If there was an easy way to make your company more profitable would you do it?  Most people know that a solution is out there but they are either too afraid to venture down that path or don’t adjust well to changes.  Unfortunately, in order to even survive in the business world we must adapt and be ready for change on a continual basis.  For the past three weeks Setpoint has given me the opportunity to read a very interesting book, Lean Thinking, written by James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones, which puts the focus on changes that most any business should do to achieve greater success and profitability.

Lean Thinking is dedicated to guiding the reader by showing us how to get rid of “muda”, or waste as we know it, from every aspect of the organization by following five small and simple processes which are Value, the Value Stream, Flow, Pull, and Perfection.  You must begin by determining what is valuable to the customer from their perspective, then map out all the necessary steps to achieve the value stream.  The next step is to make sure the parts flow through the value stream in the most efficient way so that once a customer places an order it can instantaneously by pulled through the stream.  Finally, always remember to strive for perfection.

This is a proven method that has worked time and time again.  Womack and Jones used case study examples from mass production organizations across the world and in different industries but their thinking could literally be applied to any business or process.  There are always ways to look at processes and eliminate waste.  Setpoint has a great team working towards this ultimate goal that I know we are going to achieve and I’m glad I had this opportunity as it has really opened my eyes to old but new ideas that I can begin implementing in my department.