Hi Team
I just watched part 2 of a YouTube video from Sandy Munro, @Munro Live, super informative and super exciting topic of continuous improvement and lean design.
I have always been a proponent of lean design and continuous improvement. I first learnt about Kaizen, (Japanese for “change for the better”) and the 5’s (sort, set in order, shine, standardise, sustain the cycle), from Chris at Action Motor Bodies in Hamilton ,New Zealand. They made ambulances and mobile dental units for numerous suppliers in New Zealand. AMB was a division of Tourism Holdings limited (THL) where I worked for 23 years.
Chris and his team had a unique way of doing things, always striving to improve or do things a better way. Sitting in their office one day looking at their walls covered with words like Kaizen, and Lean and continuous improvement, something triggered in my brain and got my juices flowing. I realised change is great! I remember thinking this is exciting and invigorating, how does this work? Why does this work? The journey began on my path of discovering how to do things better.
From an early age I remember thinking, Why? Why does this exist and why do things do that? I would always be asking why? Only to get the obligatory response from my parents ” it’s just because”. I hate that saying to this day and I do my best to discover the why. Even with my own children ask why Dad? So rather than follow in my parents footsteps I chose to seek out the answer, to educate them and myself and answer the why?
I discovered Sandy Munro about the time he launched his youTube channel in February 2018, after stumbling across him on my constant quest to learn more about Tesla, my other obsession. The more I watch his channel the more I learn, the more I learn about myself and how much I enjoy change and finding a better way! I sometimes wonder if this is an unhealthy obsession? I have even been known to rearrange the cutlery draw or dishwasher to see if I can save time in loading and unloading the machine. is there a better way? Even at the expense of my partners frustration, “now what are you doing?!”
” The best process is no process!” Elon Musk
Sandy’s video today was about “Change the rules!”. Yes granted some rules are good, i.e traffic lights, and have reasons for existing but that was when they were implemented. There’s no rule saying you can’t challenge a process or procedure. Ask the question does this process or procedure still hold true today? Probably not things evolve, the world moves so quickly these days that processes and procedures constantly need review or changing for the better. Never stop questioning the why?! Ignore those that say you ask too many questions. They are just stale and stagnant, and can’t see the wood for the trees! Challenge the norm, and look for a better way. Asking “Why?” is just the beginning.
I recently changed a process in my workplace, a simple process of ordering a shared spreadsheet by alphabetical order. It was a roster for a shared team of drivers.
When I first enquired why we use excel for a roster tool and why could only one person access it at a time? The answers I got were staggering, “its how we do things”, “you can’t change it, you’re new here”, “this isn’t the company way” and “you’ll get used to it, we all have”. What?!? Wait…WHY?!?
After weeks of falling in line, and waiting hours for the others to get out of the spreadsheet, I changed the process. Im a patient person, but I can’t deal with stupidity. So whilst I wouldn’t suggest just changing things without consultation with your colleagues, sometimes forcing the change so people can see and feel the benefits just works.
I moved our roster to Teams with a shared spreadsheet, in alphabetical order. Now everyone can modify the roster at the same time, when it’s convenient for them. I’m now currently working on shifting to a roster tool to increase the communication and visibility rather than an excel spreadsheet which is NOT a roster tool!
Sandy Munro has a similar outlook on production and manufacturing chase the cheese and if it means tearing down a few walls to get there, then do it, don’t just wonder around the maze looking for the cheese.
Check out part 2 of Sandy’s Design philosophy
Challenge the rules, and Change for the better.
until the next one…