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This is the second post in my series on the inner workings of Amazon Fulfillment Centers. In this post I will look at the typical layout of the fulfillment centers and start with the inbound value stream. After all, while we all are looking forward to getting stuff from Amazon, Amazon first has to get … Continue reading The Inner Workings of Amazon Fulfillment Centers – Part 2
Retrieved from: The Lean Insider
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This month, I spoke with Vincent Wiegel about his recently published book, Lean in the Classroom: The Powerful Strategy for Improving Student Performance and Developing Efficient Processes. This book is the first to define Lean Education in all its aspects: course design, actual teaching and learning processes, school management, and the organization of supporting processes. It is firmly based on the Lean management philosophy in conjunction with pedagogy. The book draws on both scientific research in the field of Lean management in general and Lean education in particular. In addition, it is predicated on many years of hands-on experience applying Lean both inside and outside the education sector.
During my conversation with Vincent, I asked him: "Can Lean Be Effective in the Education Sector?" Here is his complete response:
Lean and Education are two different worlds at first glance. Education focuses on preparing our young ones for lives as responsible citizens and professionals while keeping adults up to date on burgeoning knowledge, technology, and methodologies. It is a strongly cultural and idealistic sector. Lean has a strong rationalist and business focus aiming to improve the performance of organizations. They seem worlds apart but in fact share the same outlook and basic philosophy. They need each other --Let me explain.
The main aim of education is to determine where our students want to go, what they want to learn. Based on where they currently are, we provide them with the means to develop and grow. Teachers strive to understand their students’ thinking, what they do, and do not yet understand. This is the same as Lean Kaizen way of thinking.
During my conversation with Vincent, I asked him: "Can Lean Be Effective in the Education Sector?" Here is his complete response:
Lean and Education are two different worlds at first glance. Education focuses on preparing our young ones for lives as responsible citizens and professionals while keeping adults up to date on burgeoning knowledge, technology, and methodologies. It is a strongly cultural and idealistic sector. Lean has a strong rationalist and business focus aiming to improve the performance of organizations. They seem worlds apart but in fact share the same outlook and basic philosophy. They need each other --Let me explain.
The main aim of education is to determine where our students want to go, what they want to learn. Based on where they currently are, we provide them with the means to develop and grow. Teachers strive to understand their students’ thinking, what they do, and do not yet understand. This is the same as Lean Kaizen way of thinking.
The other way around, a Lean expert best not tell employees what to do but to make them see and think in a different way. They are both teachers (sensei) and students. They don’t tell but ask questions and strive to understand how the employees think and what they need to grow.
Education stands to gain from the action-oriented Lean tradition with its tools and methods. These are complementary to pedagogy. Moreover, Lean will support schools to eliminate waste from all processes, teaching, and support. It provides schools the help to strengthen strategic thinking. Schools need this to reduce teacher workloads and increase the pace to keep up with ever faster changes in knowledge. Keeping curricula up-to-date is one of main challenges that Lean will help Education to answer.
Essentially, the current way of organizing education is not tenable in the coming decade. We need to address how we teach, how we organize schools, how we increase the effectiveness of learning, how we construct classrooms, and how we deploy new technologies.
Lean management philosophy has been successfully applied across many industries – from manufacturing to healthcare, financial services, and construction. Recently, interest in Lean has steadily increased in the education sector, as it was originally introduced in that area’s administrative and support processes. Currently, the introduction of Lean and its potential in education is gaining wider exposure because of massive looming changes – for example, the introduction of technology in education (as EdTech within the traditional system and as MOOCs), demographic changes, budget pressure, new pedagogies, the entrance of more and more private providers, and changing demands of society and industry on the curriculum.
What is missing is a joint framework that will allow schools, teachers, directors, and boards to harness the potential of these developments and then execute a strategy. Lean Education offers the potential to streamline the execution of strategy and teaching. It accelerates the development of new courses and studies that are closely aligned to the needs of students. It supports the integration of new technologies without overburdening teachers and staff.
My book Lean in the Classroom brings all these elements together into a coherent framework so schools can make necessary changes in one concerted effort. Teaching, professional support, managing the daily work, and changing the way schools function are brought together as a school-wide strategy to organize learning in a way that serves our students by making the most of their talents.
What do you think of Vincent's ideas? Do you believe the power of Lean methodology can be effectively applied to the education sector?
Essentially, the current way of organizing education is not tenable in the coming decade. We need to address how we teach, how we organize schools, how we increase the effectiveness of learning, how we construct classrooms, and how we deploy new technologies.
Lean management philosophy has been successfully applied across many industries – from manufacturing to healthcare, financial services, and construction. Recently, interest in Lean has steadily increased in the education sector, as it was originally introduced in that area’s administrative and support processes. Currently, the introduction of Lean and its potential in education is gaining wider exposure because of massive looming changes – for example, the introduction of technology in education (as EdTech within the traditional system and as MOOCs), demographic changes, budget pressure, new pedagogies, the entrance of more and more private providers, and changing demands of society and industry on the curriculum.
What is missing is a joint framework that will allow schools, teachers, directors, and boards to harness the potential of these developments and then execute a strategy. Lean Education offers the potential to streamline the execution of strategy and teaching. It accelerates the development of new courses and studies that are closely aligned to the needs of students. It supports the integration of new technologies without overburdening teachers and staff.
My book Lean in the Classroom brings all these elements together into a coherent framework so schools can make necessary changes in one concerted effort. Teaching, professional support, managing the daily work, and changing the way schools function are brought together as a school-wide strategy to organize learning in a way that serves our students by making the most of their talents.
What do you think of Vincent's ideas? Do you believe the power of Lean methodology can be effectively applied to the education sector?
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Learn more about NE Lean Conference below
This past week I was able to spend a wonderful time at the 15th Annual Northeast Lean Conference. I always look forward to these opportunities to connect with friends, learn best practices from others, and get re-energized around continuous improvement.
The theme of this conference is one that everyone relates to and tries to create in the Lean community “Total Employee Involvement”. I want a share a couple of key takeaways and thoughts from...
To continue reading this post click on the title.
This past week I was able to spend a wonderful time at the 15th Annual Northeast Lean Conference. I always look forward to these opportunities to connect with friends, learn best practices from others, and get re-energized around continuous improvement.
The theme of this conference is one that everyone relates to and tries to create in the Lean community “Total Employee Involvement”. I want a share a couple of key takeaways and thoughts from...
To continue reading this post click on the title.
Retrieved from: Lean Blog
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Healthcare – Creating Value for Patients If you set a target without providing a clear path on how you want it achieved, and then punish staff when they fail to achieve it, then staff will achieve the target – by any means necessary and at all costs. To be sure, reducing falls for elderly patients in a hospital is a […]
The post Operational Excellence Mixtape: October 25, 2019 appeared first on Lean Blog.
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On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
"The essence of management is not techniques and procedures. The essence of management is to make knowledge productive." — Peter...
To continue reading this post click on the title.
"The essence of management is not techniques and procedures. The essence of management is to make knowledge productive." — Peter...
To continue reading this post click on the title.
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Did you know this past spring both Walgreens and CVS announced they would begin selling CBD products in hundreds of stores across select US states? From creams, salves and patches to sprays, oils and candies, CBD is the three-letter word popping up on all kinds of packaging as it continues to become one of the hottest ingredients in consumer products.
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Last month, I had an opportunity to visit the Toyota North American Headquarters that's now near me in Plano, Texas. Thanks to the MIT Club of Dallas / Fort Worth and the Public Relations Society of America chapter for creating this opportunity. Before touring the “Experience Center” that had the virtual tour, there was a […]
The post An Amazing Virtual Plant Tour (and More) at the Toyota North American HQ appeared first on Lean Blog.
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Ensuring a workplace’s safety is also essential for productivity. However, any measure you put in place is useless without your employees’ support.
Fortunately, there are several ways to encourage their cooperation.
1. Establish safety goalsYou first need to set the company’s safety goals before setting any programs into action. There’s also a need to include appropriate messages that will motivate your employees and obtain their feedback. In turn, your EHS officer can convert those sentiments...
To continue reading this post click on the title.
Fortunately, there are several ways to encourage their cooperation.
1. Establish safety goalsYou first need to set the company’s safety goals before setting any programs into action. There’s also a need to include appropriate messages that will motivate your employees and obtain their feedback. In turn, your EHS officer can convert those sentiments...
To continue reading this post click on the title.
Anyone in the world
Recently I had the chance to visit two Amazon Fulfillment Centers to take an in-depth look at their inner workings. While many articles about Amazon go over the basics, I will give you a deep dive into the workings of their fulfillment centers. Due to the amount of information, I divided the content across a … Continue reading The Inner Workings of Amazon Fulfillment Centers – Part 1
Anyone in the world
Recently I had the chance to visit two Amazon Fulfillment Centers to take an in-depth look at their inner workings. While many articles about Amazon go over the basics, I will give you a deep dive into the workings of their fulfillment centers. Due to the amount of information, I divided the content across a … Continue reading The Inner Workings of Amazon Fulfillment Centers – Part 1