Lean or Lagging: Take the Lean Assessment Test

A lean organization performs better, innovates constantly and outpaces the competition. So, is your manufacturing operation lean? Here’s a quick way to determine your gaps and find out which areas need improvement.

1. INVENTORY: Are there piles of inventory lying around?

YES. Too much inventory is classic “proof” of not running lean. Whether you realize it or not, excess inventory is hurting your processes and negatively impacting customers.

NO. A proper inventory level is reflected in balanced Days of Supply and On-Time Delivery. These vital performance metrics let your company begin to assess its “leanness.”

2. PROCESS AND MATERIAL FLOW IN FACILITIES: Are you using space efficiently?

YES. Your production processes are aligned along value streams. Your materials, tools and setup equipment are stored near or at the point of use.

NO. If your materials and support equipment need to travel from central storage areas to your machines, lean thinking toward material processing can improve flow.

3. LEVERAGING DATA AND MEASURABLE RESULTS: Are you seeing clear, positive trends in your metrics?

YES. You see positive trends with month-over-month improvements and year-over-year improvements, regardless of what operations or manufacturing metric you are actually measuring.

NO. If you fail to see clear-cut trends emerging from your measurable data, you cannot consider yourself a lean organization.

4. EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN EXISTING VISUAL MANAGEMENT & CONTROL SYSTEM (VMCS): Are your visual tools offering valuable direction?

YES. Your VMCS allows you to track metrics at the cell or machine level all the way to the board room, helping you identify issues that prevent goals and letting you take immediate action to solve issues.

NO. If you have to go on a data hunt to figure out how your facility is performing, or if you have to wait until finance “closes” the books to see how you did against your targets, you could benefit greatly from an improved Visual Management & Control System.

5. TALKING TO PEOPLE ON THE FLOOR, SITE LEADERS, EXECUTIVE LEADERS: Are your employees engaged in how operations perform?

YES. Your employees consistently focus on the plant’s goals. They’re eager to share their knowledge with each other as well as customers and visitors. Your employees are actively engaged in problem-solving and continuous improvement activities.

NO. Look for literal “signs” of teamwork—including clearly posted safety and environmental posters, even pictures of the company softball team. If you don’t see these signs, chances are the plant hasn’t truly embraced teamwork.