Saturday, January 23, 2010

JIT Information

Just in time information is a version of lean six sigma for service. It's similar to lean assembly in the manufacturing business, where parts are shipped in as needed and not stockpiled in huge supplies or capital outlay. JIT information allows for work to flow properly though a workflow and not get bogged down because of front-loaded crap data.

How to figure out where your JIT info spots are, you will need a map of your process and what data is required of that process. For example, you have a five step process. For step one of the process, you write down what is required for that step to be completed successfully. This is the information that is required for the initiation of the process.

Remember one thing, the data your can collecting or producing during the active step of the process, it's the next step of the process that is the beneficiary.

Once you have initiation information complete for step one, then you repeat this step for each of the process steps. You want to make sure you keep the data that is acquired at the step concise enough, but yet broad enough, to let the next step of the process understand what is going on and complete the step successfully.

As you work through each step, little be known, you are also working out the report or reports that will help provide insight into your process and operations.

This may seem obvious and simple to implement, but trust me, it's nothing like that. It will take months to nail down the proper information needed for each step and then report(s) design.