Management By Walking Around MBWA

Management by walking around, sometimes called management by wandering around is the western version of the Japanese Gemba walk. It is Genchi Genbutsu which means “go and see for yourself”. The place you go to is the Gemba, the place where it happens. In this case where the work happens.
Read the article The Gemba [...]

A 5S Office System – Sustaining the 5S Office System

Standardize and Sustain are the fourth and fifth steps in a 5S Office System. These last two steps are about keeping your 5S Office System running smoothly. To do this you must set up standards and reinforce the 5S Office System.
After the first three articles A 5S Office System – Part 1 Planning, A [...]

5S System Challenges – Slow and Steady Implementation

You will face many challenges implementing and sustaining a 5S System. One of those is that a 5S System represents change. One way to make the change easy for employees it to use a slow and steady method if implementation.
The first thing to remember is there is no cookie cutter solution when it comes [...]

The Gemba Walk – A Tool For IT Management and Leadership

A management technique known as “The Gemba Walk” is about getting managers and leadership out of their offices and into the workplace. An Information Technology department by nature is in a constant state of change. For this reason a Gemba walk is a good way for IT managers and leaders to stay in touch with [...]

A 5S Office System – Part 3 Your First 5S Office Campaign

There are many benefits to a 5S Office System. Saving time, saving money, increasing efficiency, increasing production and increasing morale are just some examples.
In the first two articles A 5S Office System – Part 1 Planning and A 5S Office System – Part 2 Laying The Foundation, we looked at planning for and laying [...]

A 5S Office System – Part 2 Laying The Foundation

In the first article A 5S Office System – Part 1 Planning we looked at the planning and first meeting stages of implementing a 5S Office System. Now you will learn how to build on this to lay the foundation for your 5S Office System.
First a word about overdoing it. The 5S system was [...]

A 5S Office System – Part 1 Planning

5S, lean, and Kaizen are popular terms used to describe a system used to identify and eliminate all forms of waste in the work environment. These principles that have been used on shop floors around the world to increase productivity and efficiency can be applied to the office environment.
A 5S Office system is a process [...]

How to Eliminate the Muda of Overproduction

The muda of overproduction is caused by producing more than is necessary or required. It is a terrible waste of resources and time. It puts needless wear on office machines, uses up more supplies than are needed and tasks employees to do work that is not needed.
Remember muda is waste. It is [...]

How To Eliminate Muda (Waste) in IT and The Office

Muda is a Japanese word that means waste. It has deeper meaning in that it refers to any activity that does not add value. In IT and the office we have many processes for getting work done. Each of these processes are subject to muda.
In tough economic times like these we need to look [...]

5S System Step 5 – The Sustain Step

The fifth and final step in a 5S System is Sustain. In this step you will instill the self-discipline and culture that will sustain the program. Over time a 5S System may become less effective due to complacency. To sustain a 5S System you must change the culture of employees and sometimes the company.
Self-Discipline
To [...]