Would you order a delivery pizza for dinner from a restaurant advertising delivery in 6 hours? How about a restaurant that can bring you a cold, stale pizza in only 5 minutes? To meet the consumer's needs, the pizza shop must be able to give customers the number of pizzas they want when they want it. Preparing pizzas in advance is too wasteful because most consumers will not likely buy stale pizzas. Meanwhile, if you take too long to deliver the pizza, you will lose customers to a more responsive competitor. The concept of just-in-time focuses on making what you need to meet customer demand only when you need it. For a pizza delivery shop, that probably means a fresh pizza at the customer's door in around 30 minutes. This philosophy can apply to a range of operations, from simply washing a car to manufacturing a complex aircraft.
Similarly, lean manufacturing refers to eliminating waste in the manufacturing process. The Toyota Product System is the model for modern manufacturers that want to control waste. This unit will look at seven types of waste and processes for controlling them. In addition, we will explore the origins of the "Just-in-Time" (JIT) philosophy and the use of pull systems to control inventory.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.
In this article, you will explore the 5S method of workplace organization and how it enables workers to focus on eliminating waste. It also discusses the Kaizen approach, which focuses on continuous improvement. A lean strategy enables companies to respond to consumer demand, take a long-term view, and eliminate mistakes, all while valuing employee input.
Watch this video to review the use of Lean methods in manufacturing to reduce waste and increase continuous quality improvement. Waste can be placed in eight different categories. This video is useful because of the guidance it provides in avoiding pitfalls that have hindered organizations from successfully using Lean methods to increase CQI.
Read this section to better understand the application of Lean. Pay particular attention to the five core principles of Lean. This starts by defining value from the customer's perspective. Lean methods are not hard but require that you truly understand what waste is within your organization. This provides the foundation for choices that improve efficiency and effectiveness. Complete exercise five at the end of the section.
Read this brief description of Kanban, a visual method of controlling production processes.
Watch this video to explore how organizations use Kanban to increase IT project effectiveness. Kanban is a less complex method to apply Lean within the organization. This is also designed to be agile and easily adapted to the organization's needs. Pay attention to how you might adapt this method to improve quality and reduce waste in a way that does not relate to an IT project.
Read this article. Pay particular attention to the examples of the eight wastes. These eight types of waste should be understood and evaluated. Take time to consider your workplace. Identify each type of waste within your organization. Where does it occur? Why does it occur? Is it required waste (regulatory or quality assurance step)? Answers to these questions are a precursor to making sound decisions related to eliminating waste and making changes in the process.
Watch this slideshow to explore how waste can be found throughout the work done in the office processes. Often, Lean methods are considered only applicable in a manufacturing context. Sometimes, Lean methods are applied in a service industry when there is direct contact with customers. However, this slide show provides some examples of how waste (as identified by Lean) can be found throughout all parts of an organization.
Watch this slideshow to explore the eight wastes defined in Lean. Pay close attention to the differences between value-added activities and non-value-added activities. Value-added activities create value for the customer/client/patient. Non-value-added activities are often pure waste within the system.
Read this overview of continuous improvement in the context of education. Education is a service. Therefore, operations management concepts apply in the education industry. Keep in mind; some would argue that students are a product manufactured by the education system. This can create a different perspective when reviewing the process of education.
Watch this video about using Kaizen events to increase the quality of your process. Kaizen is one tool that is used when practicing Lean methods. This provides you with background information on the development of this tool.
Consider the importance of creating a culture focused on continuous improvement within service and manufacturing organizations. This is important because the culture either supports or hinders any initiative started within an organization. If the culture does not support continuous quality improvement, then the CQI process will fail or the culture must be shifted.
After you've spent some time reviewing what you have learned so far in this unit, post about this topic on the discussion forum. Respond to your classmates' posts, as well.
All of us are familiar with the education system. This might be through our personal experience with K-12 or post-K-12 education or our children's experience. Using the information in this unit, evaluate the operations of an education system. You may choose a K-12 system, a higher education (community college, college, or university) program, or a technical institute that you are familiar with to complete this evaluation. Discuss how and where continuous quality improvement processes could be embedded within the system to increase the quality of the outcomes.
Click on the Unit 5 Discussion and then on 'reply' to post your response.
Read this page and explore the just-in-time manufacturing systems. The just-in-time inventory principle is designed to reduce waste associated with maintaining inventory or inputs. Consider the impact of a just-in-time approach to reducing waste in your inventory system.
Review these brief comments about the origins of the JIT strategy. Consider how companies in different industries can apply this method to improve operations.
In this activity, you will continue working on your operations management plan. As part of the continuing development of your operations management plan, you will discuss the goal of supply chain management and its application within your business.
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.