Last night many of our church members went to volunteer at the Gleaners Food bank in Indianapolis. In the space of about two hours, we assembled 640 boxes of food and I learned some good lessons. My job was to "stock" 5 lines of food items for volunteers assembling the standard box of food on the line. As I was supplying the boxes of corn flakes, I noticed the teenage girl removing the corn flakes packages from the large box had a hard time getting the first one out. This was due to the tight packing of the cereal packages in the large box. She would sometimes take what seemed to be a long time to remove the first corn flakes box in a busy fast moving assembly line.
My quick and easy kaizen was that when I opened the big box of corn flakes to supply her, I pulled one package out and set it on top. This then made it easy for her since she didn't waste time struggling to pull the first one out and quicker to get two in at a time. Just a little change like that made it easier and faster.
What have you improved today?
Dan Lafever
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
September Q&E Kaizen - 9/8/2010 - social proofing personal checks
Quick and Easy Kaizens - ideas to reduce waste, save money, eliminate problems, and improve quality of life in small ways.
Before: I would write a personal check to someone for payment and they would sometimes hold on to it for weeks or months before cashing it. Even writing "please cash immediately" would not compel folks to quickly cash it. It seemed that folks would cash checks at inopportune times bringing the balance of our checking account precariously low.
After: In the memo section of the check, I write,"95% of our checks are cashed in 7 days". This message has a social proof that all but 5% of people cash our check in a week so the bearer of the check feels the pressure to conform to the group. One of my most frequent "check holders" that I have to pay for my son's lessons cashed my check withing 6 days after using this new message. Try it out!
Benefits:
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
Before: I would write a personal check to someone for payment and they would sometimes hold on to it for weeks or months before cashing it. Even writing "please cash immediately" would not compel folks to quickly cash it. It seemed that folks would cash checks at inopportune times bringing the balance of our checking account precariously low.
After: In the memo section of the check, I write,"95% of our checks are cashed in 7 days". This message has a social proof that all but 5% of people cash our check in a week so the bearer of the check feels the pressure to conform to the group. One of my most frequent "check holders" that I have to pay for my son's lessons cashed my check withing 6 days after using this new message. Try it out!
Benefits:
- Better cash management in checking account
- Reduced check float time
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
Thursday, September 2, 2010
September Q&E Kaizen - 9/2/2010 - wait for the yellow light
Quick and Easy Kaizens - ideas to reduce waste, save money, eliminate problems, and improve quality of life in small ways.
Before: I would fill up at a local gas station and then when leaving I'd have to wait and idle my engine at the street for the light to change. The closet exit from the gas station is onto a very busy street with a stoplight so sometimes I'd wait 3-4 minutes for enough cars to line up to change the traffic signal.
After: I'd pull into the gas station and position my car to fill up so I could see the stoplight from where my vehicle was sitting. Since the car was off anyway, once I topped off the tank I sit and wait until I see the yellow light for the street. At the yellow, I start my car and pull up to the intersection which is now a green light for me and go without sitting idle.
Benefits:
Dan Lafever, Kaizener
Before: I would fill up at a local gas station and then when leaving I'd have to wait and idle my engine at the street for the light to change. The closet exit from the gas station is onto a very busy street with a stoplight so sometimes I'd wait 3-4 minutes for enough cars to line up to change the traffic signal.
After: I'd pull into the gas station and position my car to fill up so I could see the stoplight from where my vehicle was sitting. Since the car was off anyway, once I topped off the tank I sit and wait until I see the yellow light for the street. At the yellow, I start my car and pull up to the intersection which is now a green light for me and go without sitting idle.
Benefits:
- Reduce gas waste from sitting idle at red light
- Reduced brake wear from braking the engine
- Smoother exit from gas station
Dan Lafever, Kaizener
Monday, August 23, 2010
Little by little...
Don't start big, start small and just keep going and you're be amazed if you just stay with it
4 years ago, I want to start producing more of my own food and storing up for the winter. It's important to me to eat healthy and buy local as much as possible. Here's how each year went as I started this journey:
Year one: 0 pints frozen, zero canned, small garden planted. I learned that I should improve my gardening and look for more wild foods.
Year two: 2 pints raspberries frozen, 25 wild apples used, half garden planted with several fresh vegetables produced. I learned that I was not raising enough vegetables to can so I would improve garden and located several wild raspberry patches on pubic land
Year three: 9 pints raspberries frozen, 5 wild apples used(really gnarly), 6 quarts of green beans frozen, half garden planted with several fresh vegetables produced. I learned that I was not raising enough vegetables(again) to can so I would improve the garden(again) and harvest local wild raspberries. Also, I got serious about canning and had my wife purchase supplies for next year.
Year four so far: 24 pints raspberries frozen, 22 sold to local farmers market, expanded garden planted, 12 quarts of green beans canned, 17 quarts of tomato juice canned(OK-I cheated and bought some local from a farmer's market but about half we grew), 6 pints of frozen wild blackberries, 2 pints of wild mulberries. Getting ready for a fall planting, apples have not yet come on. We may buy more local green beans and can more and waiting on apples which we hope to can as well.
As you can see, it takes time to figure things out and improve processes but it comes along slowly. Each year I learn more and just keep getting better. If you approach with small steps, failures are not devastating or demoralizing so you don't get discouraged. After all, little by little over time becomes bigger and bigger if you stay with it!
What have you done a little at a time today?
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
4 years ago, I want to start producing more of my own food and storing up for the winter. It's important to me to eat healthy and buy local as much as possible. Here's how each year went as I started this journey:
Year one: 0 pints frozen, zero canned, small garden planted. I learned that I should improve my gardening and look for more wild foods.
Year two: 2 pints raspberries frozen, 25 wild apples used, half garden planted with several fresh vegetables produced. I learned that I was not raising enough vegetables to can so I would improve garden and located several wild raspberry patches on pubic land
Year three: 9 pints raspberries frozen, 5 wild apples used(really gnarly), 6 quarts of green beans frozen, half garden planted with several fresh vegetables produced. I learned that I was not raising enough vegetables(again) to can so I would improve the garden(again) and harvest local wild raspberries. Also, I got serious about canning and had my wife purchase supplies for next year.
Year four so far: 24 pints raspberries frozen, 22 sold to local farmers market, expanded garden planted, 12 quarts of green beans canned, 17 quarts of tomato juice canned(OK-I cheated and bought some local from a farmer's market but about half we grew), 6 pints of frozen wild blackberries, 2 pints of wild mulberries. Getting ready for a fall planting, apples have not yet come on. We may buy more local green beans and can more and waiting on apples which we hope to can as well.
As you can see, it takes time to figure things out and improve processes but it comes along slowly. Each year I learn more and just keep getting better. If you approach with small steps, failures are not devastating or demoralizing so you don't get discouraged. After all, little by little over time becomes bigger and bigger if you stay with it!
What have you done a little at a time today?
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
Friday, August 20, 2010
Kaizen is so simple even animals do it...
Continuous improvement is not as hard as you think. The videos below illustrate that even animals can improve their processes. Each situation requires a change in process to accomplish the creature's mission. These critters are so focused on their end goal they naturally embrace new ways and improvements...because the mission is more important than the methods. No attachment to old ideas or emotional baggage resisting change. Imagine if your family or your company embraced improvement the way these animals do!
What have you improved today?
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
What have you improved today?
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Spy Kids Kaizen - your limits are what empowers your creativity
Awhile back, I found this great video of how Robert Rodreguiz, director of the Spy Kids films and many others, used creative ideas to solve complex filming problems. His limited technical budget included using skateboards, thinking backwards, and a treadmill from a local academy. This is a great video about implementing improvement ideas and making them work under constraints. Take particular note of the fantastic quote about how limits can force your imagination to go places it has never been before at the 3:17-3:36 minute mark. Creativity over capital!
What movie have you improved today?
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
What movie have you improved today?
Dan Lafever, Kaizeneer
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