Lean concepts can be applied in every industry and process.
Lean principles, when properly applied, results in both increased speed and efficiency.
One such area could be the implementation of Lean in office environment.
The Lean Office approach will allow organizations to serve the customers better,break down departmental walls, and cross]train, so all functions are covered all the time. Deadlines will be no longer an issue and the cash flow will improve significantly.
There are several discrete steps in the lean office implementation:
1. Analyze what people are doing in their respective departments. How do these people bring value to the company and its customers?
2. Determine which people touch which documents and processes, and why they touch them. Go through value stream mapping by determining how much each step in the process costs and what it contributes to revenue.
3. Optimize the physical environment. In some cases, it will make sense to move objects and people around in the office to facilitate more direct and efficient communication and decision making.
4. Optimize processes through automation with an enterprise application. As inventory levels dip to a certain point or as a project slips behind schedule, an application should be able to send up an alarm to notify the correct people to take action.
5. Monitor your results. Specific metrics, such as takt time, can give a company a handle on how its lean practices are impacting its operation. Fluctuations in those metrics can indicate that processes are not being followed, or that new processes need to be implemented to accommodate changes in the organization’s business.
