Lean says: Manage Flow Your brain says: My work isn’t linear. My day is filled with interruptions and so I don’t have the “luxury” of flow. What’s at play here: Functional Fixedness. If there is one area where there’s not an obvious transfer of Lean principles from manufacturing to knowledge work, it’s understanding how flow can in fact be achieved … Read More
The Lean Brain, Post 2: Visualization Begets Alignment
Lean says: Map the Value Stream Your brain says: I’ve been doing this so long, it’s become second nature to me. The steps are right here – in my head. What’s at play here: Illusion of Transparency. Curse of Knowledge/Information Imbalance. Status Quo Thinking. Groupthink/False Consensus Effect. Availability Bias. It was day four of the value stream mapping exercise and … Read More
The Lean Brain, Post 1: Value is a Conversation
Lean says: Define Customer Value Your brain says: I’ve seen this countless times before – I know what my customer needs better than they do. What’s at play here: Expertise bias. Overconfidence effect. Ivory tower syndrome. Ego. There’s an old story about a man standing along a riverbank. He doesn’t see a bridge, but he does see someone on the opposite bank fishing. “Hey!” he … Read More
Introducing The Lean Brain Series by Tonianne DeMaria
While heading to a session at the most recent Lean Transformation Summit, I found myself confronted with signage that posed the following open-ended question: “All problem solvers must…” Given how the work we do at Modus Cooperandi focuses largely on the nexus between Lean for knowledge work, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and the teachings of W. Edwards Deming, one response in … Read More