BrazilHow Digital Lean Management tools can take Lean practices to the next level
Over the past decades, companies across various sectors have adopted Lean methodologies as a strategic approach to improve operational efficiency and enhance customer focus and. With the emergence of digital technologies, Lean managers can now use those technologies to make their work more effective, efficient, and impactful for the organization, says Chris De Witte from Nova Reperta.
Lean management is a systematic approach to optimizing efficiency and improving customer focus by minimizing waste in processes, systems, and ways of working. Originally from the manufacturing industry, Lean has become one of the most widely used methodologies for driving improvement and agility across various sectors.
A cornerstone of Lean is embedding its principles into a Lean Management System, which is supported by a Lean Management Toolkit used by (team)managers and employees to effectively organize their daily work, oversee operations and foster a culture of continuous improvement across the organization. Examples are effective KPI and performance management, process management, capacity management, and skills development.
The challenge of manual tools
“While many companies have made significant strides in adopting Lean methodologies, at Nova Reperta we often observe that their Lean toolkits are still managed using Excel spreadsheets,” says De Witte, Director & Head of Operational Excellence at Nova Reperta.
“These manual tools are not only time-consuming to maintain, but they are also error-prone and lack connectivity, leading to inefficiencies and false insights. This makes it difficult to maintain accurate operational management information, limiting the full potential of Lean.”
Fortunately, says De Witte, recent advancements in technology are opening up the way for new possibilities. While the core principles of Lean Management tools have proven effective, their application has evolved with emerging technologies. “However, this potential remains largely untapped by most organizations.”
Unlocking the power of Digital Lean
“Nearly every company now uses platforms like Teams, enabling a shift from traditional Lean Management tools to a Digital Lean Management toolkit,” notes De Witte. “Digital Lean leverages existing digital applications embedded in standard software to bring Lean practices to the next level. This transition saves time, reduces errors, and automatically integrates tools, providing deeper insights.”
For example, Microsoft Office applications can be used to enhance the Lean Management toolkit and unlock additional benefits, such as real-time data, enhanced insights, time savings, workflow automation, and real-time data collection – all leading to time savings and more efficient operations management.
“By making the most of these tools, Lean managers can also increase transparency and visibility across their value chains, avoiding a siloed view and improving customer service through more effective end-to-end collaboration.”
Additionally, adopting Digital Lean Management tools can lay the groundwork for one of the most hyped technologies around – artificial intelligence (AI).
“AI applications can include things such as automated workload prediction and distribution, personalized real-time work instructions, the identification of improvement opportunities, and customized training recommendations. Of course, for operations departments these benefits are only top of the iceberg that evolving digital technologies will bring in the near future,” concludes De Witte.
