Website Assessment

Lean Business Solutions.

Lean Master
ASQ Certified Quality Engineer
Certified Six Sigma Black Belt
byronheadrick@theleanleap.com

Self – Assessment

Rate your business on a 1-5 scale, 5 being the best.

By selecting the option under each category that best represents your company, you can see how your business measures up to World Class standards. Also, I will be able to show you some distinct ways that I can help your business in “low scoring” categories.

Please keep in mind that this assessment is designed to be used across multiple business types and sizes. When reviewing each selection, look at both the details provided and the overall intent of what is being described.

VISION - Which is most like your company?

5. Your business has a Strategic Plan that was developed through systematic process. Strategy is clearly understood and communicated. Your business has a defined mission and set of values. Focus is long-term and driven externally by what customers’ value. Full understanding of which goals/objectives are key requirements of customers and which are differentiators capable of driving competitive advantage and success. These goals/objectives are broken down into Key Performance Indicators. There is a systematic process for tracking Key Performance Indicators regularly (some daily/some monthly), comparing actual performance to goal, and driving action to improve performance where goal misses occur. Resources are clearly assigned for specific actions to drive the Key Performance Indicators.

4. Somewhere between 3 and 5.

3. Limited Strategic Plan development loosely tied to annual budget plan. Strategic Plans developed by top management with little input from others within organization. The business may have a mission statement and posted values, but has little to no real business emphasis. Focus is internal. Focus on short-term. Goals and objectives are only based on financial measures. Strategic Plan provides little guidance in prioritizing operational opportunities. Guidelines for resource availability are either not provided or are not clear. Communication of Plans occurs poorly beyond top management. Few within organization know how their actions tie to the strategic plan other than in broad unspecific ways. Review of business performance usually takes the form of overlooking financial measures. No systematic process to drive action from this review. Resources to address any noted issues are ad hoc.

2. Somewhere between 1 and 3.

1. No Strategic Plan, only some form of annual budget or less. Only top managers have limited understanding of where the business is going. Focus internal. Focus on short-term. No written Mission Statement. No Post Values. These items are viewed as being of unimportance. Guidelines for resource availability are not provided. No communication of business direction to employees. Few within the organization understand what the customer values. There are no or only few performance measures being tracked informally. Action may or may not result from poor performance.

MANAGEMENT - Which is most like your company?

5. All members of the management team at all levels of the organization are engaged in improving the business - daily. People work IN and ON the business. Managers/Supervisors have standardized daily activities. Managers/Supervisors actively participate on a regular basis, in improvement events and/or projects, reviews of improvements to ensure desired results, and auditing activities that help sustain the gains made through these improvements. Focus is Customer-driven. Management is led by data.

4. Somewhere between 3 and 5.

3. Sometimes the management team engages in making business improvements. Some standardized daily activities exist for managers. Participation in improvement events and/or projects has some system, but still occurs at random intervals based on critical needs that arise. Few of such improvement events and/or projects are followed up on and reviewed to ensure achievement of desired results. Focus has begun to go beyond issues/crisis management. Managers’ focus is mostly driven by product/service requirements. Management has some data to use in decision making, but still heavily relies on “gut” instincts.

2. Somewhere between 1 and 3.

1. The management team does not have time or does not see the need to make business improvements. Most time is spent working IN the business. Little or no standardized daily activities exist for managers. Participation in improvement events and/or projects is at random intervals based on critical needs that arise. No time for review of improvements once made. No time for auditing improvements to ensure that they are being sustained. Focus on addressing issues/crisis management. Managers’ focus is only driven by Product/Service requirements. Often, management led by opinions, perceptions, and “gut instincts instead of real data.

CULTURE - Which is most like your company?

5. Employees are involved in all aspects of planning, deployment and monitoring of continuous improvements. All employees understand what the customers’ value most about the business and work to improve value delivery and/or add value to the customer. All employees know the eight common wastes of business and are actively involved in removing these wastes in their processes/areas. All Employees are the owners of Key Performance Indicators and responsible for problem solving. All Employees have been trained in continuous improvement methods and have been affected by or participated in continuous improvement events. All employees have continuous improvement goals that they are responsible for making within their work areas. Most employees work within self-directed teams to drive these improvements within their areas. There is a formal suggestion process in place to solicit ideas for improvements from all employees and to recognize their participation. Many improvements are made throughout the organization daily and involve little or no expense to implement.

4. Somewhere between 3 and 5.

3. Only a limited number of employees are involved in all aspects of planning, deployment and monitoring of continuous improvements (most of which are in management or supervision roles). Employees do not have a full understanding of what customers’ value. Employees are unaware of the eight common business wastes. If Key Performance Indicators have been defined, they are owned by management or supervision. Employees believe that the management team and/or supervision are responsible for addressing all problems and making all improvements activities. There are very few employee teams functioning. Most of these teams are being led by managers or supervisors. No formal suggestion process in place to solicit ideas for improvements from all employees and to recognize their participation. Most improvements are expensive and require large lengths of time to implement.

2. Somewhere between 1 and 3.

1. Continuous improvement is not done in a systematic method. There is no employee Involvement. Employees believe that the management team and/or supervision are responsible for addressing all problems and making all improvement activities. No or limited employee teams functioning. No formal or informal suggestion process in place to solicit ideas for improvements from all employees and to recognize their participation. Few if any improvements are being made.

TECHNICAL TOOLS - Which is most like your company?

5. All employees have been trained on Lean Philosophies and understand “what’s in it for me” on a personal level. A deep understanding of Lean principles has developed prior to Lean Technical Tool training. All employees have been trained in the use of the most common Lean Tools (i.e. 5S, Continuous Flow, Pull Systems, Error Proofing, and Standardized Work). Deployment of the tools is driven by the overall organization's business level value stream map/strategy. Deployment is planned, organized. Tools are sustained and woven into the organization's culture through such things as Gemba Walks, Multiple Times Daily Standardize Work Checks, Leadership Standardized Work, etc. The tools are pulled as needed into the organization's processes.

4. Somewhere between 3 and 5.

3. Most employees have been trained on Lean Philosophies and understand “what’s in it for me” on a personal level. Some understanding of Lean principles has developed prior to Lean Technical Tool training. Employees have been trained in the basics of the most common Lean tools (i.e. 5S, Continuous Flow, Pull Systems, Error Proofing, and Standardized Work). Deployment of the tools is localized to specific areas of the organization with great disparity in deployment level from one area to the next. Not all areas are deploying tools. Deployment may be driven by crisis. Sometimes it is not clear from a business perspective why tools are being deployed. The tools are pushed into the organization. Issues arise with sustainability once improvement events deploying tools are completed.

2. Somewhere between 1 and 3.

1. Employees have had no formal lean training.

PERFORMANCE - Which is most like your company?

5. Excellent improvement trends over the last two years and/or sustained high performance levels are reported for all the customer focused goals/metrics considered to be differentiators. Most areas' Key Performance Indicators also reflect positive trends over last two years and/or sustained high performance. The business is succeeding. Customers are pleased. Employees are pleased. The organization's other stakeholders are pleased.

4. Somewhere between 3 and 5.

3. Several customer focused goals/metrics considered to be differentiators have positive trends and some of those that do not have positive trends have corrective action plans in place being periodically reviewed by all levels of management. Note some negative trending goals/metrics may not have any action taken to address. Some areas' Key Performance Indicators reflect positive trends, while some that do not, have corrective action plans in place. A limited amount of issues may exist with customers, employees, and/or the organizations stakeholders.

2. Somewhere between 1 and 3.

1. Top level customer focused goals/metrics may not have been formally setup. If so, the goals have no or little positive trends. No action is being taken to drive goals directly. Area level goals may exist but are not clearly tied to customer. Several issues exist with customers, employees, and/or the organizations stakeholders.

DEPLOYMENT STATUS - Which is most like your company?

5. Value Stream Mapping is a part of the strategic planning process. A Lean Strategic Implementation plan has been developed to increase customer value and eliminate wasteful inefficiencies in most business work systems. Most actions on this implementation plan are on schedule, with at least monthly reviews. All business processes have gone through multiple cycles of improvement. Maps and implementation plans are posted in or near the physical value stream. Deployment is occurring regularly.

4. Somewhere between 3 and 5.

3. All strategically important product lines and business processes have gone through at least one cycle of improvement.

2. Somewhere between 1 and 3.

1. No strategy exists to drive process improvement

This assessment tool provides a quick appraisal of your organization against the best practices found in “lean” businesses around the world.

This quick online tool reviews six categories:

- Vision
- Management
- Culture
- Technical Tools
- Performance
- Deployment

While, this online assessment is a quick, simple tool, I also offer
On-Site Assessments geared around the same 6 categories. These On-Site Assessments provide a very detailed picture of your business and usually take one to two days per location based on organization size and complexity. Through the On-Site Assessment, you can gain a clear determination of your business’s readiness for lean implementation, the
current maturity level of lean deployment and how to accelerate into
becoming a lean organization.

Remember: What is measured…Improves.

Start measuring yourself today!

-Byron


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