #25 Aug 2007
read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 14, 2007
Lean Works in Construction - Kansas City, Mo
Start: Jun 20 2007 - 11:00am End: Jun 20 2007 - 4:00pm June 20, 2007 - Lean Works in Construction – Kansas City, MO –Sponsor: SMACNA- KC – Contact Sang 816-421-3360 ext. 112 and at information@smacnakc.com Visit smacnakc.com event page _uacct = "UA-1458603-1";urchinTracker(); read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 16, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #20 March 2007
Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #20 March, 2007 This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share - please contact me. Keep it Simple Some suggestions on the how to do the 5S’s and keep it simple: “Whatever you do, don't seal it in the concrete, as you have to improve it as soon as you've implemented it! Better stick tapes than paint lines, Better use movable... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 06, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #4 June 2005
5S’s in Construction Newsletter #4 June 2005 The Fifth S – don’t leave it out! For many 5S efforts, the 5th “S” is often the hardest. “Self discipline” means maintaining the gains that have come through the other 4S’s. It means implementing systems and methods to ensure that we keep doing the other 5S’s activities. Consider what would happen to the 5S’s without self-discipline? read more... Read More
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER January 2007
Assessment Model **************** Leadership Keith Harrison, the global product supply office for Proctor & Gamble Co. (P&G), list his thoughts on leadership: “In today’s global, rapidly changing world, one of the most important qualities of leadership is the ability to define and organize around moments of truth in your business. In our business there are two moments of truth – when the customer stands at the store shelf and chooses our brand and when she uses our product at home and decides whether it lives up to he expectations.” ... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 04, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #2 January 2005
5S’s in Construction Newsletter #2 January 2005 ************** Is it time to ‘Reshine?” General Dynamics reports that periodically it is a good idea to revisit your 5S’s areas and reshine them. Sometimes, especially if one does not have a good self-discipline system aka audit process, things will drift back to where they were prior to doing the 5S’s. If this is the case for you, don’t give up or pull out all of your hair (some of us have so little anyway). Start again – do a Reshine Week and... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #8 February 2006
***************** Inventory - Why? Why? Why? Inventory is waste so why do we have so much of it in construction? When I talk about ‘inventory,’ I am not just including inventory of materials in the shop and on the accounting books, but the stashes and materials that are ‘job costed’ and not usually called inventory. I consider inventory to be any material not being installed regardless of where it is physically stored. Jim Womack (Lean Thinking) recently wrote about the three types of inventory: read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 03, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #13 Aug 2006
Newsletter August 2006 - Issue #13 **************** Inspect Your Own Work Traditional approaches to quality control/quality assurance is “inspection.’ We typically audit, inspect and/or test at the end of the process. Often we rely on someone else to perform this inspection. Lean does not do away with inspection but changes where, when and who does it. We want self-inspection. The Japanese say about defective product – don’t get, don’t make it and don’t pass it on. Do the people doing the work know if what they received is right? ... Read More
How Much Redundancy Is There In The Construction Process?
Cost continues to be a major concern to all construction professionals. New sources of escalation have surfaced in the last 10 years. Direct cost items such as material and non-directs such as insurance. All these are difficult to control. What is controllable is the amount of redundancy in the design and construction process. Take our 30 second survey about these wasteful work steps. Let us know your opinion about the percentage amount. Results are immediate. http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225PBGFCKXW... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 02, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #9 March 2006
***************** Inventory – Solutions to Causes In our last newsletter we discussed causes of waste by keeping inventory. This and the next few issues will share some answers: Cause: Poor quality work in the shop and in the field Solution: This is an age-old challenge in construction. The solution is straightforward but not easy. To improve quality it starts with a clear definition of what is and is not quality work. It can’t be wishy – washy such as “I know it when I see it!” Once defined all... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 30, 2007
Lean Works in Construction – Salt Lake CIty, UT
Start: Apr 27 2007 - 1:00pm End: Apr 27 2007 - 5:00pm April 25, 2007 – Lean Works in Construction – Salt Lake City, UT Sponsor: Utah Sheet Metal Contractors Association Contact James Paull at (801) 486-8449.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 27, 2007
Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable, part 2
BY DENNIS SOWARDS , Quality Authority Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable, part 2 THE SEVEN TYPES of waste, which we identified last month (pg. 50), are: Defects This is a product or service that contains errors, requires rework or does not function as designed. Over-production of goods We create waste when we produce more than the customer needs or is needed at that time. Transportation This is the waste of moving materials or goods. Waiting When people, equipment or product wait for other processes or workers to finish... Read More
Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable, part 1
Newsmagazine of Mechanical Contracting SOWARDS ON QUALITY BY DENNIS SOWARDS , Quality Authority Waste is everywhere but isn't inevitable WASTE IS NOT desirable, especially in construction. To be more competitive we need to drive waste out of our operations. Most of us recognize waste in the form of defects and scrap. But this is just the tip of the iceberg! In Lean Thinking, value and waste are opposites. "Value" is what the customer is actually willing to pay for the product or service. Economists define value as the ratio... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 24, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #11 May 2006
***************** GM wants it Lean At the SMWIA/SMACNA 2006 Partners in Progress Conference held this past March, Jack Hallman, Director, Manufacturing Construction Management Worldwide Facilities Group, Capital Projects for General Motors and Richard Cramer, Chairman of the Board for of Dee Cramer Inc. presented on a project done for GM using lean techniques. Part of the presentation included these points of interest: read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction #3 February 2005
5S’s in Construction Newsletter #3 February 2005 It’s out! I just received word that the New Horizons Foundation book Lean Production Principles is now published. This is a research paper on how Lean is being applied to construction. You can obtain a copy by contacting them at (703) 222-9001 or www.newhorizonsfoundation.org. read more... Read More
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The Toyota Way is my favorite book for 2007. It had so many good ideas that I could not keep up and ended up reading it again and even buying the Field Book to go along with it.
Download Elegant Solutions from Change This which provides some highlights of the Toyota Production System. Too many ideas that are applicable to contractors to even count!
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