Comments on Lean Blog: A Home Kanban System

I always think a great example of a Kanban system ...

2008-04-02T17:13:00.000-05:00

I always think a great example of a Kanban system in the home is with checkbooks: the box has a reminder in it when you get to the last book to reorder more.

As far as 5S: the silverware organizer in your kitchen drawer is a good example.

I started a kanban for the toilet paper two rolls ...

2008-04-01T13:46:00.000-05:00

I started a kanban for the toilet paper two rolls in each bathroom and the bulk pack in the basement.

Then i started a kanban for the kitchen paper towels, running out can be bad when busy. However i was always forgetting to get the second roll later because i cant see it missing inside the cabinet. So i attached a piece of perforated galvanized pipe strap as a flag on a hook besides the paper towel holder which hangs below my upper cabinets. Most of the time the flag is up hidden behind the face ledge secured by a magnet but when i dont have time to get a replacement roll of paper towels i flip the flag down and leave it there till i later see it and have time.

I've got a kanban for kitchen garbage bags. I kee...

2008-04-01T09:01:00.000-05:00

I've got a kanban for kitchen garbage bags. I keep all the plastic garbage bags on the bottom of the bin; when I take out the garbage, the new bags are right underneath. (That's a bit of 5S.) I put a piece of paper on top of the last bag that says, "Last bag. Buy more." That's my replenishment signal, and it gives me one week to buy new ones.

You are right, Ian. Even in a factory setting, lea...

2008-04-01T08:04:00.000-05:00

You are right, Ian. Even in a factory setting, learned from a sensei "first job -- keep the line running. second job -- keep inventory low."

Too many companies have made low inventory the overriding priority and sometimes suffer higher costs from downtime and other problems caused by high inventory. Now, that's not an excuse to ignore or excuse high inventory levels.

For hospitals, the costs of stocking out cannot be calculated at times. If you're stocked out on a missing med and someone dies... well, you don't want that to happen of course.

So, some "excess and expired" meds may be a necessary cost of providing high service levels, but we use Lean methods (frequent deliveries and kanban control) to prevent excessive overordering.

I've had to 5S the chocolate in the house to cause...

2008-04-01T07:37:00.000-05:00

I've had to 5S the chocolate in the house to cause zero-outs.

In all seriousness though I think we need to think about inventory in the service sector differently than in manufacturing. The margin is higher, the cost of materials less and there is no way to make up the zero-out time of non-production. So it pays off to have the chances of a zero-out at a 6 or 7 sigma level instead of a 3.5 or 4 sigma level (assuming there is a cost associated with having a higher sigma level with greater inventory).

You're bathroom is the same. The consequences of having a zero-out on TP could be devistating so for a small extra marginal cost you maintain enough for 100's of cycles.

www.waittimes.blogspot.com

Great post:-)It again shows that 5S and Kanban is ...

2008-04-01T05:11:00.000-05:00

Great post:-)

It again shows that 5S and Kanban is regularly being done in the house -mostly unnoticed from a lean point of view.

Why don't we apply more of that in the workplace? What are the mental models and dynamics that keep us from doing so?

Curious to hear more on that

Ralf

I do. The only problem I've found is that it doesn...

2008-04-01T00:25:00.000-05:00

I do. The only problem I've found is that it doesn't work for the Oreos.

The attach rate is too high on Oreos, so I've had to go to a forecasting model based on the amount of bad TV shows on and the weather. :P