In most companies, there are often many different business needs demanding attention at any given time.  Lean is obviously not the only choice available to address these needs and is not the best immediate choice in some situations.  However, many companies are attempting to implement Lean "because it's the right thing to do" or "because everyone else is doing it" but without ever really linking it to their own internal needs.  That's why we feel it is very important to help our clients understand and prioritize their real business needs and, with this understanding, determine how Lean Transformation may be applied as a solution.  In every case, we believe that it is necessary to tie the Lean Business System to immediate needs if the implementation is to succeed.

     For any change program to be successful, an achievable goal must be defined up-front and a detailed plan must be laid out to set the direction.  Unfortunately, in many cases the goals and directions are set without a clear understanding of current conditions.   This often leads to unrealistic goals, poor planning and execution, and ultimately to the failure of the change program to make any significant, sustainable impact on the business.  We believe that one of the most important steps in a successful Lean Transformation is to develop a detailed picture of the current condition and set targets based on the real information.   In this step, the team members will map and analyze the current value stream taking into account all relevant operational metrics.  They will then apply the Lean principles, tools, and techniques to generate a "Vision" of what the ideal production system might look like, including both the shop floor and all support functions.  By understanding the gap between the ideal and current systems, the timeframe involved, and any barriers identified along the way the targets are then set and the detailed implementation plan is generated which becomes the "roadmap" for all efforts throughout the Lean transformation.

     Another often forgotten step that can make all the difference between a smooth and a rocky implementation is the step of communicating the new Lean "Vision" and the implementation plan which will be followed.  However, communication alone is not enough to ensure success.   Everyone in the organization not only needs to hear the ideas and the plan, but also must gain a real understanding of why this solution was chosen as well as how they will be affected.  This is always best accomplished through active participation.   Having gained the understanding of the changes, they must also show a level of commitment to help make these changes successful.   Then, implementing the new system becomes everyone's responsibility.

     This coincides with the last step in the PDCA cycle which is the Action step where successful results of the implementation are standardized across all areas and new plans are generated for those results that did not meet targets.  This is also the time for a review of the implementation process itself in order to determine what went well and standardize these processes for the next implementation and what processes need to be improved.  Based on the results from the previous efforts, the process begins again for the next area, the next plant, or the supply chain.