Kanban Test

What is Kanban?

• Tool for managing and visually controlling work flow

• Signal represented by a card, color, or other visual device

• Common Kanban systems - Grocery Store - Office Supplies - Process Work

Kanban Steps

• Create standard list of required processes

• Establish Minimum/Maximum levels

• Establish usage/processing levels

• Establish process for non-standard cases

Continuous Flow

• Replenish when ‘pulled’

• JIT – Internal/External customers receive work when needed (Just-in-time)

• Eliminate queues, transport time, waiting, and motion wastes

• Use ‘In-process Supermarkets’ or FIFO Lanes to design effective and efficient work flows

In-Process Supermarkets

• Minimize disruptions & maintain flow

• Physical device (cabinet) that stores certain quantity of WIP

• Work gets ‘pulled’ downstream when ready

• Identifies work to occur in upstream process when it is required by downstream process

Supermarket Benefits

• Reduces overproduction upstream

• Reduces queue times

• Reduces number of hand-offs

• Increases throughput

• Reduces stress

• Improves employee morale & job satisfaction

FIFO Lanes

• First In, First Out Lanes

• Ensures the oldest work is the first to be processed

• Establish standard time units for processes

• FIFO lanes ensure smooth work flow between processes

FIFO Attributes

• Located between two processes

• Have a maximum amount of cases

• Are sequentially loaded

• Warns upstream personnel when lanes are full

• Have visual standards to ensure FIFO

• Have processes for assisting downstream processes when lanes are full

Establishing Signals

• Indicate when FIFO lane is full

• Ensure effective notification to upstream process to stop producing

• Upstream staff lend support downstream until work is caught up

• Eliminate overproduction waste

FIFO Benefits

• Lead time reduction

• Queue time reduction

• Hand-off reduction

• Maximize throughput

• Stress reduction

• Increased morale and job satisfaction

Capture Customer Demand

• Brainstorm a list of common processes (or the value stream)

• Establish Customer Demand• Calculate Takt Time• Create Case Tagging Worksheet

- Initiate at most upstream process - Collect Step, Name, Date/Time In & Out, and Task/Activity

• Glean Delay/Queue Time, VA/NVA Time• Develop Standard Work Chart & Train staff

File Kanban System

• Visually triggers how many cases must flow, where, and when

• Create the foundation for efficient and accurate paper flow

• Consider how to use these principles in our Workflow database

• Three Folders: System, Process, & Reference

System Folder

• Keeper of all pertinent information about the process

• Centralizes all process information• Visual aid for document control• Predictable output information• Process knowledge owned by the

organization• Contains: Process Master Document,

Process Review Schedule, Training Matrix

Process Master Document

• List of the various processes for a value stream

• Creating the Process Master:1. Prioritize and classify the processes2. Identify Process Owners3. Determine Color Codes4. Create flowcharts5. Validate the processes6. Train to the validated processes

Prioritize and Classify

• Classify as Critical, Non-Critical, or Reference

• Prioritize as 1, 2, or 3

• Update Process Master document

Identify Process Owners

• Identify individual owner for each process• By experience or known to complete

efficiently and effectively• Process Owner responsibilities:

- Create process flow chart - Conduct training for that process - Ensure process review - Notify manager of required updates - Update process folders

Determine Color Codes

• Easier to manage the system

• Update Process Master document

• Place color code legend on front cover

Create Flowcharts

• List step-by-step tasks

• Team decides how to document the process

• Establish a review schedule

• Review critical process

Validate the Process(es)

• Validate all processes prior to training people to use them

• Various team members review each process

• Document required changes

• Manager review and approve

• Lean Office requires continual review and update

Train to the Validated Process

• Capture real time process changes while work is being performed

• Attendance-Based training – For minor process changes

• Competency-Based training – For significant or critical process changes - Includes skill assessment

• Update Process Master document once training is complete

Outside of System Folder

• Display folder priority rating and status of the folder on outside of the folder

• Indicates the time-sensitive nature of the folder contents

Continuous Flow

• Ensuring that customers (internal/external) receive the right work, at the right time, in the right quantity

• Develop a continuous flow point of view

• Decide how to control the flow of work

• Perform line balancing

• Implement Standard Work for all processes

Questions for Continuous Flow

• What level of flow do you need? - One case at a time - Small lots of cases

• How will you control upstream work?

• Will you use Kanban?

• Will you apply FIFO?

• How will you move the work?

Push Systems

• One process pushes work to the next process, whether or not they are ready to process that work

• Uncontrolled inventory of work between each process step

• Longer turnaround times

• Inefficient use of resources

Pull = Move One, Process One• Just-In-Time production is at the heart of the

Lean Office• What does the downstream (next) process

need?... When?... How much?• Perform only the work that is needed at the

moment… no more, no less• Prioritize the needs of the entire process, not

just the efficiency and needs of a single operation

• Requires flexibility, takt time, pitch, and buffer resources

Do you Push or Pull?

Supervisor

Scheduled Work

Push Pull

Sup

plie

r

Cus

tom

er

Sup

plie

r

“Make”Signal

“Make”Signal

“Make”Signal

Supervisor

Cus

tom

er

Scheduled WorkCustomer Demand

Advantages of Pull and Flow

• Shorter lead time

• Reduction of Work-In-Process

• Reduction of queue times

• Ability to identify and fix problems earlier

• Reduction of paper handling/hand-offs

• Flexibility in meeting customer demand

• Less worker frustration

Control the Flow of Work• Supermarket storage area… No!• Replenish only what has been used• How much to keep on the shelves• Understand what is required downstream• Organize upstream work to support• Supermarket (when continuous flow not

possible)• FIFO (First In, First Out) method• Kanban = Reorder or replenish signal

In-Process Supermarkets

• Used when there are obstacles to continuous flow… when cycle time variations exist

• Best alternative to scheduling upstream processes

• Need for supermarkets decrease as flow is improved

• Continue to work towards ideal state

Kanban – Visual Control• Created to manage the flow of work units in

and out of supermarkets/work areas• Deliver required amount of work when

needed• Encourages ‘Pull’, almost forces cooperation• Visual control using colors, folders, cards,

etc. for the movement of work units• Used to signal actions or events and the

details of the action or event• Allows queue time reduction of 50% or more

Simple Kanban Example• Simple instructions on index

cards

• Left side – Jobs assigned… ‘Brush teeth’, ‘Get dressed’

• Right side – Jobs completed

• Instant visual cue to know how much work is in what state

• Provides work order & sense of accomplishment

• No need for ‘Hi-Tech’

FIFO – First In, First Out

• Every job processed in the order that it enters the process

• Oldest work (first in) is the first to be processed (first out)

• Can be used in conjunction with in-process Supermarkets

• When FIFO lane is full, a visual indicator tells upstream workers to lend a hand to the downstream workers until flow is restored

FIFO Lanes

• Holds a designated amount of work between two processes

• Is sequentially loaded (by date, FIFO)• Uses a signal to indicate the lane is full,

notifies upstream to stop loading• Requires rules and procedures for up and

downstream operations• Requires discipline by workforce to ensure

FIFO integrity

Sample ProcessFIFO Lane & Supermarket

Kanban

In Box

Out Box

Pending

ColoredFolders

DRET Short-Term Long-Term Hi-Levels

Folder Worksheet

Data Data Data Data

Runner

In front of each process: Case Tracking, QC, Med Board, etc. At everyone’s cubicle

CT

QC

CA

RE

Case Tracking

Quality Control

Calculation Analyst

Re-exam

Types of cases

Moves files every Takt Time, Matches Type of Case & Process to Worker, Watches for Flow problems

Types of Cases

Line Balancing

• Determine the optimal distribution of work to meet Takt Time

• Optimizes the utilization of personnel• No one worker is doing too much or too little• Ensures that Customer demand is met but with

Continuous Flow mentality• Shows improvement opportunities by displaying

the times of work processes in relation to entire value stream and takt time

Takt Time• Customer Demand Rate divided by Time

Available• Number of Cases per Month received divided by

172 hours per month = Takt Time• Takt Time For Disability (based on historical data):

Heavy Month = 265 cases; TT = 1.5 cases per hour or 1 case every 39 minutes

Average Month = 202 cases; TT = 1.2 cases per hour or 1 case every 51 minutes

Slow Month = 114 cases; TT = 0.7 cases per hour or 1 case every 90 minutes

• We need to process about 12-15 cases per day over the short term

Standardized Work• An agreed-upon set of work procedures

that establishes the best method and sequence for each process

• Keep variables constant so that outcome is predictable

• Provides the best, easiest, safest, & fastest way to perform work

• Minimizes variation, maintains quality, eases training, helps us to meet customer demand