LEAN in Education

Recently I was asked to provide some training with reference to the Lean Methodology devised by Toyota.

As part of the exercise I contextualised Lean's Seven Wastes or Muda for the post-16 education sector and thought it may be useful to include that here.

Waste 1
Transportation

Overview
Inappropriate transportation

Example
Overuse of peripatetic equipment, Legacy systems requiring paper transfer

Waste 2
Motion of People

Overview
Unnecessary movement of staff / students

Example
Lessons timetabled to require movement between buildings / campuses, F2F meetings off-site or at one end of campus, specialist resources away from main teaching areas.

Waste 3
Overproduction

Overview
Unnecessary use of paper, materials, striving for perfection over fit-for-purpose

Example
prospectus, course materials, minutes of meetings, production of presentations, figures, data and information

Waste 4
Irregular Processes

Overview
Misalignment of steps in processes

Example
Retesting due to misplaced results. Use of expensive consumables when cheaper alternatives are available. Expensive local Vs central reprographics. Misallocation of valuable and scarce resources i.e. not spending the money where it is needed

Waste 5
Inventory/stock

Overview
Uncontrolled inventory (too much/too little/in the wrong place) and/or excessive Work in Progress (WIP)

Example
Paper and materials stocks, printed materials, production of course materials too early - particularly in areas where current state of industry includes rapid developments and change

Waste 6
Defects/Errors

Overview
Procedural errors, missing data, lost items requiring duplication

Example
Lost assignments, rooms or equipment double booked, inappropriate access rights, innacurate data

Waste 7
Waiting and other time-related waste

Overview
Delays, Misaligned requirements/delivery

Example
Long process cycles, over-dependence on committees when speedy decisions needed, Bottlenecks