As a manufacturer, you’ve most likely used many of the lean tools to help you eliminate waste and variation in your processes. Organizations sometimes struggle on how to improve processes in the office environment, because you cannot easily see the “waste”. Information is passed from department to department, many times waiting on people’s desks to […]
Industry 4.0
Leadership of any organization is charged with determining ‘its’ future – where it is headed, how to address it and when – whether to come in early, late, or miss it. Scott Anthony, a Harvard professor once said: “Signs suggesting the looming need for transformation aren’t always obvious, and they are never unmistakable until it’s […]
Paint Your People Gold
By Christian Wolcott
People closest to the work have the best ideas of how and what to change. Let’s examine this simple yet powerful statement. First people, which ones are we talking about? The employees. Which employees? The hardworking folks that directly handle and build the products and provide the services your customers receive. They are the people […]
Creating a “One Company” Culture
By Steven Hirt
In meeting with a new president of a company over a cup of coffee this morning, it dawned on me how hard creating a “one company” culture really is. Reflecting over my years of helping organizations envision, develop and execute strategy, I considered how difficult it is to make these simple words reality. I don’t think […]
Developing Problem Solving and Coaching Skills
Do you have more problems than problem solvers? Do you have a lack of coaches to develop problem solvers? Is too much time spent on firefighting, not enough time to solve problems? Then this workshop is for you. Learn how TIDI Products is creating sustainable long-term improvements without creating “work-arounds” or adding additional burden to […]
Kaizen Décor
By Christian Wolcott
I was traveling last week and overnighted at a swanky hotel at my client’s suggestion. It was new, modern in that glassy, sanitized way with lots of hard surfaces, funky furniture with music cooler than traveling really is playing in the lobby. After checking in I walked the long moody, hallways with helter skelter carpet […]
Standard Work – MN Continuous Improvement Consortium event
Standard Work is repeatable, safe and reliable operations, with all tasks organized in the best known sequence using the most effective combination of people, material, machines and methods. In essence, it is the single best documented recipe for accomplishing work. It builds on tribal knowledge and best practices, tips, tricks and workarounds that hard-working people […]
SIC – Short Interval Control
Short Interval Control is a process that involves identifying and implementing effective counter-measures to improve performance in repeated cycles. Through the observation of a given indicator, we can highlight the variation, which would otherwise have been ‘greyed out’ by averaging, using shorter intervals. Short Interval Control meetings are performed multiple times per shift utilizing good […]
Problem Solving
In the powerful world of continuous improvement, PROBLEMS are to be celebrated! Join us for Breakfast as we chat about PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING. We will quickly examine tools and techniques that make for more effective problem management. Problem Perception – Can we articulate in an objective way? Clarify the issue and “the Gap” – Can […]
Machine Design Principle 2 – Simple
By Roger Wolfe
In this case Simple means the bare essentials to get the job completed. Most machinery manufacturers create base equipment that has some extras that will never be used in our application, but they are trying to create as much value for a large range of customers as possible. Not only do these “extras” create additional […]