A Good Feedback Cycle has the Appearance of Causing Problems

Review this Slideshow and pay particular attention to the re-productive section. This is a description of incremental improvement or PDCA. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of the Check stage of PDCA or the feedback mechanism that you use in the iteration. James O. Coplein, author of the Lean Architecture: for Agile Software Development states, “A Read More …

The Fundamental Idea of Iteration (PDCA) is Learning

“The fundamental idea of iteration (PDCA) is learning. To eschew PDCA is not only arrogant; it is inefficient & often ineffective,” says Shoji Shiba author of Four Practical Revolutions in Management : Systems for Creating Unique Organizational Capability. The Lean practice of PDCA is ideal for learning and creating knowledge activities. Following this process it Read More …

An Overview of PDCA

PDCA Introduction: The Deming Cycle or The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model is a proven framework for implementing continuous quality improvement. These four steps provide the framework for continuous improvement. The PDCA cycle basically starts with a plan and ends with an action in accordance with the information learned during the process. In later years Deming actually Read More …

The Ability to Execute According to Plan

Planning is important. Maybe even more is the ability to EXECUTE ACCORDING TO PLAN. This does not mean that plans are not adaptable, good ones are. This means though that when we are “in the moment,” we must believe in what we are doing and execute within our existing capabilities. Or in other words, Standard Read More …

Map the Value Stream

When people hear the term “Map the Value Stream,” their thoughts often go to the Value Stream Mapping (VSM) Process. Value Stream Mapping as depicted in “Learning to See: Value Stream Mapping to Add Value and Eliminate MUDA is the accepted method throughout the United States. It is primarily oriented toward manufacturing. In recent times Read More …

Information Flows for Process Mapping

Since 1953, the Graham Process Mapping method has been the choice of experts worldwide who need to understand the details of their data flows.  Third generation Ben Graham was on a past Business901 podcast and I asked him specifically about process mapping and later the difference between process mapping and value stream mapping. Entire Transcript Read More …