Lean Leadership Kaiser

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

A repository that acts as a data warehouse for information technology (IT) organizations. Its contents are intended to hold a collection of IT assets that are commonly referred to as configuration items (CI), as well as descriptive relationships between such assets.

Service Manager

A role or function responsible for ensuring that a defined IT service is delivered to the customer.

Shu-Ha-Ri

A Lean learning cycle. It is a model of learning based on the Kata. The process of self-development is guided by the principle of Shu-Ha-Ri.

Improvement Board

A board that presents current problems and the follow-up to resolving or addressing that problem an element of Visual Management.

Kaizen Board

A board that presents current problems and the follow-up to resolving or addressing that problem an element of Visual Management.

Week Board

A board used to share information about the team's performance over the previous week, and objectives for the coming week; an element of Visual Management

Transformation

A change in form, appearance, nature, or character. Used to define the overall process of moving from a traditional IT organization to a Lean IT organization.

Change Story

A clear description of which changes need to be made and why: gives direction. In the motivation behind the desire to change is described.

Standard Work

A collection and implementation of the best practices known to that point.

Hoshin Kanri

A cyclic planning and management concept applied at the strategic level to achieve breakthrough objectives, and at the day-to-day level to manage the operation to keep the business running.

Application Development

A function within an IT organization in which software products ('applications') are created.

Solution Matrix

A matrix in which solutions can be plotted according to two axes: feasibility and anticipated cost.

Cascade

A mechanism that involves aligning meetings, so that the information shared in one meeting can quickly be brought to a different meeting in which the information is needed.

Customer Value

A person who buys, uses or derives value from a product/service.

Wave

A phase in the Lean IT transformation in which one or more teams are helped through a step in the transformation.

Five "Whys"

A root-cause analysis tool used to identify the true root cause of a problem. The question "why" is asked a sufficient number of times to find the fundamental reason for the problem.

Habit

A routine or behavior that is executed automatically based on a trigger or cue.

5S

A set of hygiene rules that help to, for lack of a better word, clean up processes and workplaces.

Team

A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

Value Stream Map (VSM)

A technique used to analyze the flow of materials and information currently required to bring a product or service to a consumer. A visual representation of all of the process steps (both value-added and non-value-added) required to transform a customer requirement into a delivered good or service.

Internal IT Organization

An IT organization operating within an enterprise, providing a wide range of IT services to that enterprise.

External IT Organization

An IT organization that is its own enterprise providing specific services to a variety of customers.

Principle

An accepted or professed rule of action or conduct.

DMAIC

An acronym for the five steps in problem solving with Kaizen, i.e.: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Dynamic Thinking This is about creating a vision for the near or distant future. It aims to increase understanding of what has happened, what is happening and identifying what may happen in the future.

Resource Efficiency

An efficiency measure based on how much work is completed by an IT employee.

Systemic Thinking

A principle that unifies all the other principles of operational excellence, and enables companies to sustain their Lean culture and develop a constancy of purpose centered on continuous improvement.

Flow Efficiency

Efficiency based on processing a unit of work through the IT organization in the most efficient way.

Vertical Alignment

Ensures the goals of all stakeholders, from the boardroom to work floor, are aligned; goal setting and review, goals are set and adjusted so they continue to fit.

Developing Others

Kata Of Leadership - Lean Leadership Development model

Developing Vision And Aligning Goals

Kata Of Leadership- Lean Leadership Development model

Ensuring Daily Kaizen

Kata Of Leadership- Lean Leadership Development model

Self-Development

Kata Of Leadership- Lean Leadership Development model

Commit To Self-Development

Lean Leadership Development model: The most important step for a Lean leader is to make the explicit commitment to develop

Coach And Develop Others

Lean Leadership Development model: What the leader does for their own development, they must do for the development of others. This is done by providing appropriate challenges for individuals and teams, and improving capability through training and coaching.

Create Vision And Align Goals

Lean Leadership Development model: ensure that everyone in the organization knows what the organization stands for and what it is trying to achieve.

Support Daily Kaizen

Lean Leadership Development model: leader must be constantly aware and attuned to the possibility to improve. They empower their employees to address issues impacting customer value as they occur and at the source.

Voice Of The Customer

Term to describe the in-depth process of capturing a customer's expectations, preferences and aversions with the objective to create products or services that meet the customer's needs and preferences.

A3 Status Report

The A3 status report is aimed at informing all stakeholders of the progress of the execution of a longer-running project or action

Support Daily Kaizen

The Lean IT Leader is responsible for injecting new energy into the team. Without additional energy, the team will eventually fall into a state in which improvements are not continuously sought

MECE

The acronym for Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive. Mutually Exclusive means that all items in a particular category only belong to that category, and no other. Collectively Exhaustive means that all possibilities have been covered.

Daily Kaizen

The act of responding to everyday occurrences such as incidents, mistakes and other quality issues and addressing quality issues at the source rather than being satisfied with quick fixes.

Performance Dialog

The aim is to ensure a structured and objective discussion of performance. These discussions consist of three elements.. A performance dialog defines an objective, offers support, and evaluates achieved results. Examples are Performance Dialog between manager and employee and week and day starts.

Type Of Organization

The awareness is growing that IT is an inseparable part of the primary process and the underlying automation, which enables business outcomes.

T-type Leader

The combination of deep understanding of a technical area supplemented by broad knowledge of leadership and IT service delivery. A T-type leader gains depth of understanding and experience in a particular technical area (the long stem of the T) and then broadens out to gain exposure across the organization (the top horizontal part of the T).

Level 3: Business Customer Focused

The customers of IT consist of colleagues in different parts of the business. They start experiencing real value when the IT organization recognizes that there are common value streams which span all IT functions and that services are understood to support business processes. Five Flows of IT Value as defined by bell

Definition Of Done

The description of the completed product in the form of a simple list of activities (writing code, coding comments, unit testing, integration testing, release notes, design documents, etc.) that verifiably add value to the product

Lean key outcome 3

The dispersal of power and the expectation that leadership will come from the base of the hierarchy ensures that there is a constantly growing set of potential future senior leaders who gain experience on a daily basis.

Shu

The first phase of the Shu-Ha-Ri learning cycle, is about 'automating' routines. Learning the Kata and developing positive habits. execute + learn exactly

IT Operations

The functional area of IT responsible for the production environments and all activities associated with these environments.

Go And See

True North Value

Kaizen Mind

True North Value

Respect

True North Value

Teamwork

True North Value

Muda

A Japanese word for waste. See "Non-value-added" and "Waste".

Muri

A Japanese word meaning overburdened, unreasonableness; excessiveness. Often related to policy-based waste.

Mura

A Japanese word meaning unevenness; irregularity; lack of uniformity; variation.

Analysis

To separate something into its constituent parts or elements.

Ishikawa diagram

Tool to use during the problem view Gemba walk

Kaizen

An improvement philosophy in which continuous incremental improvement occurs over a sustained period of time, creating more value and less waste, resulting in increased speed, lower costs and improved quality. a philosophy that assumes that our way of life (working, social or personal) deserves to be constantly improved.

Incident

An unplanned interruption to an IT service or reduction in the quality of an IT service. Failure of a configuration item that has not yet affected service is also an incident.

Step Three

Ask the question: "Why did this happen?" Find the answer, supported by evidence, and write the answer in the left-hand column of the top row.

Accountability

Being prepared to offer an explanation for attitude, behavior and actions, without necessarily being asked.

Improvement Kaizen

Carrying out Kaizen events to bring about incremental change. It is often referred to as Kaizen.

Ensure that routines become habits.

Create positive feedback loops that encourage people to carry out daily Kaizen as part of their daily routine. Turn this action into a habit by reviewing performance at each day start

Jidoka

Creating an environment in which disturbances to the flow of work through the value streams are made visible, i.e. problems are not left covered up.

Step Five

Determine a solution for each of the answers and record these in the right-hand column.

Step One

Determine the exact location of the problem by asking "Where? three times to identify where the problem takes place

Understand daily Kaizen in the context of IT.

Develop the Kaizen mindset and develop deep understanding of how to stimulate improvements, by knowing the reasons for improvement and the key sources of improvement candidates, for instance increasing flow efficiency

Pyramid Principle

Developed by Barbara Minto. is a method that is fully compatible with A3 thinking. In fact, it helps to structure the information and insights gained during the kaizen event. The problem is framed using the following framework Situation-Complication-Key Question-Answer

Leader Standard Work, Visual Management, Gemba Walk, Structured Problem-Solving

Four Key Tools That Enable Lean IT Leaders To Develop

Support

Gemba - __________ the employees by removing roadblocks and providing necessary resources.

Teach

Gemba - if employees are unsure of the strategy, Lean tool usage, controls such as quality, policies or required skills, then take the time to _________. The key is to explain why a certain policy or quality control is in place.

Promote

Gemba - the True North values, continuous improvement, safety, security, learning organization, teamwork, and so on. Remember: the best method of ______________ is being the role model, leading by example.

Humility

Having a clear perspective and respect for one's place in context. The concept of humility addresses intrinsic self-worth, relationships and socialization as well as perspective.

Think Systemically

Holistic thinking, Dynamic thinking, Closed loop thinking

Type Of Organization 2

IT is, in fact, a business-within-a-business. In contrast to other supporting departments (like HR, Legal or Finance), IT contains the full range of business functions and develops products and services (i.e. the IT organization does research and development).

Ishikawa Diagram

Identifies many possible causes for an effect or problem. It can be used to structure a brainstorming session.

A3 Proposal

Is an A3 report used for creating a recommendation for action

Technology

Ishikawa diagram Does the team have the tools to do their work to the best of their ability? Are there possibilities to further standardize work through automation? Are the available tools used to maximum effect?

Process

Ishikawa diagram Is the process too complicated? Are there too many different roles involved? Are there too many handovers? Does the process discriminate sufficiently between various types of units of work? Where can the process be further standardized and simplified?

Peole

Ishikawa diagram- Are there morale issues? Are there problems with availability of skills or knowledge? Are there sufficient or too many resources? - Ishikawa diagram

Lean key outcome 2

It ensures that change is driven by people closest to the problem which results in better problem solving, more sustainable solutions and the possibility of continuous improvement.

Andon Cord

Literally, this is a signal. is one of the principal elements of the Jidoka quality-control method pioneered by Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System and now part of Lean. It gives the worker the ability, and empowerment, to stop production when a defect is found, and immediately call for assistance.

Step Two

Make a table with two columns and five rows and write the question from the problem statement at the top of the table.

Performance Indicator

Measure that gives a visual representation of a defined performance.

Baseline

Necessary to understand the relative value of the performance. A measurement of a situation in order to understand whether a change occurs based on an intervention after the ________ has been set. This is particularly useful in Kaizen because we are very interested in the effect of changes that have been implemented in the IT organization. It is vital that during the Measure phase a baseline is set that can be used to measure progress.

Constancy Of Purpose

One of the Principle on of the (from Deming / Shingo Model).

Continuous Improvement

Ongoing process in an organization with the objective to find, resolve and share solutions to problems. A philosophy of frequently reviewing processes, identifying opportunities for improvement, and implementing changes to get closer to perfection.

PDCA Cycle

Plan, Do Check, Act is a well-known continuous improvement method often referred to as the Deming Circle. The PDCA cycle is applicable in any situation, and forms the basis for all improvement within Lean.

Lean Leader

Reach for True North Vision, Patient, Humble, Learn deeply and gradually earn their way up the ladder, need the right process to consistently get the right results. Develop people through process improvement

A3

Refers to the size of a piece of paper that provides enough space to explain a relatively complicated story, but encourages conciseness in the communication of a message

Step Four

Repeat this question and answer cycle, four more times. List the answers in the left-hand column of the table.

Horizontal Alignment

See "Cross-Functional Alignment"

VSM

See "Value Stream Map".

Cross-Functional Alignment

Share common objectives, make appropriate prioritization and resource allocation decisions that add value to the customer across a value stream that goes through multiple functional areas.

Skills & Knowledge Analysis

Skills and knowledge analysis is used to steer team development to meet skills demand. The objective is that team skills are aligned with the customer demand for those skills.

Level 5: External Customer Focused

The highest level of value delivered by IT is when IT services can be sold in the market. The IT organization may be part of a larger enterprise or a commercial IT service provider, and is explicitly focused on the external customer. Business revenue is directly generated by the sale of IT services to customers outside the enterprise. IT-based services and their digital transactions are perceived to be integral and synonymous with the business processes they support. Five flows of IT Value by Bell

True North

The important and constant focus that organizations should have on value.

Nemawashi

The informal process of laying the foundation for a decision, change or project. is about consulting, discussing and adjusting proposals, and it also means taking action. seeking the opinions of others is a mark of respect even if the person does not agree

Level 2: System/Service Focused

The next level focuses on the coherent cooperation of the IT components into IT systems and IT services, meaning that infrastructure and applications work together in the eyes of the customer. Five Flows of IT Value as defined by bell

Customer

The person or group of people who use your product or service OR the person next in line in the value stream.

Gemba

The place where the work is done. Within a Lean context, simply refers to the location where value is created.

Problem View

The problem view should start with confirming the goals and objectives of the work being done. The leader's key question is "What are you trying to achieve?" Assuming that people at the Gemba can answer this question, the leader can then ask "What is getting in the way of achieving this goal?" If the people are unable to state the goal, then this becomes an opportunity to teach and promote.

Ha

The second phase of the Shu-Ha-Ri learning cycle, is about diverging from routines, based on full understanding of the Kata. standard with some improvisation

Flow

The smooth, uninterrupted movement of a product or service through a series of process steps.

Solution View - Try To Avoid!

The solution view is the view where leaders go to the Gemba to recommend solutions to problems they see. Everybody within a Lean IT organization is allowed to suggest improvements or solutions to problems, and this also applies to Lean IT Leaders

Leader Standard Work (LSW)

The standards that can be found in a leader's work. helps to identify where issues and deviations are happening in the leader's work.

Ri

The third phase of the Shu-Ha-Ri learning cycle, is about transcending routines, based on mastery of the Kata. mastery of standard; focus on deepening skill and understanding

Level 1: Technology Focused

The value of IT flow is only understood from the departmental level, the focus is on technology domains. Five flows of IT value as defined by Bell

Kaizen Mindset

There must be a belief throughout the IT organization, both among managers and employees, that improving IT services and the way they are delivered can and must be done on a daily basis. Kanban When taken literally, this means a signal.

SIPOC

This acronym means Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer. It is a diagram used to establish the Kaizen project team, create the project charter and planning, get stakeholders' support and start the project.

Closed Loop Thinking

This considers how changes within the system ripple across the value stream, affecting the work and behavior of other employees in the same department, in other departments, external customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Day Board

This is the board used to share information and updates within the teaman element of Visual Management.

Waste View

This is the most used view on Gemba walks. Leaders look for waste. The aim is not just to look for waste.The Gemba walk is also about stimulating steps to remove it. This means that "you should do something about that" must be replaced by "let's look at what we can do now to improve the situation."

Potential View

This is the people-focused Gemba walk. In this Gemba walk, the leader is challenged to look for the true potential in others.

Plan-Build-Run

This is the short description of the basic functions/activities of an IT organization.

Genchi Genbutsu

This means going to the Gemba to observe what is happening without judging.

Holistic Thinking

This means understanding the interconnectedness of the aspects of larger systems.

Kaizen View

This view is about looking for patterns, forms, habits and routines; in short, being attuned to the kata and how it varies from defined standard work or the lack thereof. The leader must observe work being done and help identify where work can be standardized to improve the quality of the outcome of the process. This will generally mean looking at the value stream map (VSM) together with the people on the work floor.

Challenge

True North Value

Visual Management

Visual management concerns the use of displays, metrics and controls to help establish and maintain continuous flow, and giving everyone a view of the work along the value stream. Its aim is to ensure transparency and understanding of the situation. shows the connection between information flow and product flow, as well as the major process blocks and barriers to flow.

Kata

When taken literally, this term means 'form'. The defined routine for thinking and acting in a particular situation.

Sensei

When taken literally, this term means 'teacher'. A coach within the Lean context. Service Desk The customer contact center of an IT organization.

Policy

Which ? prevent the team from achieving the goals? - Ishikawa diagram

Traditional Western Leader

Work to a financial plan, Quick results, proud, climb ladder rapidly, results at all costs, achieve objectives through people,

Catch-Ball Communication

a method of idea generation and sharing based on the communication of goals through the organization's hierarchy.

Kanban Board

a workflow visualization tool that enables team collaboration focused on monitoring the flow of work. Physical Kanban boards often use simple work records like sticky notes on a whiteboard to communicate status, progress, and issues.

Help teams to develop

by instituting routines based on standard work which enable the Shu- Ha-Ri principle and the use of Kata. Ensure that standards are created, monitor whether the standards are met, identify improvements in the standards and ensure daily and improvement Kaizen to resolve problems

Leader Standard Work

defining the standards that can be found in a leader's work and helps to identify where issues and deviations are happening in the leader's work.

Simplify or Set in Order

ensures that everything has a right place.

Visual Management

ensures that facts are collected and presented so they are visible for everyone. In a functioning visual management environment, it is relatively straightforward to communicate vision and goals, and align them across the organization. Visual management is possibly the most powerful tool in the Lean IT Leader's tool set.

Lean key outcome 1

ensures that visions are cascaded down through the organization (Hoshin Kanri) and that the True North principles are being pursued are the organization's goals, not the goals of an individual leader.

Dynamic thinking

focuses on creating a vision for the near or distant future. It aims to increase understanding of what has happened, what is happening and identifying what may happen in the future. It means gaining deep understanding of the dynamics of the situation and how these may be shifting.

Kanban

is a scheduling system for lean and just-in-time (JIT) production. Kanban is the embodiment of the pull/ replenishment system

DevOps

is a solution that derives its effectiveness from the integration of a number of critical areas: process, organization, performance, behavior and attitude and automation.

Gallery walk

is a walk-around on the work floor that is more about the leaders being seen. The leaders give cursory attention to what is going on and are principally there for their own benefit.

Sort

is about eliminating all unnecessary tools, parts, and instructions.

Holistic thinking

is about understanding the interconnectedness of the aspects of larger systems. Holistic thinking means looking at 'the big picture' and being aware of the relationships between the components.

Thinking Systemically

is the principle that unifies all the other principles of operational excellence, and enables companies to sustain their Lean culture and develop constancy of purpose centered on continuous improvement.

Shine

is very simply about keeping the workspace and all equipment clean, ordered and in the right place.

Gemba Walk

leader goes and sees what is actually happening on the work floor (Gemba). The Gemba walk is essential for both self-development and helping others to develop. It should also be a trigger for daily Kaizen and can be used to align goals.

Standardize

means defining the best way of executing an activity

Sustain

means maintaining and reviewing standards.

Closed-loop thinking

requires understanding how changes within the system ripple across the value stream, affecting the work and behavior of other employees in the same department, in other departments, external customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Level 4: Business Partner Focused

the belief that IT is somehow separate from the business is understood to be a false and damaging perception. As IT becomes focused on its business partners within other line of business functions the IT executives become an integral part of the strategic business planning processes. IT measures its success in terms of business transactional volume and the end-to-end availability of IT services, rather than just the uptime of IT components. Value is based on the fact that the organization becomes focused on ensuring that IT services are matched to business processes and the two (business process and IT service) are considered together. Five flows of IT Value by Bell

Support, Teach Promote

three aims when doing a Gemba walk:

Structured Problem-Solving

tool for engaging the organization in the structural improvement of the way of working and the ability to deliver value to the customer.