A Lean transformation assessment by an expert can be very beneficial
Almost all ascribed standards like ISO, IFRS and GAAP, NIST, US-CERT, OSHA, Food Safety, ASTM, EPA, DOT, etc. have mandatory audit events for organizations. Some organizations find these audits intrusive, a waste of time, and unreasonable. However, they are a mandatory requirement to maintain accreditation. For most organizations, maintaining these standards is absolutely key to preserving a certain part or even all of the organization’s market.
In a previous role as vice president of operations, you would have the same pre-audit anxiety as many other people in leadership roles. I was often surprised at what the auditors discovered. Even my daily walks through the Gemba would not reveal these discrepancies. So I started to get more personally involved during the audits and soon realized that the auditors were there to support us and recommend best practices. They were able to give us a different point of view.
Attributed standard audits are mandatory, but what about your Lean transformation process? The momentum of the result can slow down even by coming to a complete stop, confirming the dreaded “flavor of the month”. But even if you are getting results, are they at the rate that will give you a competitive advantage?
Sometimes the axiom “the trees can’t see the forest” is playing a role, you and your team need a different perspective. The problem with an internal evaluation is that it is done by internal people who have the same perspective. A Lean Sigma expert can be hired to perform an unbiased assessment; can provide this different perspective.
To get the best ROI from this external assessment, there are a few characteristics to look for before hiring a Lean Sigma expert:
1. They must provide you with your Lean Enterprise Assessment Questionnaire well in advance of the actual assessment date. Review the categories and determine if they fit your organization and business goals. They should ask their team to complete the questionnaire before the assessment so that the Expert can do a preliminary analysis and understand the perspective of the management team.
2. They must request and recommend the necessary resources (people and equipment), the data and the clients that will be available for the evaluation. Real customers are a must, I have found that too many customer surveys are biased or poorly designed. This will help define the scope of the assessment and allow people to schedule their time.
3. In almost all cases, there should be a request for operational data well in advance of the actual evaluation date. This will allow the Lean Sigma expert to perform a preliminary analysis and save time during the evaluation.
4. The recommended evaluation time is a minimum of two days, depending on how many parts of the business you want to evaluate. A proper assessment cannot be completed in a day!
5. The third party must also provide an agreed, detailed day-by-day, hour-by-hour schedule of resources needed two weeks prior to the actual assessment. Review this schedule; a significant portion of the time should be working with the management team (including supervisors) on the value stream.
6. There must be an agreement on fees. I recommend and support that the only fees for the full assessment are the transportation, meals and hotel required for the Expert. The evaluation process is an investment for the Lean Sigma Expert; they need to be able to demonstrate their abilities during the entire evaluation process. It will become apparent if the expert continues to work to support the agreed recommendations.
7. Finally, selecting a great Lean Sigma consulting firm does not necessarily guarantee that you will get what you need from the assessment. Many of them will decide to send a less experienced consultant. They will tell you if they have the support of another expert or even a team. But this remote support is not there to see, hear and feel the current culture.
A Lean Sigma assessment is a very powerful process for regaining momentum and increasing the rate of improvement. Ensure the content of these seven points before the contract agreement with a Lean Sigma Expert.
