How Long Does It Take to Master Lean?


I have been quite fortunate to work with hundreds of organizations on their lean approach to improving their business. Over time, many of these organizations get  detailed lessons in the tools, techniques, and applications of some of the more common tools for seeing and eliminating waste. These include flow mapping, takt time, time observation, loading diagrams, VA/NVA analysis, standard work, and process control.

The best way to learn is to have the time to practice each tool with real examples.  Even better to apply the tool to unique and actual problems in the workplace.  When learning in a training environment, team members are generally overwhelmed. Not that tools are complicated, as each one in itself is relatively simple to learn. None require more than a fourth grade education.

The sense of overwhelming comes from the hundreds of applications of the tools, and the decision making that is required to select the right tool in the right setting. This takes years to master. Becoming an "expert" in even the most basic tools takes continued practice in a variety of applications. The more you practice ( properly practice ) the tools, the easier they are to use.

After many years in this line of work, I still see tools misapplied, or the same set of tools used on all types of problems. One idea you might consider is what waste am I am trying to see or eliminate, and what tool is designed to expose this waste. This action will prevent using a hammer on all problems, because not every problem looks like a nail.

The reality is, as many experienced Lean experts will yell you, is that it takes decades to master even the basic tools across all the settings and applications.  I get many young, bright minds asking me what is next?  There has to be some other secret sauce in the lean toolkit.   All I can say is I am over 2 decades into this journey, and I believe I might be 80% competent in about 60% of the tools.  So much for being an expert.  

You generally have a ten year window to repeatedly apply the nine common tools to see and eliminate waste to any process.  Each application should subsequently reveal new wastes and more double digit improvement opportunities.   

Refreshing your memory these tools are as follows:

1) takt time
2) direct observation
3) loading diagram
4) process mapping
5) value added / non-value added analysis
6) spaghetti mapping
7) communication circle
8) standard work
9) production or process control

Each application should reveal more and more waste.  New tools and approaches are not usually needed within the first six or seven applications of lean problem solving. Have you ever gone back to a problem you have studied and re-applied these tools?  If not, how are you continuously improving?  If you are not continuously improving, you are not really creating a lean culture, you are just doing spot improvement work.

I challenge you to go back and re-study a problem using the set or subset of the nine common tools to see and eliminate waste.  If you re-study the problem you will learn new things about these tools that you have not learned before.   Imagine the learning that can occur.

Alas, this is why lean takes so long to master lean.   

How long has it taken you to master learn?

Lean Blessings,

Ron

Ron Bercaw

President , Breakthrough Horizons LTD
www.breakthroughhorizons.com 




Location: Madeira Beach, FL, USA

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