Breadth vs. depth: How to start deploying the daily management system for your lean transformation

Abstract

For a health care organization that has adopted Lean methodologies, a Lean Management System provides the means to sustain the Lean transformation. The Lean Daily Management System (LDMS) is an element within the comprehensive Lean Management System; it addresses the management of daily operations and centers around continuous improvement at the process level. This paper proposes a framework for organizations about to start their deployment of LDMS; it focuses on how to introduce LDMS and how to manage its dissemination. After a literature review, a deployment model that addresses these key points is produced. In developing the model, the question of whether to concentrate on deploying a comprehensive LDMS in one area at a time or to introduce a simplified version of LDMS to the entire organization at once is examined. Who is expected to play the greater role in deploying LDMS in any area is also studied; whether it is executives, middle managers, or front line staff. In order to test the validity and applicability of the deployment model, field research was conducted in three Canadian hospitals that have already begun their deployment of a management system.

Problem-solving behaviour of nurses in a lean environment

“…However, research also suggests that the implementation of lean is not without challenges, with the process depending on factors such as organisational readiness, a culture of continuous improvement, effective leadership, the availability of resources and communication strategies (Radnor et al, ). Moreover, in practice, the way in which lean is deployed varies considerably from one organisation to another, with some organisations adopting a system‐wide approach, and others tentatively adopting specific techniques from the lean toolbox (Burgess & Radnor, ; Taher, Landry, & Toussaint, ).…”

Lean leadership attributes: a systematic review of the literature

“…The principle of qualification in lean leadership is defined as the long-term development of employees and their continuous learning ( Al-Balushi et al , 2014 ; Dombrowski and Mielke, 2013 ). This review showed that following leadership attributes appear to support qualification: empowerment, trust, engagement, communication, clarification, governance and consistency, and fit for purpose ( Albrecht and Andreetta, 2011 ; Antony et al , 2007 ; Kent, 2006 ; Marinelli-Poole et al , 2011 ; Steed, 2012 ; Taher et al , 2016 ; Willis et al , 2016 ).…”

“…Qualification of employees includes long-term development and continuous learning. Taher et al (2016) suggest that development of key competencies in top management is necessary but must be complemented by a “bottom-up” approach that focuses on competency development in front-line staff. Kent (2006) describes two processes that support qualification: empowering the “we” and communicating for meaning.…”

“…Lean leaders who demonstrate their knowledge of lean principles are more effective at breaking down hierarchies and aligning goals across the organization ( Aij, Visse and Widdershoven, 2015 ; Al-Balushi et al , 2014 ; Taher et al , 2016 ). Because health-care organizations tend to by hierarchically structured, strong support for lean from the leadership team is essential ( Al-Balushi et al , 2014 ).…”

Lean rapid process improvement workshops: an economic evaluation and systematic study of employee experience in a a healthcare setting

“…Boaden et al (2008) Office at the HA adopts a similar approach, whereby selected leaders undergo Lean Implementation Specialist training in order to build a critical mass of individuals who are then equipped to sustain and spread improvement work. Since this study was conducted, the HA also implemented Lean Daily Visual Management as an operating system at several of its hospitals, which helps considerably with sustainment by strengthening accountability and attending to improvement work in an ongoing and systematic manner (Barnas, 2014;Berlanga & Husby, 2017;Graban & Swartz, 2014;Taher, Landry, & Toussaint, 2016;Toussaint, 2015;Wellman, Hagan, Jeffries, & Bailey, 2017;White, 2016). initiatives as compared to many Western companies, who treat industrial improvement approaches as here-today, gone-tomorrow fads (Schonberger, 2006).…”