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Organisational Mechanics

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Slimy Customer Service

12 May, 2010 by James Lawther Leave a Comment

Scientists in Japan have been working with a species of slime mold.  It spreads out radially, growing a network of veins as it looks for food.  When it finds food it then contracts to remove redundant veins . The scientists carried out an experiment; producing a map of Tokyo with oat flakes (food) and watching […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: capability, clarity, communication, complexity, decisions, purpose

The Exception

12 May, 2010 by James Lawther Leave a Comment

All databases have exceptions and exception reports that need to be manually fixed.  It is a law of nature.  And exception reports get very messy. What is the priority? How do you know you worked everything? Will the report you didn’t work blow up in your face? Did you look for all the accounts that […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: capacity, clarity, complexity, information technology, process control

Outsource?

12 April, 2010 by James Lawther Leave a Comment

Asparagus from Peru

It’s a big decision, should you or shouldn’t you? The world is changing at a remarkable pace, yesterday alone I: 1.  Had Kenyan green beans and asparagus from Peru delivered to my door. 2.  Held a text conversation with a friend who is stuck in Austria (inconsiderate things volcanoes). 3.  Sent my camera to be […]

Filed Under: Blog, Employee Engagement Tagged With: complexity, cost saving, outsourcing

Silver Bullets

12 April, 2010 by James Lawther Leave a Comment

Silver Bullet

We have a fascination with big bets, wholesale system change, outsourcing deals, new facilities.  We are rewarded for thinking strategically and pulling the big leavers; consequently we are always looking for silver bullets, the one change that will make everything more efficient. All operations are big machines that deal with materials, customers, employees and products.  […]

Filed Under: Blog, Operations Analysis Tagged With: back to the floor, complexity, continuous improvement, cost saving, devil is in the detail, gemba

Soviet Style Savings

14 March, 2010 by James Lawther Leave a Comment

vladimir kabaidze

We make life complicated We add new products, new services, extra checks and balances.  It is easy to do. Somebody wants it. But we rarely take things away, remove services, cut stock keeping units, rationalise organisation structures.  That is hard to do.  Nobody wants it. Unfortunately all that complexity is, well, complicated; and consequently expensive.  […]

Filed Under: Blog, Process Improvement Tagged With: bureaucracy, complexity, cost saving, error proofing, reinforcing behaviour

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