Doubling productivity through Lean

Lean principles aren’t just theory—they're powerful when applied consistently and with discipline. Here’s how we doubled productivity on a high-volume project using Lean methods:

1. Start with Deep Customer Understanding: We made sure we knew exactly what our customer needed by reading through their requirements, asking questions, holding discussions, and even sending samples for feedback. This was key in designing the process.
2. Create a Process with Stringent Quality Control (QC): We set up a robust QC gate so that no errors escaped. For the first few months, we even brought in an expert freelancer who had experience working on similar processes for the customer to ensure top-tier quality.
3. Refine Through Data: After 2-3 weeks of running the initial process, we reviewed the productivity and quality data from our QC gate. As expected, there were variations in performance. We identified the standout employees—those whose output was above average and whose quality remained consistently high. These individuals intuitively eliminated waste and found faster ways to achieve results, often without formal Lean training.
4. Capture the Best Version of the Process: We video-recorded these top performers and made their techniques our team’s first Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). We even named the procedure after them (informally). This recognition built ownership and motivation.
5. Phase 2: Observe, Record, and Improve: For the next few months, we spent at least 30 minutes every day watching the team work. We’d encourage everyone to note down opportunities for improvement on a shared board. This daily discipline created a pipeline of simple, cost-free ideas to improve our QCD (Quality, Cost, Delivery) metrics.
6. Continuous Improvement: We created a calendar for regular process observations, including different work shifts to identify potential problems specific to time frames or days of the week.

In just 3-4 months, this structured approach doubled our productivity on the shop floor. Lean isn’t a one-time project—it’s a daily discipline of observing, refining, and improving.

How are you using Lean principles to drive productivity in your organization? Let’s share ideas!

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