Lean Implementation, Metrics, and Vision

We get a lot of questions about metrics, different types of metrics to use, and in this case, I want to talk about what good metrics are is for lean implementation of our lean model. What is a good metrics? I think asking that question is a bit too simplified because there are no standard metrics is that I think you can take off the shelf for any company really.

How do you think then? What is the thought process around it? The way you need to think about metrics is basically starting with what is the vision? What are you trying to achieve with implementing a lean thinking, lean model, or lean implementation in general? Because it all starts with where you want to go and the work on the vision should not be underrated in any way because often we try to shortcut that by writing something down that's important to something you should say when you write down visions.

I even heard some people talking about some type of online system that generates a vision for you. If you just enter some keywords. In the way, we think, it doesn't make any sense because if you want to get people to buy into a future where they do work and where they must work differently, you need to make the... Give them a good reason and the best way of giving people a good reason is to include them in the reason.

Include the people who do the work in the vision. Then, from the vision, you build these different paths, of course, but to measure anything you measure speed towards the vision and the direction, and we use something called KPI for that, right? The key performance indicators.

But for this specific session, I want to talk about the importance of creating the vision and then the KPIs, not the other way around. In many businesses, they already have the KPIs and said this is the only thing we need to fulfil. In fact, our vision is to fulfil the KPIs. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense I’m afraid and, that again is too simplified because there's no reason for the people in your organization to buy into KPIs because it doesn't mean much to them. What do you want to start with is to put as much census into your vision as possible? Get a real reason why people should be together with you in the future, which for me is the definition of vision. Start with that.

Find the metrics are for later. If you stay tuned on this channel here and #opex2, you can find more information about what good metrics will be after you're set up the visions. I'm going to talk a little bit about that later, but if you follow us, you will get to know more about that for sure. And in this little session, I can't stress the importance of vision, enough.

Johan Majlov, Founder & CEO Lean Dimensions International
[email protected]