Lean and problem solving applies to all stages of the design-bid-build construction project. It is all about conveying the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle of problem solving with a long term Lean focus. The unique problems of the construction industry can be solved by using many of the tools and concepts of Lean and Six Sigma.

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    By: Don Tapping and John West

    Who Hollered Fore? creates an awareness of the evils of variation – along with the realization of what that costs an organization in time and money. This book will assist in creating a common language and basic Lean theme throughout your organization. Through the story of John, Laura, and the Bartlett’s, as they participate in a charity golf event, the conversation about Lean and golf become intertwined. And finally they discover the secret to it all! About Who Hollered Fore? Who Hollered Fore? creates an awareness of the evils of variation – along with the realization of what that costs an organization in time and money.  It also provides a common language and theme so everyone can understand its importance.  This realization and subsequent action will dramatically improve an organization’s ability to improve the current process – thereby improving the bottom-line.
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    By: Don Tapping

    Note:  Discontinued!  If this product is ordered we will substitute the more comprehensive and up-to-date Practical Lean Six Sigma for Offices (value of $12.95 and is the larger 5" x 8.5" format for easier reading) for the same price for a limited time only. (If quantities over 100 are needed, we can Print-on-Demand, and please email info@theleanstore.com for pricing and availability.)
    The New and Improved Lean Office Pocket Guide has over 120 illustrations to visually convey the tools and concepts, along with detailed descriptions of all the Lean tools. This newer version of the best selling The Lean Office Pocket Guide also includes: 10 sections that include examples of Lean for electronic files and folders, a Waste Audit, and a Glossary of Lean terms.  The tools of 5S, value stream mapping, document tagging, continuous flow, standard work, visual control, takt time, pitch, runners, waste, plus numerous other Lean tools are thoroughly defined as well as guidelines provided for the implementation of each tool.  This version has digital photos of Lean office best practices throughout!
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    This set of forms has proven successful in many Fortune 500 companies. The key to any project or continuous improvement is effective communications and alignment to the strategic goals of the organization. Delivered as customizable Word documents.
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    The Kaizen Worksheets include all the forms and checklists you need to conduct a Kaizen event. These are meant to support your internal kaizen event process. For more detail on how to conduct a kaizen event for your industry, please check The Lean Store.com for more workbooks detailing the process. Delivered as customizable Excel worksheets.
  • The Lean Pocket Handbook for Kaizen Events is your personal (i.e., individual) Lean planner for the 21st century. We have found individuals that use this pocket handbook feel more part of the Kaizen team. They also continue to contribute improvement ideas well past the formal team Kaizen Event. That is what Lean is all about - making those small, incremental, improvements daily (i.e., hour-by-hour and minute-by-minute) by those closest to the process.
    This handbook is designed to be:
    1. A quick-reference guide.  Lean tools are explained in more detail in other manuals or by your facilitator during the instruction portion of the workshop.
    2. Your individual (i.e., personal) log. When working outside the formal training class, notes and ideas about the area or process that are being analyzed can be easily written down in this handbook (serving as your personal log) so as not to lose valuable process information.
    3. Your personal Kaizen planner. Kaizen Events will require that individual tasks be assigned to team members to be completed prior to the next meeting.  Many of these tasks will need to be scheduled within the individual’s current work day. This handbook will thus serve as your “planner” to assure these tasks are adequately planned and completed on time.
    4. A tool to self-initiate Idea Kaizens.  An Idea Kaizen is an individual that implements an improvement with little or no assistance or resource required.  This is similar to a Suggestion Program submission; however, the individual with the Idea Kaizen would be responsible for immediate implementation of the idea.
    5. A learning tool.  Each tool will have illustrations to graphically represent the essence of each tool. This will allow you to better understand and learn about each tool prior to using them in your Kaizen Event.
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    The Simply Lean Kaizen Worksheets allow you to customize the tools, concepts, and practices demonstrated in The Simply Lean Pocket Guide. These 21 electronic worksheets will allow your Kaizen Events to be more effective in communicating the entire process. Delivered as customizable Excel worksheets.
  • First of its kind! The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is the integration of Lean and the PDCA methodology. The interactive Tinker Town case study allows you to take problem solving with a Lean twist to your next performance level. The most basic premise of Lean is to simply and effectively problem solve.   The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is a step-by-step approach to the implementation of process improvements using the PDCA model along with a Lean twist.  If you are just beginning to adopt Lean or Six Sigma as a business improvement model, whether you are in the healthcare, financial services, construction, armed services, manufacturing, government, logistics, service, or construction industry, the first thing that should be acknowledged is that the solution to the problem (or improvement target that is to be reached) will be found in the intellect of the people who are working the process.  Therefore, as a trainer, consultant (internal or external), or departmental head, the focus to improve a situation would be to “somehow” work with that group (and their intellect) and find a solution.  However, that “somehow” is not always easy to attain and will require some guidance along the way.  Simply Lean will provide that guidance ensuring root causes and wastes are eliminated in creating a Leaner, problem-free process.
  • First of its kind! The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is the integration of Lean and the PDCA methodology. The interactive Tinker Town case study allows you to take problem solving with a Lean twist to your next performance level. The most basic premise of Lean is to simply and effectively problem solve.   The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is a step-by-step approach to the implementation of process improvements using the PDCA model along with a Lean twist.  If you are just beginning to adopt Lean or Six Sigma as a business improvement model, whether you are in the healthcare, financial services, construction, armed services, manufacturing, government, logistics, service, or construction industry, the first thing that should be acknowledged is that the solution to the problem (or improvement target that is to be reached) will be found in the intellect of the people who are working the process.  Therefore, as a trainer, consultant (internal or external), or departmental head, the focus to improve a situation would be to “somehow” work with that group (and their intellect) and find a solution.  However, that “somehow” is not always easy to attain and will require some guidance along the way.
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    Work load balancing is the optimal distribution of work units throughout the value stream to maintain takt time or pitch. Also known as employee/staff balancing or line balancing, work load balancing assures that now one worker is doing too much or too little work. Work load balancing begins with analyzing the current state of how work relative to the value stream is allocated and ends with an even and fair distribution of work, ensuring that customer demand is met with a continuous flow mentality. The Employee Balance eTool will make this process easier by allowing you to enter the various process activities and cycle times, as well as automatically displaying them in bar graph form. This eTool is a fully customizable Microsoft Excel file. Everything is here and ready for you to get started!
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    The Lean Office Assessment was created allowing a departmental work group or individual to continually assess their Lean or continuous improvement initiatives. The Lean Office Assessment is a customizable Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that will provide a baseline from which you can then improve your administrative processes. It also can assist in determining which Lean tools may be of value during a continuous improvement project. The Lean Office Assessment has 10 Lean building block categories that are further divided into 34 sub-categories that are individually scored. All categories are automatically linked to the Overview page which displays a Radar (or Spider) Chart of the total category scores. The score will assist you into allocating the appropriate resources in your Lean project. When conducting the Assessment the work group or individual must relate their database management procedures and Microsoft Office practices to the overall concepts and tools referenced. The 10 categories are: 5S, Quality, Physical Layout, Visual Controls, Standard Work, Continuous Flow, Pull Systems, Leveling, Continuous Improvement, and Training.
  • First of its kind! The Simply Lean Pocket Guide for Construction is the integration of Lean and the PDCA methodology. The actual case study of Midway Construction demonstrates specifically how problem solving and Lean were used in achieving significant results involving various aspects of the construction industry. The case study - along with the detailed descriptions of the quality improvement tools (with a Lean twist as explained in the case) allows you to take your organization to your next performance level.

    NOTE: We are only providing this book as Print On Demand (POD) which requires a minimum order of 100 books. Please call 734-475-4301 to place your order.  If you require less than that, please consider The New and Improved Lean Office Pocket Guide or The Simple Lean Pocket Guide.

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    By: Vlado Baban
    The 5S Desktop (PC) Pocket Handbook is a step-by-step guide for the implementation of 5S to all your electronic files. The XP version of Windows Explorer and the Office 2003 software suite were the versions used in creating this handbook. This handbook is designed to be:
    1. An implementation guide. This handbook steps you through each phase of the 5S process. Examples are shown to assist you in this process. No two file systems (Desktops) are the same; therefore, use the examples as a guide when you apply that phase or step to your Desktop.
    2. A Lean beginning. 5S is a fundamental Lean tool and is considered the foundation for additional Lean tool application. Once 5S has been implemented and results have been obtained, there will be a need to integrate more Lean tools into your Desktop environment.
    3. A spark for the department. Once everyone understands the basic premise of Lean and 5S, then that understanding can serve as a catalyst for a more comprehensive application of Lean tools. (iLean and Lean Office Demystified II are available books on how additional Lean tools can be applied to your Desktop environment.)
    4. A bridge for improved performance. It is often stated that the average person at work today has nearly 80 emails to deal with on a daily basis. This, along with the other application files, can at times be overwhelming for the individual. Using 5S for organizing your emails, as well as the other application files, will greatly assist in managing this barrage of information. Implementing 5S to your files and folders will allow for a more stress-free workplace.

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