Most of us recognize SDCA and PDCA as tenants of Lean Thinking. Standard Work (SDCA) creates a can-do attitude and frees up time for problem-solving. Applying Continuous Improvement (PDCA), allows you to “see” opportunities for improvement and leverages the resources in your environment. I like to use the term EDCA learned from Graham Hill to designate the Explore aspect of Lean. I view it as more of Design Type thinking content that allows for that collaborative learning cycle with a customer.
The reason that I started using EDCA in my Lean Sales and Marketing work is that I saw many companies trying to extend Lean A3s or PDCA practices into Sales efforts that would not be solved with incremental thinking. The approach was just plain wrong. It happens mostly when organizations are introducing a new product/service or when they are looking at reviving a mature product.
I have created an outline, a little cumbersome in my first go around on how this process should be introduced. This instruction would take around 30 to 90 days depending upon the required outcomes of the training. If we were just instructing or we were actually taking a product through these steps. It is very similar thinking to my Lean Service Design Program but has a few added nuances for Sales and Marketing.