over the quota
The three most common questions we get about Lean management software
are:
Why do we need it?What does it do? And,How do we implement it?
These are all excellent questions. This post has the answers.
Email is great as a platform for reminders but doesn’t give people one place
to go for real-time information. Spreadsheets are fine for keeping lists, but
they are a passive and easily damaged source for data. Lean management software
is an alternative that gives everyone one on the team one place to go for the
latest updates. Everyone is on the same page because they are looking at the
same information, not some email message or file that may be out of
date.
Analog tools, such as huddle boards and Kanban boards were once the go-to
options for Lean managers. They make sense in many situations, but these days
much work takes place out of the office or requires collaboration by people who
aren’t in the same location. Cloud-based Lean management software makes it
possible for people to work on improvement projects and tackle problems together
from wherever they happen to be and on the device that they prefer.
When teams implement Lean management software, they quickly develop a common
language for improvement work. They formulate consistent habits for reporting
opportunities for improvement, and a shared experience begins to emerge. This
strengthens the culture and helps Lean become a standard part of how work gets
done on a daily basis.
When the executive team is willing to invest in Lean management software,
employees recognize the understand that it is essential to the success of the
organization and act on that information. Deploying and providing resources for
this technology makes it clear that Lean isn’t just another management fad, but
rather, it is central to how the business will operate.
Lean software keeps managers informed about the progress of improvement work
so that they can coach the team or remove obstacles early in each project. Each
person knows when a task is assigned, or a due date is missed.
Improvement software serves as a collection point for all information about
opportunities for improvement and implemented projects. Teams can learn from
past results and repeat what works and avoid past mistakes. New employees can
quickly come up to speed and important knowledge isn’t lost when people change
roles or leave the company.
How many opportunities for improvement were added last quarter and who worked
to implement them? Are there any projects that are being neglected or require
executive support? What kinds of improvements are being executed? Who deserves
recognition? In what ways has Lean impacted the organization? These are all
difficult questions to answer without a centralized Lean management platform in
place.
If these benefits have you convinced that Lean software could help your
organization achieve its improvement goals, then you are probably wondering what
to look for in the technology. What exactly does Lean management software do?
Here’s what you can expect out of the best solutions.
We wrote above about the benefits of having a single source of the truth that
is available by everyone, from everywhere. The best way to realize this
advantage it to choose a cloud-based solution with a mobile application.
The solution should include email alerts and warnings that actively remind
team members and managers when new tasks are assigned, or due dates are
approaching.
The ability to search the knowledge repository for past projects is essential
to making sure that the information is used effectively to build on past
successes or avoid mistakes.
Many of the most impactful improvements require cross-functional
collaboration. The Lean management system you select should make it easy for
people to work together on projects, even if they aren’t on the same team.
One of the most significant advantages of Lean software is that it makes it
easy for executives to justify their investment in improvement work. Look for
technology that supports this with impact measurement and detailed reporting and
analytic capabilities. The best solutions offer data visualization and
customizable dashboards.
Lean culture really takes off when people celebrate and announce success.
Success broadcasting is a feature you’ll want to be sure is included in any
solution you consider.
Once you’ve selected the solution, the next challenge is to ensure widespread
adoption. After all, it won’t work if people don’t use it. Here’s what we’ve
learned works when it comes to getting people on board.
If the idea of using Lean management software seems to come out of nowhere,
people may see it as a solution looking for a problem. Instead, people should be
introduced to Lean and understand what it means for the organization. The
software will not be sufficient on its own, it must be one aspect of a culture
that embraces Lean principles.
Your technology decision will make a big difference in whether employees love
or hate your Lean software. Be sure to consider the solution from the employee’s
point of view. Can I get the information that is useful to me quickly and
easily? Can I access it from the device of my choice? Is the user interface easy
to figure out? Can I get help when I need it? Does it fit in with how we
operate?
The solution you choose should be easy to use, but that doesn’t mean that
people don’t need to sit down with a knowledgeable trainer or power user to
learn how to get the most out of it. Ideally, your solution will be user
configurable so that everyone gets the information they need immediately,
setting this up for the first time often requires training or assistance.
When employees realize that a primary goal of Lean is to make their work more
productive, more enjoyable, and more aligned with company goals, they readily
accept and use the tools designed to help. Lean software is a way to make
employee voices heard, streamline work that they are already doing, learn from
others, and eliminate non-productive tools like email and spreadsheets. It also
helps managers focus on employee accomplishments and gives everyone a way to
document the impact of their improvement work.
What you measure will improve. If you want employees to get engaged with your
Lean technology solution, it is smart to make doing so part of how they are
evaluated. Set goals related to improvement activities and reward those who
achieve them.
There are lots of ways that leaders can make using Lean software fun. Some
organizations use a gamification approach by rewarding the people or teams that
enter the most opportunities for improvement or achieves measurable impact from
improvement. You can use Lean software for event planning or for organizing
holiday parties or outings. Maybe you broadcast the most innovative, out of the
box idea for improvement once a quarter. Whatever you do, injecting some
excitement in your Lean program is always a good call.
This post isn’t an exhaustive guide to Lean software, but hopefully, it’s
been a helpful source of information about why Lean software is useful, what it
should include, and how you can make it a success in your organization. If you
have other questions, we’d be delighted to answer them in the comments.
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