Comments on: Standard or Optional http://www.dailykaizen.org/archives/85 A blog about improvement in health care Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:14:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mark Graban http://www.dailykaizen.org/archives/85/comment-page-1#comment-25 Mark Graban Thu, 06 Jul 2006 15:49:05 +0000 http://www.dailykaizen.org/archives/85#comment-25 In hospital labs, I've heard the comment that "we are already robots" because the lab equipment is so automated. Well trained techs are just loading instruments at this point. So lean is an opportunity to use their brains and be less robot like. Yes, you have to follow a standard procedure, but use your brainpower for kaizen, for suggestions, for actually implementing process improvements. That's how people, even toyota line workers who do the same thing every 45 seconds, are not robots. Remind them of the toyota phrase that "Standard Work is the Basis for Kaizen." It's only with standards that you can have true improvement. Not thinking about every little thing you do ("how should I do that") frees you up to think about improvements. Another thing I like to ask people, "Airline pilots are very well trained and have a lot of responsibility. Aren't you glad THEY have very standardized procedures when your life is in their hands?" You know, we can skip those pre-flight checks and I know a faster way to get to O'Hare... not cool. In hospital labs, I’ve heard the comment that “we are already robots” because the lab equipment is so automated. Well trained techs are just loading instruments at this point.

So lean is an opportunity to use their brains and be less robot like. Yes, you have to follow a standard procedure, but use your brainpower for kaizen, for suggestions, for actually implementing process improvements.

That’s how people, even toyota line workers who do the same thing every 45 seconds, are not robots.

Remind them of the toyota phrase that “Standard Work is the Basis for Kaizen.” It’s only with standards that you can have true improvement. Not thinking about every little thing you do (”how should I do that”) frees you up to think about improvements.

Another thing I like to ask people, “Airline pilots are very well trained and have a lot of responsibility. Aren’t you glad THEY have very standardized procedures when your life is in their hands?” You know, we can skip those pre-flight checks and I know a faster way to get to O’Hare… not cool.

]]>