The article is an excerpt from a new book on Lean Government (written in Dutch). It discusses a transformation taking place in the City of Breda. A new law was implemented to make it easier for residents and entrepreneurs to apply for permits by combining 24 regulations into one integrated environmental permit process. They describe […]
Lean is especially appropriate for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries because it requires little financial investment to promote economic development that builds up and empowers workers, and is easy for everyone to grasp and apply. Andrew Parris, a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at Medair, shares details about the International Trade […]
Written by Brion
In a recent interview, Joy Mason, CEO and founder of Optimist Business Solutions discusses her background in continuous improvement, what led to the creation of The Six Sigma Racial Equity Institute™ (SSREI), along with some project examples. SSREI is an innovative leadership program designed to upskill Black Women to be complex problem solvers. She also […]
Written by Brion
Tim Gebauer shares his thoughts on applying Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to a thrift store. He feels that one of the first things to do to improve a store is visualizing and understanding how things are really being done now. A VSM can identify the flow of raw donations through the facility. Once they arrive, […]
Written by Brion
Joy Mason helped found the Six Sigma Racial Equity Institute, which is a nonprofit in Indianapolis, Indiana that teaches Black female professionals problem solving skills to receive the institute’s Six Sigma green belt certification. Six Sigma training is normally $5,000, but the tuition is reduced for these women due to corporate sponsorships. Students meet all […]
Written by Brion
On April 9, 2021, La Soufrière volcano erupted for the first time in 40 years on the island of St Vincent and the Grenadines. SBP Director Andy Stofleth asked the question: What if the problem could be part of the solution? Perhaps SBP could use this ancient Roman process of using volcanic ash as building […]
Written by Brion
The James P. Womack Scholarship and Philanthropy Fund (JPW Fund) and the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) teamed up with the primary goal to have two student interns analyze and improve core processes at a nonprofit organization, thus inspiring the organization to implement lean practices by showing them various methods to improve their operations. […]
Written by Brion
The James P. Womack Scholarship & Philanthropy Fund (JPW Foundation) reflects on the outcomes of their ‘lean internship,’ which offers a hands-on practical experience to students while helping nonprofits help more people. In a recently created guide, the JPW Fund explains how the first two interns started in the Fall of 2019, and how they […]
Written by Brion
Tim Gebauer writes a weekly blog about his experiences working in a thrift store. He shares tips and reasons why turning donated goods into sellable items helps bring back recurring customers, and why processes and systems are key to long-term success. He doesn’t talk specifically about Lean, but mentions backlog, wasted steps and motion (touching […]
Written by Brion
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I ordered the book, “Practical Innovation in Government: How Front-Line Leaders Are Transforming Public-Sector Organizations” through Audible. But I was pleasantly surprised, and actually listened to it a second time to make sure I didn’t miss anything. If you work in government, or process improvement, you will definitely […]
Written by Brion