How can Lean Manufacturing professionals measure their performance?

1 Cycle Time

Cycle time is the time it takes to complete one unit of a product or service from start to finish. It is a measure of how fast and smooth your process is, and how well you meet customer demand. Reducing cycle time can improve your productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction. You can measure cycle time by tracking the start and end times of each process step, or by using tools such as value stream mapping, takt time, and kanban.

2 Waste Reduction

Waste reduction is the core objective of Lean Manufacturing. Waste is any activity or resource that does not add value to the customer or the process. There are seven types of waste in Lean Manufacturing: overproduction, waiting, transportation, inventory, motion, over-processing, and defects. You can measure waste reduction by calculating the percentage of value-added and non-value-added activities in your process, or by using tools such as 5S, kaizen, and poka-yoke.

3 Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal of Lean Manufacturing. Customer satisfaction is the degree to which your product or service meets or exceeds customer expectations and needs. It is a measure of how well you deliver value to your customer, and how loyal and satisfied they are with your brand. You can measure customer satisfaction by using methods such as surveys, feedback forms, reviews, ratings, referrals, and repeat purchases.

4 Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is the level of commitment, involvement, and enthusiasm that your employees have for their work and your organization. It is a measure of how well you respect and empower your employees, and how motivated and productive they are. Employee engagement can affect your quality, innovation, and retention. You can measure employee engagement by using methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, performance reviews, and recognition programs.

6 Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is the principle of constantly seeking ways to improve your process and product. Continuous improvement is the mindset of learning from your mistakes, experimenting with new ideas, and implementing changes. It is a measure of how well you adapt to changing customer needs, market conditions, and technological advances. You can measure continuous improvement by using methods such as PDCA cycles, A3 reports, gemba walks, and benchmarking.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?