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Choosing and Scoping Projects

The document provides guidance on choosing and conducting a Lean project using tools like Kaizen events. It recommends selecting a project based on a "burning platform" issue, ensuring leadership commitment and baseline data. The ideal project scope is reasonable in size. A cross-functional team is chosen, and a "Go - No Go" checklist is used to assess project readiness. The event follows a typical 5-day structure, and follow-up meetings are scheduled to track progress.

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drustagi
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38 views

Choosing and Scoping Projects

The document provides guidance on choosing and conducting a Lean project using tools like Kaizen events. It recommends selecting a project based on a "burning platform" issue, ensuring leadership commitment and baseline data. The ideal project scope is reasonable in size. A cross-functional team is chosen, and a "Go - No Go" checklist is used to assess project readiness. The event follows a typical 5-day structure, and follow-up meetings are scheduled to track progress.

Uploaded by

drustagi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Choosing a Project

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Choosing a Project
• Look to the “Burning Platform”
• Customer Complaints
• Internal Complaints
• Long Lead Times
• Quality issues
• Management “Pet” project
• Do any baseline metrics exist
• Is it a “reasonable” size (don’t try to boil the 
ocean)
• Senior leadership committed to the project
SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.
Approach

Issue Issue

“Burning Platform” “I sure would like to fix this”
Department/Division‐wide (strategic) issue Office or section issue
Leadership wants action Little or no data
Measures and data exist Need to create measures

Kaizen LEAN Tools

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


LEAN Tools
• DMAIC
• Value Stream
• Time Studies
• 5s
• Pareto
• Group Decision Making (2‐3‐4‐6 brief meetings)
• Data driven decision making
• Planning Registers
SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.
Choosing a Team
• Expertise in the project topic
• People who actually do the work
• Time commitment
• Interest
• Acceptable to the rigor
• Willing to fully participate on team

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Choosing a Team
• Senior Leadership:  Horsepower to make things happen
• Sponsor(s):  Administrator, etc. with close contact with the 
team
• Team Leader(s):  Supervisor, etc. who will take project 
cradle to grave
• Subject Matter Experts: (IT, legal, engineering, facilities, 
HR, etc.)
• Customers: People who receive our services
• Fresh Prospective: Provides fresh prospective

Note: Maximum of about 18‐20 is ideal

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Go – No Go Checklist
• Is the scope complete and the appropriate size?

• ___ Is the scope too large to achieve success?  (Don’t try to boil the 
ocean)

• ___ Is the scope so small success will not be transformational?  
(Don’t spend this kind of time and energy unless you can achieve 
significant results ‐‐ at least 50% improvement)

• ___ Are you improving a complete system  instead of putting band 
aids on parts of the process?

• ___ Is there any information/decisions made about future plans, 
“sacred cows” or past or potential problems the team needs to 
understand in order to be fully empowered to implement change?

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Go – No Go Checklist
• Are the correct people on the team?

• ___ Do you have all the areas of  the process being improved represented on the 
team?

• ___ Do you have the horsepower needed to make critical decisions on the team?

• ___ Do you have customers on the team, or in unusual cases have you surveyed or 
discussed  the event with process users so the “voice of  the customer” is 
represented?

• ___ Have you  included  thoughtful, good organizational thinkers with little or no 
knowledge of the process to provide a fresh  perspective to the team?

• ___ Are the team members strong, well respected, knowledgeable employees and  
not the people you can  most afford to do without for a week?

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Go – No Go Checklist
• Is the necessary data and information to ensure and measure success available?

• ___ Is there baseline data (monthly, yearly volumes; number of FTE’s assigned  to 
the process) available for current lead time / cycle time / performance  measures?

• ___ If  there was a data gathering plan developed, has the information been 
collected?

• Is the agency ready to immediately implement significant improvements and 
changes?

• ___ Are there still decisions to be made by management before the team can 
implement change?

• ___ Is there a strong  mandate  to do things differently the following Monday?

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Go – No Go Checklist
• Is the event a top priority of the agency for that week?

• ___ Is the entire team committed and scheduled to spend the full week 
focused on the event?

• ___ Are  adequate sized large room and  breakout rooms available the 
entire week?

• ___ Is the team leader committed to change, available all week and able 
to put in the time before, during and after the event to ensure success?
• ___ Are subject matter experts able to be on “stand‐by” to support the 
team as needed?

• ___ Is the sponsor committed to implementing the results and available to 
help remove barriers during the course of the week?

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Go – No Go Checklist
• Is there a common understanding and commitment within the 
agency about the Kaizen event process?

• ___ Is there an understanding within the agency that the team  is 
not just making recommendations, but will make decisions in 
consultation with management during the week that will begin to 
be implemented immediately?

• ___ Are all levels of the organization (management, unions, and 
affected workers) aware of the Kaizen event and understand that 
there will be significant changes coming?

• ___ Is there a commitment to designing and  implementing the best 
solution and improvements for the customer by using data, Lean 
tools and the process?

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Scoping a Project

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Lean Event Types

• Kaizen

• Poka Yoke (Form Improvement)

• Value Stream Map (VSM)

• Five S+

• Process Mapping

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


1st Meeting – 2 Hours
Participants: Topics of Discussion:
• Senior Leadership • Discuss the issue(s)
• Sponsor(s) • Consider the “Go – No Go” 
• Team Leader(s) checklist
• Others as Necessary • Help to focus and narrow the 
issue(s)
• Determine the Approach (Kaizen or 
Lean Tools)
• Review and Explain the “Scoping 
Document”
• Determine who will complete the 
Scope
• Request data as needed
• Discuss need for Customer/User 
survey
• Set contacts and next meeting
• Determine potential event date

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Within 2 Weeks
• Phone and Email contacts w/team lead
• Review of Scoping Document
• Adjustments to Scoping Document
• Collection of Data
• Analyze Data
• Analyze Survey data as needed
• Questions and concerns
• Finalize team

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Prepare for Event
• Prepare event Training slides
• Prepare event Scope slides
• Prepare event Data review slides
• Prepare Customer survey data slides
• Meet with facilitators to discuss roles
• Check with Team on room and supplies
• Prepare  needed supplies

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Conduct the Event
Kaizen Event Example

• Introduction
Day 2 • Improvement
Day 4 • Results
• Training • Discovery • New Process • Design • CELEBRATION
• Walk Through • Improvement  Ideas • Commitment • Implementation • Follow‐up
• Brainstorming • Planning
• Registers
Day 1 Day 3 Day 5

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Kaizen Event
• Training
• Process Map
• Find Waste/Find Value
• Brainstorm
• Clean Sheet Re‐design
• Action Registers
• Report Out
• Begin Transformation

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Report Out
• Friday preparation and slide assignments
• All team members will report out
• Copy slides and distribute to team
• Study and prep time for team
• Time limit of 1 hour
• Facilitator will introduce
• Team Lead will introduce
• Team members will report
• Senior leadership typically will say words
• Conclude

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Follow‐Up Meetings
• 30 Days
• 60 Days
• 90 Days
• 6 Months
• 1 Year

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.


Follow‐Up Meetings
• Conduct a 2nd customer satisfaction survey 6‐
9 months after the event to identify progress 
and needs

• Update dashboard (visual management)

• Promote recognition opportunities for 
successful teams
SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.
Follow‐Up Agenda
• General progress update
• Review action registers
• Roadblocks?
• Assistance needed?
• Backlog update (as needed)
• Phasing update
• Final comments

SIMPLER. FASTER. BETTER. LESS COSTLY.

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