Welcome To My Lean Six Sigma Forum

Gemba

2011-11-23T17:31:00.000+08:00

Gemba : In Japanese refer to the place where an event happen. The term can be easily understood if translated into Chinese or Kanji.

Gemba : 现场

I always believe Gemba visit is an effective way for root cause finding. To understand a problem, engineers must jump into the site when doing root cause finding for the problem, by then only he can fully understand the impact of the problem to others and propose precise corrective action.

I like to carry out Gemba walk when I have project activities executing in the production floor. I do believe this is the only way to get first hand information and react accordingly when something went wrong.

Gemba walk is easy, you no need any special tool. What you need is your initiative to walk into the site to have a personal feel of a working condition that other person is facing. By then, only you know what actually went wrong, how serious the problem and the impact to others.

Sound simple isn’t it ? but in reality, how many of us really like it or practicing ?

Why ???

2011-11-01T16:38:00.000+08:00

Why do it this way...
If you have a chance to simplify your process in this way ?

A Simple Change

2011-11-01T16:34:00.000+08:00

This is the outcome of the Gemba walk I have in one of the production floor. Red color line indicates the material flow from one process station to another. Don’t be surprise, peoples working in the production floor has been living in such production floor plan for several years and they don’t see any problem with it.

They can make their process flow leaner if they willing to change. I do send out my proposal as below. Hopefully they will accept.

You Are The Real Boss

2011-10-19T17:17:00.001+08:00

A colleague silently expresses his disappointment to me in the last Friday meeting. From the short conversation, I can sense that he is quite unhappy with his superior and the management. He has been with the department for more than 6 years but he is not given a change for his career advancement.

I feel sorry to hear that. From what I know, he is a very experienced engineer who gains lot of respect from his technical achievement.

He told me he is considering of inter departmental transfer but he worry he cannot get the green light from his “BOSS” because there are still plenty of cases need his attention…..

I don’t want to elaborate the case further since the answer is straight forward….

I have seen many similar cases like this, most of the time peoples suffer in such situation prefer to keep silent even they know they were ignored by the management. No one dare to walk into their manager’s office to voice up their feeling and seek for opportunity to fix the problem.

Honestly, I do face the same problem; I really walk into the GM’s office and ask for discussion about my career path, but I was chase out by him. I am quite disappointed when I asked to get out from the office, it is my bad experience. Anyway, I learn something from the lesson.

What for working with the management who don’t appreciate your talent?

Since then, I never treat my employer, managers as my “BOSS”. They are not my boss, they are just one of my customer. I M THE REAL BOSS.

I treat myself a service provider selling a service to the company at the price I think fair for both. I am responsible for the work I deliver. I have the right to ask for the fair price and I have the right to choose my customer who offer me best return and opportunity to growth.

Try to think this way, you may see thing differently….

Originally post on 2007

The Most Difficult Item In Any Change Project

2011-10-13T15:50:00.000+08:00

If you ask me, what is my biggest challenge in any project for continuous improvement?

I always gives a standard answer, i.e. : To change the people’s behavior.

Per my past experience, I always start an improvement project with lengthy discussion with a group of manager. I have to keep on repeat the same story again and again, for month or even for years, in order to convince them to approve my proposal to make a change.

When come to the change execution, actually, this is not so difficult to me, since I m only dealing with machine most of the time. I can simply make a change, do some data collection. And usually it only takes a few weeks for me to complete the task.

Now, come to the full implementation stage, I need to ensure peoples in the shop floor following the new instruction, make use of the new facility given to them and not converting the process system to the old way that they used to it. Dealing peoples in the shop floor always a big challenge to me. People are just simply refused to change; even they knew that they will be benefited in the new system. In my past experience, I ever watch a production operator to perform his duty for more than 6 month, in order to tune him to follow the new work procedure.

This is the reason why many improvement activities takes years to complete, I would say, 50% of the time wasted dealing with peoples on non value added topic.

A Big Project I Ever Handle

2011-10-01T15:55:00.000+08:00

Having a GB project review together with a group of Deployment Champion. To a company that new to Six Sigma, in general, I believe they are impressed with the result presented by the GBs, I m glad to see all the GBs presented their project successfully and they will be reward with an official Green Belt certification in a graduation ceremony.

This is the 1st batch of Green Belt being trained and certified with the classical Six Sigma certification approach. i.e. the candidate have to go through 8 days of class room training to cover all DMAIC tools, work on a project and must be able to demonstrate the capability of using the tool.

Since this is the first time the company adapt the Six Sigma program, and my 1st experience being the key driver of the deployment, some imperfection is expected, but this is a blocking for continuous improvement.
In fact, we started the discussion about the deployment in July 2010, and we decided to start off a small scale program with the support of three internal staff that has the background of Six Sigma DMAIC methodology. We started the project with Six Sig Deployment strategy set, followed by organization structure, training material and finally training program.

This is not an easy journey to me in the past one year, but it is definitely a great success to me. You know, I m working with a company that do not believe in Six Sigma program once upon a time. People only start to talk about the program after four years since I join them as Project Leader. Anyway, they willing to open up an opportunity to try something new to them, the move is really encouraging.

Well, this is the time I need to prepare for the Wave II training. The demand for Green Belt training is overwhelming, again, this is another exciting challenge waiting for me, I never had the experience to handle such a big group of trainees, I have to think away to overcome the problem.

Let’s see what will happen to the next Wave of Green Belt training.

Alpha Risk & Beta Risk

2011-09-18T15:51:00.000+08:00

Alpha Risk : Also name as Type I Error, is the risk of rejecting the Null Hypothesis when in fact it is true.

Example of Type I Error;
Production operator is making a wrong judgement to reject a good part. Therefore producer is facing some level of risk to loss due to the Type I error commit by the production operator, because of this, Type I Error ( Alpha Risk ) also name as Producer Risk.

Better Risk : Also name as Type II Error, is the risk of accepting the Null Hypothesis when in fact it is false.

Example of Type II Error;
Production operator is making a wrong judgement to accept a rejected part. Due to rejected parts was accepted and deliver to the market, consumer is facing some level of risk to accept the rejected part. Therefore, Type II error also name as Consumer Risk.

Alpha Risk and Beta Risk is used in Power & Sample Size estimation

Kanban Card In Inventory Control

2011-09-03T11:38:00.000+08:00

Days after the presentation, I try to meet up with VJ to understand his problem and the requirement of inventory control. He tell me he need to keep 5 rolls tape in the cabinet, and the supervisor is required to trigger stock replenishment when the found 2 rolls left.

I explain to him about the Kanban Card control and his problem can be easily solve with Kanban Card. Here the solution I propose to him

1. He has to prepare 6 Kanban Card as shown

2. He has to prepare a display board to store the Kanban Card every time operator withdraw the material from the cabinet.

With the 2 system in placed, now the supervisor’s job become very easy. What they need to do is just look at the display board and trigger stock replenishment on those envelope that fill up with Kanban Card.

I think this is a very simple visual control system that can be apply without incur much cost. The production control executive can just manage the inventory by controlling the Kanban Card qty. Supervisor can just perform their daily function by looking at the Display Board.

Is this a better and practical idea ?

A Common Problem In Inventory Management

2011-08-28T14:01:00.000+08:00

A production control executive presented the method he setup to manage the inventory of a mounting tape. Actually, the method is simple and conventional, he prepare a stock card to record all the event of material issuing, the production supervisor is requested to check the stock card every shitf to ensure material replenishment order being triggered when the stock level is reaching minimum stock level.

There are few problem i encountered in such system;
1. The operators drawing the material is required to note down the event on the stock card. This is an additional task for the operators and it is a manual recording, there is potential for human error.

2. Production supervisor is required to verify the physical stock verses the stock card and trigger stock replenishment when ever necessary. Is this an additional task for the supervisors ?

3. The production control executive also highlighted the issue of double ordering due to communication breakdown of supervisor between shift.

These are the few problems the production control executive is facing, but i believe similar problem happen in others company, don't you think so ?

Ok, i will post my solution in the next post.

Residual Plot

2011-08-26T17:41:00.000+08:00

Residual (e) is the delta of observed value of dependent variable (y) and the estimated value (Y).

e = Y - y

Theoretically, sum of ( e ) should be close to 0 if the resudual of a regression model is normally distributed.

An appropriate regression model should have a random and normally distributed residual. We can check this condition with Residual Plot.

Example of Residual Plot

Minitab - Cross Tabulation and Chi-Square

2011-06-09T16:21:00.001+08:00

GP is sending a set of discrete data and ask for help to test for significant differences. Looking at the data, I know Chi Square or Contingency Table should be the right analysis tool to test the data. But… OMG, I can’t remember how to run it in Minitab.

Honestly, it takes me few days to do the treasure hunt in the Google. Finally, I got the answer.

Hmmm… I think I should document it for my future reference.

Here the Minitab step by step that I copy down ( Minitab Ref ID 210 )

Step 1 : Tabulate the data as below

Pass Fail

B.Improve 3788 52

A.Improve 3835 5

Step 2 : Stack the row ( Data > Stack > Row )

Store stacked data in, C6.

Store row subscripts in, C4.

Store column subscripts in, C5.

Click OK.

Step 3 : Stat > Tables > Cross Tabulation and Chi-Square

For rows, enter C4.

For columns, enter C5.

In Frequencies are in, enter C6.

Step 4 : Display. Check all the 4

Count

Row percents

Column percents

Total percents

Step 5 : Other Stats.

Check Fisher's exact test for 2x2 tables. Click OK in each dialog box.

Step 6 : Chi-Square

Check Chi-Square analysis

Finally, this is the answer I get.

Tabulated statistics: C4, C5

Using frequencies in C6

Rows: C4 Columns: C5

Fail Pass All

1 52 3788 3840

1.35 98.65 100.00

91.23 49.69 50.00

0.677 49.323 50.000

2 5 3835 3840

0.13 99.87 100.00

8.77 50.31 50.00

0.065 49.935 50.000

All 57 7623 7680

0.74 99.26 100.00

100.00 100.00 100.00

0.742 99.258 100.000

Cell Contents: Count

% of Row

% of Column

% of Total

Pearson Chi-Square = 39.044, DF = 1, P-Value = 0.000

Likelihood Ratio Chi-Square = 45.424, DF = 1, P-Value = 0.000

Fisher's exact test: P-Value = 0.0000000

Debate About JMP Minitab or Cornerstone

2011-03-20T18:59:00.001+08:00

"Cornerstone is not user friendly; we need better data analysis software like JMP or Minitab for our data analysis."

Somebody brought up the topic in the last management review, and we spend sometime to debate the disadvantage of existing data analysis software and how it make our life inefficient.

I try not to involve in the discussion, because I m new to the software and basically not qualify to comment.

I use Minitab most of the time for data analysis, I got no experience with JMP and recently I try to play around with Cornerstone due to the need for Green Belt training. Honestly, I do face some problem at the beginning, mainly due to the arrangement of pull menu (the way Cornerstone group the data analysis function) and the reporting format. Technically, I don’t face much problem after hours of trial.

I didn’t spend much time to study the full function of Cornerstone, but at least, I get what I want. This is most important.

Personally, type of data analysis software to use is not the top priority, what is most important is the knowledge of data analysis, knowledge of digesting information from a given data set. Without the basic understanding, even given with the best statistical software, so what….

Data analysis software is just a big calculator for you to perform more complicated mathematic calculation other than the common Microsoft Excel. Whether it is Cornerstone, Minitab or JMP, bottom line, it must return the same result.

Kanban Size Estimation

2011-03-05T21:37:00.000+08:00

Is there a formula for Kanban size calculation?
Answer is : “Yes”. But the formula I ever learnt, I feel most of them are very academic and not really practical to the real production environment.

In my previous experience in box build assembly line design, I always consider a Kanban size = 3 into my production system. You may ask why 3, not other lucky number such as 8.

The secret behind is very simple, because my boss say : Kanban size = 3
He demand for 3 is based on his many experience in this field, 3 is the number where he think reasonable and achievable.

Anyway, you can’t just copy the number blindly and apply it to your production system. I’m sure it will not work. You have to go back to your production line, understand how the people run the line then only you can tailor a Kanban size the suite to your production system.

Hahha… talk so much, sound like all nonsense isn’t it.

Ok, lets discuss the case below.

Any Kanban size determination require basic process info as below

Takt Time and Raw Process Time (RPT) of your downstream process
RPT and Setup Time of your upstream process

There are two WIP Level that need to take care in a Kanban

WIP Level in Normal production run
WIP Level for “Pull” signal triggering

WIP Level for “Pull” signal triggering is the minimum WIP that enough to keep the downstream process running while waiting for 1st Lot replenishment from the Upstream process. WIP Level above this would be the WIP Level in Normal production run, where we can decide the level based on several considerations, such as

Optimum production time of Upstream process for every conversion
Production storage capacity
Resource availability to handle too many conversion frequencies

For this case, I would determine the “Pull” triggering point as below

Lot # = [(Upstream RPT + Upstream Setup Time) / Downstream RPT] + 1
So, answer is ~3 + 1 = 4

This mean, when the WIP level drop to 4 Lot, a signal will send to Upstream process for Kanban replenishment. But due to long set up time, Upstream process require 130min set up + 40 min production time to deliver the 1Lot to the Kanban tray. Per the RPT given, Downstream process require minimum 3Lot of material in order to keep the line running. I add additional lot in this calculation, because with the consideration Upstream process is not necessary handle one product, as conversion take place. Therefore, additional waiting time may be needed for last Lot clearance before machine conversion work can be start.

For the next level of WIP that supporting normal production run, you need to consider the most economy way to run the process on each conversion. There are company actually set the policy to limit conversion frequency ( such as 2 per day, 4x per day ) with the consideration of conversion cost, productivity and resource availability.

Just my Six Sense

Common Question In Six Sigma Training

2011-03-02T21:35:00.001+08:00

In a Green Belt training, there are participant ask such question;

This is a Lean topic; can it be a Six Sigma project?
Can I do a Six Sigma project without using statistical tool?

To answer the first question, per my opinion, in fact, there is no such thing of Six Sigma project or non Six Sigma project. Six Sigma; by itself is just a systematic problem solving methodology that following the DMAIC flow. As long as you are able to define your problem statement, you are able to define a metric to measure your performance, high chance; you are able to solve your problem through the DMAIC flow.

For the next question, can we run Six Sigma project without using statistical tool?

Before giving a “Yes” or “No” answer, I think we have to make ourselves clear the statistical role in the process of problem solving. In any case, we use number for performance measure, to tell the difference of before and after a chance being introduced. Besides using number, I don’t see any method that can be precisely describe a chance.

Now, let me answer the question.

Answer to you is “Yes”, you can avoid using statistic in your Six Sigma project, if you are able to describe a change precisely or effectively to your boss and your boss accept your description, then, I don’t see any problem to apply your method in your Six Sigma project. This is the basic requirement you have fulfill in your Six Sigma project.

There are many tools in the Six Sigma program; there is no one solution that fit all. You have to apply your expertise, your experience and yours intelligent to pick up the right tool to solve problem throughout the DMAIC phase.

Hope I answer your question;

All the best to you

Run Chart

2011-02-26T12:23:00.000+08:00

Run Chart is a basic line chart that may be use to monitor a process stability over time

Characteristic of Run Chart
1. Horizontal line plot across the data point are Median of the data set
2. It do not consist of UCL and LCL as shown in other Control Chart.

How to detect a Run
1. A "Run" could be a Single or Multiple data point above or below the Median
2. When a data point move from one side to another side of Median, a "Run" start and the "Run" ended when it cross the Median line again.

Type of Run could be observe from a Run Chart
1. Number of Run about Median
2. Number of Run Up or Down

Minitab software report Observed and Estimated Run in the Run Chart
Minitab test for two non-random behavior detect trends, oscillation, mixtures and clustering of the data. Such patterns suggest that the variation observed is due to "special cause"

Test for Randomness	Condition	Indication
Number of runs about the Median	More run observed than expected	Mixed data from two populations
Number of runs about the Median	Fewer run observed than expected	Clustering of data
Number of runs up or down	More runs observed than expected	Oscillation – data varies up and down rapidly
Number of runs up or down	Fewer runs observed than expected	Trending of data

Minitab test the approximated p-value for Mixture, Clustering, Oscillation and Trend
Mixture Pattern - a mixture characteristic observed when there is absence of data point near to the Median line. Mixture often happen when combination of data from different population, or data set represent different process condition

Cluster pattern - Clusters may indicate variation due to special cause, such as, incident of broken tool, significant process parameter change.

Trend pattern - A trend is a sustained drift in data, either moving upward or downward. It may be an indication of process about toward out of control.

Oscillation pattern - occurs when the data fluctuates continuously up and down rapidly, it indicate the process instability.

Data analysis ( based on above Run Chart )
Run across Median
- Fewer Run observed than expected
- approximated p-value for mixture = 0.96. ( no significant evident to proof the indication of data from different population )
- approximated p-value for clustering = 0.03 ( indicate strong evident of data clustering )

Run up or down
- Fewer run up or down than expected
- approximated p-value for trends = 0.13
- approximated p-value for oscillation = 0.86
- Data indicated significant of trends and oscillation, however, oscillation is more significant than trends in this case.

Reference - Minitab Release 14

Why JIT Is So Critical To Business

2009-12-17T16:13:00.005+08:00

Your business may end up in cash flow crisis if the material supply chain is not well manage.

Lean Vedio Clips

2009-08-22T23:00:00.007+08:00

Theory X and Theory Y

2009-08-12T10:24:00.003+08:00

Been in the bad mood for the past two days, therefore I try to be very quiet, because I worry I will make silly mistake due to my personal emotion. Anyway, my bad mood is linked to my work actually.

Two projects were delay for five month just because a manager from other department did not execute his duty in order. Because of that, some trouble makers use it as a block for me to move forward. I reflect my problems and disappointment to my manager, but I end up walk out from his office with no conclusion plus a bad mood.

In fact, he is right; the environment is as such, if I wish to change the situation, I should find way to overcome the blocking. Else, my only way is “wait”. Wait for all the issues settle before I proceed.

Since my manager says so, no point I continue the discussion, as I may end up instructed to help the manager solving his problems. I just pick up his advice and “wait”. Anyway, I’m not satisfied with the outcome as I dislike having so many open items in my work. I don’t like to delay my work, some more I have to entertain a group of so call “senior managers” who lack of self discipline. I have to talk to them nicely, convince them to accept my deliverable. If I m so unlucky, I my end up being the root cause of the mess.

Another case that make me very upset, that I mentioned several time in my blog. One person make mistake, many peoples feel the pain. Two prototypes build fail due to human error. I was busy arranging for the third build for the past few days. Unfortunately I make a silly mistake this round and was called to attend a lecture by my big boss.

I review back what my manager told earlier, in fact, he does have his point. As a project manager, I should be responsible for the entire mistake that peoples did, including my mistake. Because I m the leader of the assignment. I should ensure my team members deliver expected result at the right time. Regardless of team member’s attitude and performance, it is my fault if I m not able to lead the team to achieve the common goal. He also right, I don’t have other option to choose, I have to accept the fact.

The two unhappiness stir my mind for two days, led me think of Theory X and Theory Y. I used to be in Theory Y and expect my working partner in the same group as well. I believe, since I receive payment from my employer, it is my responsible deliver good result. I expect other having the same thinking as well. Unfortunately, the actual situation was not as what I expect. I realized I made a wrong assumption for the past three years !!!

Hmm.. I have to realign my assumption to reflect the actual situation. From next week onward…

Anyway, I would like to stress that, I m not in the Theory X group. I insist I do not want to be in the group, because the thinking will bring me laziness and negative opinion. I behave in this manner just to adapt to the environment.

“Because of the environment, therefore I have to accept the fact…” no wonder they end up in such a deep shit.

What are Theory X and Theory Y?
Here the explanation from Wikipedia

前两天的心情真的是很不好，所以没什么说话。心情不好的我不爱说话，因为怕祸从口出。

心情不好，都是和公事有关。以下就是破坏我心情的主因；

手头上两项任务被耽误了整整五个多月，因为另一个部门的主管耽误了他的任务。给我被另外一批惹事者拿来当成一个阻挡我去路的理由。那天向小老板提出了我对整件事情的安排有所不满，没有结果，反而是被他训了一顿。

其实小老板说的也对，事情本来就是这样，这个环境本来就是这样，如果我想改变结局，我就应该去尝试改变那些阻挡我去路的人。要不然，我就只好坐在那里等，等到该部门主管把事情办好过后我才继续我的工作。

既然小老板都已经开口，我也不敢继续说下去，搞不好，我end up 还得帮那部门主管处理他的工作。唯有听从小老板的意见，“等”。虽然如此，其实我心里并不好受，因为我不喜欢我的工作又头无尾的，我不喜欢我的工作一天拖一天，还得应酬一大批缺乏纪律的so call 高级主管，还得好声好气的尝试说服他们接受我交出来的成绩。搞不好，到头来变成一却都是我的错。

另一件令我不开心的事情，其实这件事我已在在理谈了好几次。一人错事万人当。由于前两次的proto build都不合格，都是人为的疏忽，所以我前几天都在忙于处理第三次的proto build。不幸的，这一次轮到我犯了一个错误。结果被大老板叫去办公室里训了一顿。

回头想想，其实他说得也很有道理，身为一个project manager，我应该对所有人，包括我自己我犯下的错误负责。因为我的任务是领导一批人去执行某项任务，我的确保每个人都准时交出靓丽的成绩。任何人有不负责任的心态，工作上敷衍了事，交不出像样的成绩造成整个团队达不到目标，都是我的问题。他也说了这样一句话，我没得选择，因为整个环境都是这样，所以我必须接受。

这两项不开心的事情在我脑海里翻转了两天，让我想起了Theory X 和Theory Y的理论。一直以来，我都以Theory Y的心理来看待我的工作伙伴。在职场上，我一直抱着同样的信念，“受人钱财，替人消灾，天公地道”。既然收了公司的薪水，就得把我们分内的工作做好，我这认为，我也指望我其他的工作伙伴也这样认为。看来，现实并不如我所愿。因为我在一个大部分都是Theory X的大环境里工作！Shit，今天我才醒觉，我整整错了三年！！！

好，我必须即刻纠正我的错误。下个星期开始。。。
这里我必须声明，我不是Theory X的一群，我也坚持不加入Theory X这个懒人俱乐部。因为我两个顾客的要求，所以我必须作出少许的调整，已融入这个懒人俱乐部的大家庭。

“因为整个环境都是这样，所以我必须接受”。。。这也难怪他们会搞到今天这个地步。。。

或许你会问，Theory X Theory Y到底是什么？
以下就是我从Wikipedia 抄出来的解说。

Theory X
In this theory, management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can. They inherently dislike work. Because of this, workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls developed. A hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each level. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can. The Theory X manager tends to believe that everything must end in blaming someone. He or she thinks all prospective employees are only out for themselves. Usually these managers feel the sole purpose of the employee's interest in the job is money. They will blame the person first in most situations, without questioning whether it may be the system, policy, or lack of training that deserves the blame. A Theory X manager believes that his or her employees do not really want to work, that they would rather avoid responsibility and that it is the manager's job to structure the work and energize the employee. One major flaw of this management style is it is much more likely to cause Diseconomies of Scale in large businesses.

Theory Y
In this theory management assumes employees may be ambitious, self-motivated, and exercise self-control. It is believed that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. A Theory Y manager believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to do well at work. They believe that the satisfaction of doing a good job is a strong motivation. Many people interpret Theory Y as a positive set of beliefs about workers. A close reading of The Human Side of Enterprise reveals that McGregor simply argues for managers to be open to a more positive view of workers and the possibilities that this creates.

Mc Donald's Production System III

2009-07-29T16:16:00.000+08:00

一直以来我都很留意Mc Donald's的Production System。我觉得，Mc Donald's 是世上唯一能够把Lean Production System呈现于大众眼前的公司。而且，一直以来都管理得很好，也不断的改进。

新年期间有机会在光顾住家附近的Mc Donald's，发现道Mc Donald's又耍新花样了。赶快拿起相机把这新改良的Mc Donald's Production System 拍下。

以下是新的Mc Donald's Production System，和旧的system相比，看得出有设么分别吗？
是的，新的system比旧的system来得Lean，而且已达到了one piece flow的境界了。

我时常和同事说，要学Lean Production System 或是Toyota Production System，不需要跑到Toyota工厂那里去，去Mc Donald's 看就得了。Mc Donald's 的柜台服务员或许不能够告诉你什么是Just In Time，什么是One Piece Flow，什么是build to order还有很多关于Lean 的学问，可是他们每天的工作，都和TPS脱离不了关系，也不会歪离TPS的原则。为什么？

Last update : 01/03/2009

Mc Donald Production System II

2009-07-29T14:47:00.000+08:00

Toyota production system classifies WIP or Over Stock as one of the major waste in the production system. But in Mc Donald, people seem like having different point of view.

Photo shows the WIP accumulated on the soft drink dispensing machine. I observe this while waiting for my turn to place order in one of the Mc Donald restaurant in Melaka Raya.

This is definitely not a good idea to me. In fact, this is not the 1st time I observe the similar case in Mc Donald, just can’t understand why the management allow such practice repeat again and again.

Simple question; why you produce if you don’t need it?

Last update : 02/01/08

Mc Donald's Production System

2009-07-27T20:47:00.000+08:00

I got a chance to snap the photo in a Mc Donald's restaurant while waiting for my turn to place order.

The incident happen when a customer service attendant found the burger tray is empty and the kitchen is not able to role out enough burger to meet customers demand. The crews seem like lack of experience to handle such messy situation. They loss control, leave the angry customers aside and having side discussion in front the burger tray. There are customer really unhappy to be serve in such situation. Some inpatient customer just walk away from the restaurant.

Mc Donald's is one of the successful company in lean production system, yet they end up in such situation.

Why ?

Actually, I don't really like the communication system that Mc Donald's is using. Where the customer service attendant asking for stock replenishment through shouting to the kitchen. Is this effective ? I doubt, how many order the guys in the kitchen can remember ? The system make the restaurant looks busy but not really effective.

In the Mc Donald's Production System, there is a Kanban tray in the system, but without the Kanban or Ticket to trigger the demand pull. Whereas, the demand pull is trigger by shouting.

May be, it is the company's culture, the management want it this way. Some noise in the restaurant can make the environment looks young and energetic.

Anyway, there are room for further improve the operation system.

Last update : 28/11/2007

Common Term In Lean Production System

2009-07-14T16:41:00.000+08:00

Common term use in Lean Production System.
That I learn from Wikipedia.
Just for info sharing

Andon (行灯) (English: Signboard)

Genchi Genbutsu (現地現物) (English: Go and see for yourself)

Hansei (反省) (English: Self-reflection)

Heijunka (平準化) (English: Production Smoothing)

Jidoka (自働化) (English: Autonomation - automation with human intelligence)

Just In Time (ジャストインタイム) (JIT)

Kaizen (改善) (English: Continuous Improvement)

Kanban (看板, also かんばん) (English: Sign, Index Card)

Manufacturing supermarket where all components are available to be withdrawn by a process

Muda (無駄, also ムダ) (English: Waste)

Mura (斑 or ムラ) (English: Unevenness)

Muri (無理) (English: Overburden)

Nemawashi (根回し) (English: Laying the groundwork, literally: Going around the roots)

Poka-yoke (ポカヨケ) (English: fail-safing - to avoid (yokeru) inadvertent errors (poka))

Hidden Factory

2009-07-09T14:15:00.000+08:00

Hidden factory are non value added activities hided or embedded in any process operation. Because it is invisible to us, therefore we are not aware of it most of the time.

Toyota production system ( Lean ) classify the non value added processes as waste in the production system. Waste in the production system affecting process efficiency, resulting of higher operation cost.

Founder of Toyota production system Taiichi Ohno & Shigeo Shingo identified 7 critical wastes that need to remove from the main stream process flow. There are;

Overproduction
Waiting
Transportation
Inappropriate processing
Excess inventory
Unnecessary motion
Defect

Out of the 7, I would like to add one more: Inspection

Wastes listed above is not unique to Toyota, it exist in our work place as well. We did not aware the existence most of the time, because it is invisible or it is being accepted as part of the main stream process operation.

When a company accepts hidden factory build up in their main stream process operation, a portion of the company resource will be take up to support the invisible operation that do not generate income for the company.
Hidden factory will growth over time. The cost to maintain the hidden factory will roll like a snow ball if management did not clean up their main stream process regularly. The bigger the size of the invisible factory, the more money will be taken up by the invisible monster.

Last update : 31/05/07

Welcome Note

2007-02-25T15:30:00.000+08:00

Welcome to My Six Sigma Forum. Setting up a forum to exchange my knowledge in Six Sigma and Lean has been a wish list in my mind. However, I did not make it realized with what ever reason.

The main objective I set up this page is to document my knowledge in Six Sigma and Lean Production System, and share it with everybody who interested.

I welcome any constructive discussion in management or any inquiry. You can reach me through e-mail address : italk.udo@gmail.com

My area of interest

1. Operation management

2. Lean manufacturing system

3. Six Sigma