Identify and develop measures to drive improvement and signal problems. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic With the strategy deployment season just getting started, number 129 seems an appropriate focus.  When we recognize the objective of strategy deployment is to create a condition of readiness, we should be challenged to define…

Explain the relationship of “parts to the whole.” Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic One of my favorite topex of study is systems theory.  A large part of systems theory is the relationship between parts and to the whole.  These relationships play a key role in the SMPL OpEx framework I…

Use jidoka (autonomation) to conduct projects. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic This is one of my favorite topex to discuss.  Jidoka is associated with automation in machines that detect defects, shutdown to avoid producing a defective product, and alert the appropriate human being necessary to correct the abnormality.  The challenge…

Establish and integrate standard work across your value streams. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic The problem with standard work is the level of misunderstanding the term carries.  The funny thing is we all have them, informally and unofficially, but we all use a standard in some way, shape, or form…

Plan and lead multiple, inter-related improvement projects within a value stream, including iterations of improvement within a single area or portion of a value stream. Practitioners; Tactical, integrative, and strategic The two thoughts that surface first for me when I read this OpEx TopEx are multi-generation-project-plan, and George Koenigsaecker’s rule…

Seek and provide frequent, if not constant, feedback. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic My recent client activity has been focused on strategy deployment, and so my initial thoughts regarding this feedback loop are aligned with the sponsor level.  One specific situation involves a regional president and a COO making the…

Ensure that people using lean tools understand the principles of lean. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic I frequently reference the rate of failure experienced in lean implementations.  I also suggest that this failure is due to being incomplete in the implementation, and not simply incorrect.  Today’s OpEx TopEx is a…

Use and refine lean accounting practices to drive results. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic One of the most impactful endeavors I embarked upon was the study or lean accounting practices.  Educated in accounting, I am familiar with GAAP, and so I was a bit leery at first glance, but Orry…

Create flow across an extended enterprise (from suppliers through customers). Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic The idea of flow is often misunderstood.  The idea gets tangled up with one piece v. batch, and encounters either/or thinking rather than both/and thinking.  Flow where you can, push where you must.  The first…

Share ideas, information, and feedback, and encourage others to do the same. Practitioners: tactical, integrative, and strategic When we solve common problems, the next logical step is to share ideas, information, and feedback.  What is it that makes sharing best practices so challenging?  Could it be the way we approach…