Often misunderstood or even little known, lean is nevertheless a method with many advantages for business organization. Between the need for agility and the need for optimization, lean appears to be the solution that best reconciles these two improvement objectives. For ORSYS, Hugo Maisonnial takes stock of lean as a lever for continuous improvement.
To be lean is to be “slender”
Initiated by Toyota in the 1950s, lean aims to identification and elimination of waste. In other words, it involves eliminating or transforming all activities, all the time we spend doing something, all the resources (material and human) we use, and who have not no added value for the customer, company or employees.
To the term "lean", too often associated with "degreasing" activities (due to a risky translation: slim/lean), we prefer that of “slender”, that is to say: doing “better” with the same resources, while placing people at the heart of the process.
Thought over the long term, lean has real advantages for all of the company's activities. It establishes a sustainable approach, promotes a stable and collective organization, and fights against waste. It also facilitates digitalization by, for example, naturally pushing for dematerialization.
Lean is not just for industry
Historically, lean was first widely deployed in different industries (automobile, aeronautics, pharmaceuticals, etc.). Today, all sectors of activity is likely to rely on this methodology (public services, service companies, banking sector, etc.).
In all trades and in all our activities, we achieve a sequence of tasks allowing the product, service or information to be brought to the state desired by the customer: we speak of a “process”. Each of these successive stages brings added value but can also be wasteful. At this stage, avenues for improvement emerge. However, it is this notion of optimization that lean favors.
Clearly, lean does not take into account an area of activity but a process. It is therefore applicable everywhere, all the time, provided that you understand the issues and master the tools.
Lean as a culture of continuous improvement
Lean is above all an identified culture mainly by behaviors which themselves arise from the use of tools. It is based on four pillars : teamwork, communication, efficient use of resources and elimination of waste.
For successful implementation, it is therefore essential:
– to define the continuous improvement deployment policy at the company level and communicate a clear vision (for example: improve quality/reduce deadlines);
– to align the entire organization towards a common objective or, in other words, toinvolve as many people as possible ; – to develop a mindset of continuous improvement. In practice, this is question processes and not people.
Supporting change to sustain the lean approach
The launch of a lean approach in the company may encounter obstacles, particularly during transformation projects. Quite “classically”, we find the difficulties encountered in change management:
– no corporate vision = we are confused;
– no know-how = we are in anxiety;
– without motivation = we are in a slow change;
– no resources = we are frustrated;
– no action plans = false starts.
Vigilance is therefore essential at all stages of the project and, in particular, after the deployment phases. To sustain the lean approach, it will be necessary ensure that continuous improvement is fully anchored in the company culture.
Tools are good. Culture is better.
The lean “toolbox” is rich and varied. In particular, we find tools:
– so-called “fundamentals” (5S, Visual Management, standardization, etc.);
– process mapping (SIPOC, Swimlane diagram, VSM, etc.);
– aimed at problem solving (Ishikawa, 5 Why, QRQC, etc.);
– “Just-in-Time” (Kanban, Takt Time, Push/Pull Flow, etc.);
– strategic, like “Hoshin Kanri” to deploy the corporate vision.
We often hear that lean is based on " practical sense ". It's true but… Based on our experiences (young graduate or very experienced person) or our culture (American, Korean, French, etc.), we may not all have the same “practical sense”.
Beyond tools, lean is above all a state of mind.That of see problems as opportunities to improve.
