SCM Winshuttle event at ICIL Barcelona

Last Thursday 19th of November I was presenting at the SCM Winshuttle event at ICIL Barcelona, more than 25 SCM professionals and great interaction talking about how Winshuttle Lean approach can help companies to improve their SCM processes.

Winshuttle SCM luncheons

I will be in the states for three Winshuttle SCM luncheons, joins us in:

Dec 3 | Houston – http://more.winshuttle.com/151203_SCM_Lunch_Houston.html

Dec 8 | Atlanta – http://more.winshuttle.com/151208_SCM_Lunch_Atlanta.html

Dec 10 | Cleveland – http://more.winshuttle.com/151210_SCM_Lunch_Cleveland.html  

How to Improve and Fulfill Your Supply Chain KPIs

There is a golden rule in process improvements:

“You can only improve a process if you can measure it.”

If you don’t measure before and after implementing a change in a process, you can’t quantify the impact of the change. That’s why we define our KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) in order to have a set of indicators to focus on. Improving these indicators will direct our business processes towards reaching our improvement goals.

To read the full post, follow the original at Winshuttle blog.

How to Continuously Measure and Improve Your Winshuttle Workflow Processes

There is a golden rule in process improvements:

“You can only improve a process if you can measure it”

Without measuring before and after implementing a change in the process, we cannot quantify the impact of the change. This is one of the pillars of the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle:

To read the full post, follow the original at Winshuttle blog.

Lean lessons from Columbia Space Shuttle disaster

I'm reviewing the content of the course content for the SCM master program I impart in ICIL. I  teach quality from a Lean point of view. I use videos to illustrate concepts explained in the class. As Space Race fan I wanted to use something related to explain quality concepts, I'm using the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster. 

It is a clear example of the importance of preventive actions, and how underestimating any factor can have a big impact with crises and unexpected problems. With just an EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) and a visual inspection of the shuttle, they would have detected the damages made by the foam. 

Seven brave astronauts passed away due to this incident, and the shuttle program was delayed two years and a half. The new flight protocol included a visual inspection for damages, but it was too late for those seven heroes. Rest in peace up in space...

A Lean Approach to Managing Your ERP SCM Data

All SCM managers likely face a crossroads, and recent SCM studies show us that:

• 50% of their processes are identified as processes that need to be improved as the market demands more and more.
• 50% recognize that senior management looks to SCM as a strategic part of the company and demands not only cost reduction, but added value from SCM
• 80% see their ERP  as something that delays or stops improvements to their processes with the flexibility they need. Their ERP is a straitjacket that doesn’t allow them to move freely.

To read the full post, follow the original at Winshuttle blog.

Supply Chain Management: Get Lean or Die

Supply Chain Management is an area where the Lean culture is widely present, mainly because it originated and developed in the manufacturing and production processes of Toyota in the 50s to 70s. But Lean SCM professionals that work with complex ERP systems (like SAP or Oracle) live in a paradoxical world:

• Out of the ERP world, they are continuously improving their processes and removing waste around their processes in small incremental steps.
• When they need to improve ERP, they cannot apply these techniques due to the rigidity of the ERP system.

To read the full post, follow the original at Winshuttle blog.