4 CRITERIA FOR A LEAN IMPROVEMENT
THE BASICS OF 2-SECOND LEAN
When making an improvement, there are 4 handy things to keep in mind. Your improvement can make any of these better but should not compromise any of them.
You should keep these 4 topics in mind each time you make an improvement. If an improvement compromises any of the criteria, it should be re-evaluated. If you speed up the assembly process but the quickness leads to more frequent defects, you’re compromising on quality.
1. Safety
Does the improvement make the workplace safer for the people in it? Does it make a particular task safer to perform each time?
Example: You put a safety cap over a sharp saw when it is not in use. This ensures people do not get accidentally hurt when walking past it.
2. Quality
Does the improvement improve the quality of your area or working environment? Does it improve the quality of the finished product?
Example: You place an item onto a felt-lined tray rather than the normal metal one. This stops the product from getting scratched and ensures it will not get defected around the factory.
3. Simplicity
Does the improvement make the process easier to do? Does the improvement reduce the number of steps involved to complete it?
Example: You change the design of the toy cars to feature wheels that snap in place. This stops the need to get screws and a screwdriver each time to attach the wheels
4. Speed
Does the improvement make a process quicker and help you to save time when you are doing something?
Example: You alter the workbench to let you snap two wheels in place at once rather than one at a time. This halves the assembly time for the wheels.
Exercise
Look at a few improvements from the day. Work out which criteria they meet and check it doesn’t compromise any others. Try and make an improvement that meets another criteria the next day.
