Unlock the Full Potential of Lean Management Consulting with Hands-On Support

Table of Content:

Introduction

Lean Implementation Challenges for SMEs

The Value of Hands-On Lean Management Consulting Services

A Successful Case Study: Improving Patient Care Efficiency

Conclusion

Introduction

While the principles of lean management apply universally, the implementation and execution can vary significantly between large corporations and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

Lean Implementation Challenges for SMEs

Larger companies often have dedicated resources and in-house capabilities to create and staff their own 'moonshine shops' to design, build and test kaizen improvements. For example, a manufacturing company could theoretically dedicate existing or additional machines and personnel to build prototypes and experiment with optimising its value streams. However, for companies in non-machine manufacturing sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, retail, food and beverage and many others, this can be a significant challenge. Asking a surgeon or a baker to learn to weld, mill and build machines may be an unrealistic expectation, even with cross-training efforts. This lack of in-house manufacturing capability can hinder the full realisation of lean improvements. In addition, many SMEs struggle with limited financial and human resources. Owners often think "I don't need advice, I need an extra pair of hands" or "We don't have the capacity for all this" and "We don't have the time, we have too many problems to solve".

Limited Resources

Many SMEs struggle with limited financial and human resources, making it difficult to dedicate staff and equipment solely to continuous improvement. An external person could ease this situation.

You can read more about this challenge and how to overcome it in my earlier post here: Making the Most of Limited Resources

Lack of Specialised Expertise

Lean management is not rocket science, and there are plenty of websites and books that provide readily available information. However, the real-world experience of driving and living through several lean transformations, creating manufacturing lines or changing office processes, facilitating kaizen activities can be a significant advantage in speeding up the learning process and drastically reducing the number of mistakes along the way.

Resistance to Change

Implementing lean often meets resistance, even when the benefits are clear. Effective communication, training and early stakeholder involvement are key to overcoming resistance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. An external person brings a view that internal employees do not necessarily have. Combining this view and experience with internal knowledge could ease resistance to change.

The Value of Hands-On Lean Management Consulting Services

A hands-on consultant minimises the need for additional resources by providing the necessary expertise and support to solve problems and implement solutions. Beyond traditional lean management consulting and training, hands-on support brings additional benefits in many areas, for example:

1. Prototyping and Mockup Development

Step by step guiding your team through the process of creating low-cost, high-impact mockups and prototypes using readily available materials like cardboard, tape, and wood. These tangible models allow teams to visualize, experiment, and refine their lean solutions before finalizing the design. The benefits of prototyping and mockup development include:

• Identifying potential issues and improvement opportunities early in the process

• Facilitating collaboration and input from all stakeholders

• Enabling iterative refinement and optimization of the solution

• Reducing the risk of costly mistakes or rework during implementation

2. Design and Manufacturing Support

Once the prototype is complete, producing detailed manufacturing drawings and organising the production of the envisioned equipment or tooling can be a daunting task for non-manufacturing companies and could potentially derail in entire improvement effort. This capability enables companies to fully realize their lean improvements without being limited by their in-house manufacturing capabilities and resources. Such design and manufacturing support services could include:

• Detailed 3D modelling and technical drawings

• Sourcing and vetting of reliable manufacturing partners

• Quality control and testing of manufactured products

• Installation and implementation support on-site

By providing end-to-end support from ideation to implementation, your lean solutions are not only well designed, but also properly executed and integrated into your operations.

A Successful Case Study: Improving Patient Care Efficiency

Consider this recent example from a healthcare client: A team of doctors and nurses envisioned modifications to a hospital animal cage door to improve patient care and efficiency. Using simple materials such as paper, wood and duct tape we created a mock-up prototype that addressed several pain points: long set-up times for infusion machines and bags, difficulty in patient monitoring, disorganised storage of patients' belongings, and constantly breaking and missing documentation holders. During a Kaizen event the team brainstormed several design ideas and a mock-up was created for everyone to test and experience. Using the learning from the mock-up, some adjustments were made to the final design and we are now overseeing the manufacturing of the modified doors, which will be installed in the coming weeks. This hands-on approach has enabled the healthcare professionals to develop a practical, bespoke solution that will benefit both doctors and nurses, using external expertise in Kaizen facilitation and manufacturing support.

The benefits of the modified door design include:

• Reduced setup time for infusion bags and equipment

• Improved patient monitoring and safety

• Better organisation and accessibility of patient belongings and documentation

This collaboration between an external person and the cross-functional internal team brings the veterinary hospital improvements in the quality of patient care, staff efficiency and overall operational effectiveness, while reducing work frustration and minimising the risk of documentation displacement.

Conclusion

Through the active involvement of employees in kaizen and the application of lean management, SMEs can also tap into their collective knowledge, creativity and commitment to drive sustainable improvements while increasing job satisfaction and employee retention. Whether you're a healthcare provider, food manufacturer or any other SME, Leanoft GmbH's hands-on lean management consulting can be the catalyst for transforming your operations, solving your recurring problems, empowering your workforce and achieving sustainable, measurable results.

Take the first step towards unlocking the full power of lean for your SME. Contact us today to learn more about our hands-on lean management consulting services and how we can support your journey to operational excellence.

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