Glossary
5S
A methodology for organizing, cleaning, developing, and sustaining a productive work environment.
Sort: Remove all unnecessary items from the work area.
Straighten: Organize what is needed so that it is easily identifiable in a designated place. Scrub: Clean everything.
Standardize: Follow consistent best practices.
Sustain: Maintain the improvements, and provide opportunities for additional improvements.
5S audit form
A form that is used to monitor the 5S program and to ensure that improvements are made when there are deviations from the program. Audits should be performed weekly to ensure that the program is sustained.
5S tracking sheet
A visual tool that is displayed on the production floor to show how each process or area is sustaining 5S. The scores come from the weekly 5S audits, and the tracking sheet is updated once a month. Incentives should be provided to the process or area with the highest monthly score.
controlled batches
A method of inventory and volume control to ensure that the right amount of product and parts is being built when needed. Operators build to the specified batch quantity; then they stop and verify the quantity and quality.
cross-training matrix
A management tool used to monitor operators' skill levels within an assembly line or other manufacturing process. There are three skill levels: novice, certified, and trainer.
effective hours
The amount of time production workers actually spend building products and fabricating parts. It excludes meetings, breaks, lunches, end-of-day cleanup, and any other scheduled time away from the manufacturing process.
kaizen
Japanese word for continuous improvement. Kaizen encompasses the ideas of encouraging employee participation and promoting a process-oriented culture.
An employee who is 100 percent dedicated to implementing kaizen and driving the continuous improvement efforts within an organization.
kaizen event
A planned, scheduled process improvement project intended to implement lean manufacturing principles. Kaizen events are planned four weeks in advance to ensure 100 percent participation of team members and achievement of the event goals.
kaizen steering committee
A group of managers and operator representatives that oversees all kaizen event activities in a company. The committee is led by the kaizen champion and meets once a month.
kaizen suggestion box
Used for collecting employee recommendations on continuous improvement ideas. kaizen tracking sheet
A spreadsheet that is used by the kaizen steering committee to plan and track all kaizen events in the organization to ensure completion of all kaizen activities. See kaizen steering committee.
pay-for-skill program
An incentive-based program to encourage multiskilled workers. As production workers learn new jobs, they receive a pay increase for becoming proficient in more areas of the company. seven deadly wastes
Overproduction: Building the wrong items, at the wrong time, in the wrong quantity, and in the wrong order
Overprocessing: Redundant effort or too many checks Transportation: Excessive movement of items
Motion: Excessive reaching, stepping, and walking in and out of the workstation Waiting: Time period when manufacturing processes are out of synchronization Inventory: Too many parts or partially built products and too many finished goods Defects or rejects: Quality errors that require rework and added cost
single piece flow
The movement of parts or units in manufacturing processes one piece at a time. standard work
An agreed-upon set of work procedures that establishes the best and most reliable methods and steps for each process and each employee. These methods are clearly defined, represent best practice, and are supported by documentation.
strategic purpose
A lean manufacturing business strategy used as a guideline for implementations and improvements. The strategic purpose is revised once a year.
takt time
German word for "rhythm." The time in which a unit must move from one workstation to the next to meet the required daily output. It represents the product completion interval for a given process.
three main drivers
Cost, quality, and delivery. Companies must operate under conditions that offer a competitive balance between these three main drivers. It is difficult to accomplish, because each customer has different needs in regard to these drivers. Application of lean manufacturing principles can help an organization get close to an optimal balance.
tower lights
A color-based light system that is installed at a workstation to allow operators to communicate with support staff and materials handlers.
Index
5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain)
audits
common mistakes straightening sustaining definition
failure case study metrics, lack of
strategic purpose, lack of training
visual management first kaizen event production floor scrubbing sorting standardizing straightening sustaining
training new employees
5S audit forms 5S tracking sheets
A
Accountability
Attendance, pay-for-skill program Author
contact information other book by
B
Baudin, Michael
Best practices. See Standard work.
Books and publications. See also Documentation.
Kaizen Assembly: Designing . . . Lean Assembly: The Nuts and Bolts . . .
Bottleneck identification
Business decision drivers. See Three main drivers.
C
Certifications, pay-for-skill program Certified training level
Chairs and stools, workstation design Champion. See Kaizen champion. Change resistance, failure case study
causes of cultural
cultural commitment, lack of workers
Collecting data. See Data collection. Common mistakes
quality at the source straightening sustaining
time and motion studies waste removal
workstation design chairs and stools conveyor belts conveyor rollers documentation lift tables lighting
lines versus work cells material presentation mobile lines operator fatigue painting physical flow safety
standing versus sitting tool presentation workbenches
Communication
kaizen events
communication boards employee suggestion boxes newsletter
tracking sheets leadership skills standard work
workstation lights. See Tower lights.
Communication boards
Company products, training new employees Consultants
cost
failure case study cost
kaizen events leadership failure
Continuous improvement. See Kaizen. Controlled batches. See also Flow control. Conveyor belts, workstation design Conveyor rollers, workstation design Costs
budgeting kaizen events business decision driver consultants
internal
inventory excess wasted floor space
WIP (work in process) excess
Crisis junkie Cross training
Cross-training matrix Cultural change
Cycle times. See Takt time.
D
Data collection. See also Time and motion studies.
operator involvement training, failure case study work content
Deadly wastes. See Seven deadly wastes. Decision making. See also Three main drivers. Defects/rejects, deadly waste
Delegator
Delivery, business decision driver Departmental responsibilities
engineering
facilities and maintenance production control purchasing
sales and marketing
Direct labor
Documentation. See also Books and publications.
failure case study
point-of-use work instructions work instructions improvement work processes
workstation design
Drivers. See Three main drivers.
E
EH (effective hours)
definition standard work
training new employees work day, length
Employee suggestion boxes. See Kaizen suggestion boxes. Employees. See also New employees, training; Operators.
humiliating
judging on hours over performance leading. See Leadership; People skills. rights of
stakeholders
Engineering manager, on steering committee Engineers, training
Ethics, leadership Event tracking sheet Events. See Kaizen events. Experience, pay-for-skill program
F
Facilities and maintenance
departmental responsibilities manager, steering committee personnel, on kaizen teams
Failure
case study. See X-Corp.
mistakes. See Common mistakes.
Fatigue, workstation design First steps. See Getting started. Five rules for successful leadership Flexing, failure case study
Floor designations
Floor space. See Production floor. Flow control
controlled batches
physical flow, workstation design single piece flow
standard work
Following work content, standard work
G
General manager, steering committee Getting started
conduct first kaizen event create an event tracking sheet hold first kaizen meeting meet with upper management
Good leaders. See Leadership, good leaders. Green lights
H
Human resource manager, steering committee Humiliating employees
Incentive programs. See also Pay-for-skill program. Inventory
deadly waste finished goods
KPIs (key performance indicators)
K
Kaizen
definition getting started
conduct first kaizen event create an event tracking sheet hold first kaizen meeting meet with upper management key elements. See also Kaizen events.
kaizen champion monthly meetings steering committee tracking sheet
training new employees
Kaizen Assembly: Designing . . .
Kaizen champion
definition
external candidates internal candidates
required skills and knowledge on steering committee
Kaizen communication
communication boards employee suggestion boxes newsletter tracking sheets Kaizen events budgeting communication communication boards employee suggestion boxes newsletter tracking sheets date selection definition event selection expected results failure case study
consultants first event
lack of leadership long work days new employee training second event
floor designations goals
length location selection pay-for-skill program planning post-event items pre-event items receiving team red tags scheduling shift work signs sort team
team selection. See Kaizen teams. tracking
tracking sheets
unnecessary items, identifying work day length
Kaizen monthly meetings
agenda items
event results and lessons learned open action items
upcoming events
Kaizen steering committee
definition
engineering manager facilities manager floor representatives general manager
human resource manager kaizen champion maintenance manager manufacturing manager materials manager organization chart plant manager purchasing manager recommended members
Kaizen suggestion boxes
definition description
operator involvement
Kaizen teams
expected results
facilities and maintenance personnel goals leader selection line operators management materials operators member selection quality engineers
KPIs (key performance indicators). See also Metrics.
annual improvement floor space use inventory
pay-for-skill program productivity
speed versus pace throughput time WIP (work in process)
L
Leadership. See also Management.
ethics
failure case study good leaders
acknowledging employees admitting mistakes
approachability
avoid humiliating people avoid workaholics clarity of requests communication
conduct comfortable interviews create an efficient workplace five rules for success
humility
involving employees listening
nurture success people skills
remember personal details result-driven
sincerity
supporting employees tolerate mistakes value an outside life for kaizen events
for kaizen teams poor leaders
common characteristics crisis junkie
delegator
failure to support employees humiliating employees intolerance of mistakes
judging on hours over performance mixing personal and professional lives personal boss
poor decision maker problems created by recognizing
ten signs of two-faced
value hard work over smart work yes/no manager
rights of employees
Lean Assembly: The Nuts and Bolts . . .
Lean manufacturing, training new employees Lean strategy. See Strategic purpose.
Lift tables, workstation design Lighting, workstation design Lights, as communication Line operators, kaizen teams
Lines versus work cells, workstation design Long production lines
M
Maintenance. See Facilities and maintenance. Management. See also Leadership.
denial engineering general manager human resources kaizen proposal to kaizen teams manufacturing materials plant manager purchasing
on the steering committee training
Manufacturing manager, steering committee Marketing. See Sales and marketing.
Material presentation, workstation design Materials manager, steering committee Materials operators, kaizen teams
Measurements. See KPIs (key performance indicators); Metrics. Metrics. See also KPIs (key performance indicators).
Minimizing unrelated activities, standard work Mistakes. See also Common mistakes.
admitting tolerating
Mixing personal and professional lives Mobile lines, workstation design
Mock production line, training new employees Monthly meetings. See Kaizen monthly meetings. Motion, deadly waste
N
New employees, training
5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain) company products
EH (effective hours) kaizen principles lean manufacturing mock production line overview
seven deadly wastes standard work visual workplace
Newsletter
Novice training level
O
Operators. See also Employees; New employees, training.
change resistance in data collection fatigue
flexing
kaizen suggestion boxes kaizen teams
lean manufacturing training loading
minimizing unrelated activities movement. See Flexing. standard work
Ortiz, Chris
contact information
Kaizen Assembly: Designing . . .
Overprocessing, deadly waste Overproduction, deadly waste Owners, stakeholders
P
Pace versus speed
Painting, workstation design
Pay-for-skill program. See also Incentive programs.
attendance certifications definition experience kaizen events
KPIs (key performance indicators) quality
People skills
acknowledging employees admitting mistakes
approachability
avoid humiliating people clarity of requests communication
conducting comfortable interviews humiliating employees
humility
involving employees
leadership quality listening
mixing personal and professional lives nurturing success
remembering personal details result-driven approach sincerity
supporting employees tolerate mistakes tolerating mistakes valuing an outside life
valuing hard work over smart work
Personal boss
Personnel. See Employees; Management; Operators. Physical flow, workstation design
Planning kaizen events. See Scheduling. Plant manager, steering committee
Point-of-use work instructions, failure case study Poor leaders. See Leadership, poor leaders. Problems to avoid. See Common mistakes. Product success drivers. See Three main drivers. Production control department, responsibilities Production floor. See also Workstation design.
5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain) efficient use
floor designations long production lines purpose of
signs
space use, key performance indicators steering committee representatives travel distance
unnecessary items, identifying visual guide to workstations
Production line, training new employees Productivity
Purchasing department, responsibilities Purchasing manager, steering committee
Q
Quality
business decision driver
designed in. See Quality at the source. key performance indicators
pay-for-skill program training new employees
Quality at the source
common mistakes definition
R
Rapid improvement projects. See Kaizen events. Receiving team
Red lights Red tags
Responsibilities of departments. See Departmental responsibilities. Rhythm of work. See Takt time.
S
Safety, workstation design
Sales and marketing department, responsibilities Scheduling kaizen events
date selection length
timeline guidelines
Scrubbing. See also 5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain). Seven deadly wastes. See also Waste removal.
defects/rejects definition inventory motion overprocessing overproduction
training new employees transportation
waiting
Shift work Signs
Single piece flow. See also Flow control. Sitting versus standing, workstation design Sort team
Sorting. See also 5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain). Speed versus pace
Stakeholders employees owners suppliers Standard work accountability benefits of
cycle times. See Takt time. definition examples of operator involvement operator loading required elements communication controlled batches EH (effective hours) flow control
minimizing unrelated activities single piece flow
takt time touch time
training new employees
Standardizing See also 5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain). Standing versus sitting, workstation design
Steering committee. See Kaizen steering committee. Stopwatches, time and motion studies
Straightening. See also 5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain). Strategic purpose
creating
annual KPI improvement departmental responsibilities definition
engineering
facilities and maintenance department failure case study
KPIs (key performance indicators) annual improvement
floor space use inventory productivity quality
speed versus pace throughput time WIP (work in process) production control
purchasing department sales and marketing
shop floor metrics. See KPIs (key performance indicators).
Supervisors, failure case study Suppliers, stakeholders
Sustaining. See also 5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain).
T
Takt time
definition
failure case study standard work
Teams. See Kaizen teams. Temporary workers, training Ten signs of poor leadership Three main drivers
cost definition delivery quality
Throughput time
Time and motion studies
collecting work content common mistakes documenting the work
stopwatches time study sheet tracking tools video cameras
Time study sheet Tolerating mistakes
Tool presentation, workstation design Touch time
Tower lights
Tracking kaizen events Tracking sheets
5S activities 5S audit forms kaizen events time studies
Tracking tools, time and motion studies Trainer training level
Training
certifications, pay-for-skill program certified level
cross training cross-training matrix engineers
failure case study
5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain) bottleneck identification
data collection flexing
new employees shortcomings
value stream mapping visual management levels of progression managers
new employees
5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain) company products
EH (effective hours) failure case study kaizen principles lean manufacturing mock production line overview
quality
seven deadly wastes standard work visual workplace novice level operator involvement temporary workers trainer level
Transportation, deadly waste Travel distance
U
Unnecessary items, identifying Up-front planning, failure case study
V
Value stream
Value stream mapping, failure case study Video cameras, time and motion studies Visual guide to workstations
Visual management, failure case study Visual workplace, training new employees
W
Waiting, deadly waste
Waste removal. See also Seven deadly wastes.
common mistakes high-priority low-priority medium-priority overview
WIP (work in process) buildup
Work cells versus lines, workstation design Work day, length. See also EH (effective hours). Work instructions. See Documentation.
Work processes, best practices. See Standard work. Workbenches, workstation design
Workers. See Employees; Operators.
Workstation design. See also Production floor.
common mistakes chairs and stools conveyor belts conveyor rollers documentation lift tables lighting
lines versus work cells material presentation mobile lines operator fatigue painting physical flow safety
standing versus sitting tool presentation workbenches green lights red lights
tower lights yellow lights
X
X-Corp, lean failure
5S implementation metrics, lack of
strategic purpose, lack of visual management accountability, lack of change resistance
causes of cultural
cultural commitment, lack of workers consultants cost kaizen events leadership failure kaizen events consultants first event lack of leadership long work days new employee training second event
launching the program management denial
point-of-use work instructions single piece flow
summary
supervisor failures takt
training
5S (sort, straighten, scrub, standardize, sustain) bottleneck identification
data collection flexing
new employees shortcomings
value stream mapping visual management up-front planning
WIP (work in process) buildup work instructions improvement
Y
Yellow lights Yes/no manager