Strategic Lean Six Sigma and Appreciative Inquiry are powerful change agents within organizations. Mapping the Future State and the Appreciative Inquiry process (4D) step of dream forms a vision of successful change. This new emerging process is called Appreciative Lean Six Sigma.
The Dream element in the 4D model focuses on identifying what the organization wants more of and how that might look. The dream phase of the AI change process is a very power change process step developing clarity and ownership of the future state. This complements the lean six sigma process that focuses on looping the change process continuously creating modified future states. The dream questions and resulting broad picture of success affirms the organization and individuals.
Lean six sigma and business process mapping implementation can become event oriented with organizations losing sight of the vision for the change. Continuous improvement without this firm vision of the future often results in organizations working the process where there is less resistance and elimination of waste in non-strategic areas. Strategic lean and policy deployment is an excellent tool to maintain an organization’s vision. Organizations utilizing strategic lean tools have an excellent opportunity to leap forward utilizing the dream phase of AI.
Dream inquiries broaden and give strategic perspective to the plans and metrics of strategic lean organization. These questions focus on:
• What do we want more of?
• How might the organization (business) look two years from now?
• How might we know we have success in the future?
The deployment of stretch objectives from strategic lean bowling charts take on a broader strategic viewpoint with the asking of these dream questions. The challenge within an organization during this dream and identification of the strategic lean objectives is for all voices to be heard and the dream to unfold over a series of sessions. This grass roots process may require some adjustment for command and control organizations. This change will result in more ownership of the objectives and dream. The strategic lean bowling charts then allows the management to hold the organization on task throughout the year.
The 4D appreciative model during the change phase of dream offers an opportunity to create a vision for the application of lean change. In the 4D Dream appreciative questions using how questions such as “What do we want more of? & How might the organization look two years from now? & How might we know we have success in the future? This leads to definition of success and forms a vision to achieve long lasting continuous improvement.
Future state and strategic objectives used in lean six sigma improvement processes and business process mapping remains a very powerful set of change tools. 4D Dream questions and the resulting vision provide depth to the process. This increases the ownership and excitement surrounding the collective vision.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Discovery and Value Stream Mapping – Powerful Change Foundation
Strategic Lean Six Sigma and Appreciative Inquiry are powerful change agents within organizations. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and the Appreciative Inquiry process (4D) step of discovery forms sustainable change foundation. This new emerging process is called Appreciative Lean Six Sigma.
The Discovery element in the 4D model focuses on identifying the strengths and successes of an organization. This complements the lean tools of value stream / business process mapping. The appreciative questions provide recognition of strengths and confidence within the teams. This affirmation creates ownership during the value stream mapping process while maintaining a perspective of the larger picture throughout the organization.
Value stream mapping discovers and identifies each step of a process from inception to completion. Each process step contains specific elements:
• What work is being done? (value added & waste)
• Who is doing the work? (people)
• How is the work being done? (machine, process)
These process steps are then mapped out in a visual manner and utilized throughout the continuous inquiry process (5 Whys) to determine the value added and waste. These ‘5 Why’ questions focus on discovering a root cause problem and identifying an optimum solution. Analytical tools and measures along with lean and six sigma tools are applied to improve and stabilize the process.
The challenge within an organization during this discovery and problem recognition process is the commitment of the people to the improvement opportunity. Often the value stream mapping is seen as a direct threat to individual security and competence. Complaints arise regarding the recognition of the value of their work and the individual performing the tasks being reviewed in the value stream. Organizations desire maximum buy in from associates during this value stream mapping process. Generally this buy in is sought to be attained through training on the competitive purpose and an understanding of the methodology. Often this leaves an organization feeling unrecognized and in a constant state of being unsettled. This leads to a general resistant to change.
The 4D appreciative model during the change phase of discovery offers an opportunity to create a more positive environment for the application of lean change. In the 4D Discovery appreciative questions using how questions such as “How has this process benefited the organization? Or a people / relational inquiry such as “How have this team achieved successful results through utilizing this process under evaluation?” This leads to affirmation of success and forms a solid base to achieve long lasting continuous improvement.
Value stream mapping used in lean six sigma improvement processes and business process mapping remains a very powerful set of change tools. 4D Discovery questions and stories provide depth to the value stream mapping process. This increases the ownership and excitement surrounding the result, creating sustainable change.
The Discovery element in the 4D model focuses on identifying the strengths and successes of an organization. This complements the lean tools of value stream / business process mapping. The appreciative questions provide recognition of strengths and confidence within the teams. This affirmation creates ownership during the value stream mapping process while maintaining a perspective of the larger picture throughout the organization.
Value stream mapping discovers and identifies each step of a process from inception to completion. Each process step contains specific elements:
• What work is being done? (value added & waste)
• Who is doing the work? (people)
• How is the work being done? (machine, process)
These process steps are then mapped out in a visual manner and utilized throughout the continuous inquiry process (5 Whys) to determine the value added and waste. These ‘5 Why’ questions focus on discovering a root cause problem and identifying an optimum solution. Analytical tools and measures along with lean and six sigma tools are applied to improve and stabilize the process.
The challenge within an organization during this discovery and problem recognition process is the commitment of the people to the improvement opportunity. Often the value stream mapping is seen as a direct threat to individual security and competence. Complaints arise regarding the recognition of the value of their work and the individual performing the tasks being reviewed in the value stream. Organizations desire maximum buy in from associates during this value stream mapping process. Generally this buy in is sought to be attained through training on the competitive purpose and an understanding of the methodology. Often this leaves an organization feeling unrecognized and in a constant state of being unsettled. This leads to a general resistant to change.
The 4D appreciative model during the change phase of discovery offers an opportunity to create a more positive environment for the application of lean change. In the 4D Discovery appreciative questions using how questions such as “How has this process benefited the organization? Or a people / relational inquiry such as “How have this team achieved successful results through utilizing this process under evaluation?” This leads to affirmation of success and forms a solid base to achieve long lasting continuous improvement.
Value stream mapping used in lean six sigma improvement processes and business process mapping remains a very powerful set of change tools. 4D Discovery questions and stories provide depth to the value stream mapping process. This increases the ownership and excitement surrounding the result, creating sustainable change.
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