FREE BOOK CONTEST UPDATE

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For the rest of May, we are accepting submissions of Everyday Lean, examples from our daily lives of how lean can make stuff easier, simpler and more effective. Here is the original post and contest details. Here are two of our early submissions:

1. Here's one I can certainly appreciate:
Here is an example I refer to as SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Diapers). I realize that the name isn't mine. New parents learn quickly that in order to change a diaper quickly, it is necessary to get all of the items prepared before removing the diaper and find faster ways to change the diapers. (Separating internal and external changeover tasks and kaizening remaining tasks).

2. Here is another submission, with multiple ideas:
Poka-yoke: Input masks in forms you fill out.
Waste of motion: auto-tabbing to the next field when you complete the input mask
Poka-yoke: the unbelievable pocket protector
Jidoka: the light on your dash that tells you the fuel is low or the light and sound you sense when your seatbelt is not fastened
Waste of overproduction: solar sensors on street lamps that switch the lamps on when the ambient light meets certain critera
Waste of waiting: HOV lanes?
Poka-yoke: in the US, filler nozzles and are sized so you can't put diesel in your unleaded fuel tank
Waste of poor quality: displays that show you what you ordered at the drive-thru

Those are good. There are, however, some social consequences to wearing a pocket protector. On the spirit of error proofing, here's a couple more:
1. Can't pull open more than one drawer of a file cabinet
2. ATMs that have you swipe the card so you don't leave it behind (second choice: loud beeps if you do leave it in)
3. Opening your electric bill and not finding someone elses bill? This actually happened to me once. That handy ‘window' in the envelope prevents the mixup.
4. On the theme of gas tanks, leaving your tank cap on your car is prevented by that handy tether.

Keep those ideas coming. Remember, a free copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road goes to the winner. Submit your ideas here.

Please check out my main blog page at www.leanblog.org

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Jamie Flinchbaugh
Jamie Flinchbaugh is an accomplished Entrepreneur, Senior Executive, and Board Member with more than 20 years of success spanning finance, manufacturing, automotive, and management consulting. Leveraging extensive operational experience, Jamie is an invaluable asset for a company seeking expert guidance with process improvements, lean strategies, and leadership coaching in order to transform operations, reduce costs, and drive profitability. His areas of expertise include continuous improvement, entrepreneurship, coaching and training, process transformation, business strategy, and organizational design.

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