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Rule 5:  Understand how the Work Works

26 June, 2015 by James Lawther 2 Comments

It sounds a bit smug doesn’t it? It isn’t enough to study the work, you also need to know how the work works. What does it mean? Let me give you a couple of examples: 1. How do you drive a car? It is one thing to know how to drive; mirror, signal, manoeuvre.  That […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: back to the floor, gemba, systems thinking, video

Rule 4:  Study the Work

21 June, 2015 by James Lawther 2 Comments

queens chauffeur

We all get paid for know how Builders know how to build walls Accountants know how to audit books Dentists know how to fill teeth Cooks know how to cook Drivers know how to drive We are all knowledge workers.  It is just that for some of us the knowledge is harder to gain than for […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: best practice, gemba, knowledge worker

Rule 3: There is Always More Work than People

19 June, 2015 by James Lawther 3 Comments

more work than people

The rules so far: Prioritise the work Don’t make your customer wait This would be OK but for Rule 3 which states that: There is always more work than people. This rule can be expressed in many ways: You never have enough time There is always more you could do You never have enough money Demand […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: backlog, gemba, supply and demand

Rule 2: Don’t Make Your Customers Wait

14 June, 2015 by James Lawther 10 Comments

Head in the Sand

Why leave them waiting? If your customers are phoning you, texting you, mailing you and some have even gone to the lengths of visiting you and are standing there looking at you, then it is a fair bet that they want something. Rule 1 is to prioritise the work, but prioritising it isn’t enough, you can […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: abandon rate, cost of poor quality, customer behaviour, customer focus, gemba, queue, surge capacity

Rule 1: Prioritise the Work

10 June, 2015 by James Lawther 7 Comments

prioritise the work

Café Culture The other day I walked into a café; it was a popular place, there were people crowded around all the tables.  Three members of staff were on duty. They were having a long and detailed conversation about a stock-take. I stood and waited. I waited and stood. The staff gave me a good […]

Filed Under: Blog, Process Improvement Tagged With: best practice, customer focus, gemba, good service, John Lewis, purpose, service design

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