Lean Office Demystified II ^{2nd Ed.}

New! The Lean Office Secrets Revealed!

Learn how Lean can be leveraged with MS Office to move and share information where it is needed, when it is needed, in error-free ways never dreamed of — at the speed of sight!

One of the most useful and powerful business improvement methodologies in the business world today is the Toyota Production System. Also, one of the most powerful business application software platforms in the world today is the Microsoft Office suite of products. Lean Office Demystified II brings together the Toyota Production System (i.e. Lean) tools and concepts with the Microsoft Office suite of products (and other applications) allowing for a powerful business improvement methodology. This will allow for astonishing success for moving, analyzing, formatting, sharing, and controlling information of all types in the workplace.

This easy-to-use book includes everything you need for success — readiness, guides, worksheets, forms, scren shots, ańd application examples. Lean Office Demystified II goes beyond theory to explain how all this works in an actual business case study. Lean Office Demystified II will boost office performance, reduce cost, and increase customer satisfaction, while at the same time create a stress-free work place.

• Publisher's Message
• Who Is It For?
• What Is Inside?
• How to Get the Most Out of this Book
• What Is New In this Version
• Part One: Get Everyone Aligned and Started in the Right Direction
  1. A History of Lean — Brief
     • What is Lean?
     • Why Lean?
     • Why Lean Office?
     • Using Information Technology to Apply Lean
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  2. Four Enablers for the Implementation of Lean
     • Understanding the Behavior — Attitude —Culture Model
     • Understanding the Business Case for Lean
     • The Ten Areas of Waste
     • Applying the Power of Information Technology
     • Management Commitment
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  3. Seeing the Challenge
     • Management's Role
     • Predictable Output
     • Effective Meetings
     • Project Identification and Communication
     • The Lean Office Road Map
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  4. Beginning the Journey
     • A Solid Start
     • Getting a Snapshot
     • Identifying and Mapping a Value Stream
     • Problem Solving Made Simple
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  5. Understanding and Deploying the Demand Tools
     • Initial 5S
     • Takt Time
     • Pitch
     • Buffer/Safety Resources
     • Baseline Metrics (Lean Office Assessment)
     • Office Quick-Starts
     • Kaizen Events
     • The Demand Phase — Future State Value Stream Map
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Readiness Guide for Part Two
     • Application Case Study
• Part Two: Create the Structures Allowing Work Flow to Emerge
  6. Making Work Visible
     • Desktop Standards
     • The Kanban System for Supplies
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  7. Initializing the Flow
     • Understanding Continuous Flow
     • New Office Layout
     • Data Collection Techniques
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  8. Creating the Lean File System
     • The Lean File System
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Application Case Study
  9. Making It All Work Through Heijunka (Leveling)
     • Leveling
     • The Flow Phase — Future State Value Stream Map
     • Chapter Summary
     • Observations from the Lean Office
     • Readiness Guide for Part Three
     • Application Case Study
• Part Three: Sustain the Gains to World Class
  10. Leadership and Motivation in the Lean Office
      • Chapter Summary
      • Application Case Study
  11. Creating the Goal Card
      • Chapter Summary
      • Application Case Study
  12. The Visual Office and Mistake Proofing
      • Chapter Summary
      • Application Case Study
  • Appendix A: The Lean Office Assessment
  • Appendix B: The Waste Audit
  • Appendix C: Six Sigma
  • Appendix D: Preview of The Lean Desktop and Networking Pocket Guide XL
  • Appendix E: Glossary of Lean Office Terms

When I opened this book, I was a bit suspicious, due to the tight coupling to MS Office, that was promised on the jacket. I was pleasantly surprised! The authors used MS Office at a minimum (some examples and appendices dedicated) and were very conscious of applying Lean concepts into the office/administrative environment. They succeeded very well, except for the very distinctly American bias in office culture that is present everywhere in the book, which makes it very strange to a European audience (but who can blame the American authors for writing about what they know firsthand?).

Anyway, the concepts and pitfalls they describe, are usually valid in one way or another in any non-US setting as well, as they successfully manages to apply the Lean concept to a new area (the office) which it wasn't really meant for, in the beginning.

Worth reading, especially if you have to work with Lean or any of its tools.