By writing down your process, you are able to identify and remove inefficiencies.
There are a variety of strategies businesses can use to improve their workflow and increase their overall productivity. Perhaps you’ve considered Enterprise Resource Planning to align your computer systems and databases, or you’ve looked into strategic planning to get your company on a path to success. Lean Process Improvement is another tool businesses can employ to make their operation run as smoothly as possible.
What is Lean Process Improvement?
Essentially, to ‘Lean your process’ means to look at what is currently being done to bring a product or service to market and remove any inefficiencies in that process. Things like duplicating work, excessive wait times, or even extra, unnecessary packaging all slow down your ability to sell your product. Which also slows down your ability to earn profits.
It’s important to understand that Lean Process Improvement can help any business; it’s not just for manufacturing. For example, perhaps there is a duplication of work in gathering information from new clients. By eliminating those extra steps, you could deliver your service faster and perhaps bring on more clients.
How Does Lean Process Improvement Work?
- Meet with key stakeholders to map out the current state of business. How do things run currently?
- Identify wastes in the process such as excessive wait times or over production.
- The last step is to determine how the process will run, and then implement the new plan.
Of course, product quality is key, and it’s important to ensure that quality isn’t compromised. A professional, trained in Lean Process Improvement, can help work key stakeholders through the mapping process, and ensure proper implementation and follow-up occur.
If you’re interested in learning more about Lean read, Save Time & Money with Lean Manufacturing. Or learn more about Lynda Nance in our December newsletter.
Lynda Nance
Business Development Strategist
616.884.7952
lyndan@hscompanies.com