Lean Foundations

Introduction

Continuous Improvement needs to follow an organized strategy - Operational Excellence and Lean Standards help achieve the objectives in our organizations. It does so by providing a few critical solutions:

• Following the Operational Excellence Model and Implementing Lean Fundamentals helps sites achieve the objectives on their roadmap.
• Lean fundamentals coupled with the Three Pillars of Performance Management (i.e., Mindset and Behaviors and Processes) or Technical Systems will accelerate delivery

In practice, this will help to positively impact many KPIs such as:

• Reduction in Accidents
• % OEE improvement
• Fixed and Variable Cost Savings m€
• OTIF or Deliver Improvements
• % wrench time improvement
• Pulse Survey through Engineer & Operator Involvement 

But also to:

• Improve ways of working
• Improve relations and communication with shop floor
• Improve efficiency and delivery of projects

The 6 Operational Excellence Standards and the 3 pillars

The 6 operational excellence standards aim to improve value stream flow and efficiency in order to deliver results through lean principles:

1. Site Strategic Roadmap - Identify the most important impact areas and translate it into clear KPIs and objectives embedded in a roadmap - details here
2. Value Stream Efficiency and Flow - Visualize improvement opportunities to identify where to improve related processes - details here
3. Waste elimination and Flow Promotion - Identify the 8 forms of waste and map them in the value chain to accelerate flows - details here
4. Go and See where improvements happen - Ensure the focus is given to the right problem to solve, at the right level, connected to the relevant process - details here
5. Area Improvement Teams / Engagement and Problem Solving - form cross functional teams that collaborate to solve problems in a structured way - details here
6. Standard Work - Define the output of every project and/problem solving as a new way or method to achieve the desired result - details here

The 3 pillars objectives are the following:

1. Mindset and Behaviors
2. Performance Management
3. Technical Systems and Work Processes