Make sure you know the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Lean principles before diving into this article on perfection! They will help you gain a clearer understanding of the essence and functionality of this fifth Lean principle.
While covering perfection, it is important to keep the following information in mind: Products witness value-addition in less than 5% of the time. The other 95% comprises mostly of nonvalue added time and effort. Hence the question arises –
Is it possible to remove non-value-added time and effort?
Simply put, I don’t know. I haven’t heard about zero waste anywhere before. However, it is great if it so happens.
Nevertheless, striving to eliminate non-value-added time and effort in your value stream needs to be your end goal. This is where our fifth lean principle plays a crucial part – perfection is essentially this end goal. Therefore, seeking it becomes our primary aim.
What is Perfection?
Perfection refers to no wasted effort in a process.
- Customers get what, when, and however much they want just in time, every time.
- No non-value-added time at any step.
- Work flows, like a flowing river without stoppages.
- Quality is 100% right the first time, every time.
While the fifth Lean principle of perfection may seem too good to be true, always remember:
If you strive for perfection, you will reach a near-perfect state.
Now that you know all the 5 Lean principles, gain an in-depth understanding of the practical implications of these principles. Learn about the 6 steps of successful Lean implementation, things you should know while implementing Lean, and the key result areas it influences within an organization.