When first learning about TPS and lean, most become focused on the tools. They tend to be flashy and lend to endless discussion about technique and application. But as you gain experience and understanding of lean and TPS, an epiphany occurs. The true essence and spirit of the applications are about continuous improvement and respect for people. The are truly the two pillars of lean and TPS. Waste reduction and management tools are not pillars of the methodology.

The essence of methodology is that each individual employee is given the opportunity to find problems in his own way of working, to solve them and to make improvements.

Wakamatsu and Kondo, Toyota experts

The essence of lean thinking and TPS is simply put. Keep the focus on building people, then building products, which includes creating an environment of challenging the status quo. The true brilliance and strength of the TPS and lean thinking is the ability to harness the intellectual power of the average employee. This concept is lost on many organizations who get themselves lost in the tools and miss the obvious simplicity of the concepts.

The concept of respect for people not just about the customer or end user. It refers to everyone inside and outside of the organization who has contact with the process. This means line workers, support personnel, vendors and supply personnel. If you follow through with this principle, you will continually analyze the process and seek perfection with involving the customer. This will nurture the ability of the organization to self-identify problems and lead to continuous improvement, or Kaizen. Ultimately, the organization will start to challenge everything and embrace change with ease. More important than the actual improvements, the true value of continuous improvement is in creating an atmosphere of continuous learning and an environment that not only accepts, but actually embraces change.

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The true concept of lean and TPS has two main pillars. These two pillars are respect for people and continuous improvement. Many organizations who try and embrace lean thinking and TPS are often distracted by the tools, instead of focusing on the true strength of lean thinking. Accepting the concepts of the two pillars will allow organizations to challenge everything and embrace the mindset of change.

Check out this informative video on the Two Pillars of TPS and lean!

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Lean manufacturing is a series of techniques that will improve the performance of a factory, a department or even a single production line or machine. Lean thinking in manufacturing is logical and as it is applied, it can be thought of as a journey towards a more efficient future. The techniques are based on the way in which the work is carried out, and involves changing behaviors and attitudes of the personnel so a deep understanding of motivation and culture is essential in the application of Lean thinking.

The food industry involves substantial amounts of product, produced in large batches. It requires lengthy lead times and has variability with the different growing seasons and products. The variability continues with each product, since every product has a different rate of expiration. To most, it may seem counter-intuitive to apply Lean thinking to this industry, since there are so many variables and uncertainties. But when you decipher the supply chain, the key types of waste identified in food production are very similar to those seen in other industries.

Lean Thinking in Food Manufacturing

A deeper examination of the food industry reveals waste problems in over-production, transport, wait times, inventory levels, food defects, and processing. To enhance these processes and decrease waste, continuous improvement through Lean thinking can be made to these components of the food industry. While the reasoning behind the food industry’s initial Lean delay varies according to who you ask, most Lean experts agree that Lean plays an important role in present-day food manufacturing. Progress is often driven by example. If a food manufacturer sees its competitor achieving notable results with Lean manufacturing, it almost has no choice but to follow suit. The industry is facing an explosion of product variation, serious food safety concerns, and skyrocketing raw material and transportation costs. Lean may not be the only answer, but it’s definitely part of it.

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Takt time is a way of measuring the rate of production in line with customer demand. It takes its name from the German word taktzeit, which translates to clock interval and has its roots in musical measures. During the 1930’s, Germany and Japan were part of the Axis, and German engineers helped organize the Japanese aircraft industry. They used the analogy of a conductor’s baton setting rhythm for the entire orchestra. After the war, Toyota picked up the word and concept for its Just-In-Time strategy, or Toyota Production System. The concept is critical for lean manufacturers to directly meet the expectations of the market. Yet despite its importance, many plant managers misunderstand the essence of the idea and fall behind on production.

Takt time is calculated on virtually every task in a business environment. It is used in manufacturing for casting of parts, drilling holes, or preparing a workplace for another task, or in control tasks such as testing of parts or adjusting machinery. It can even be used in administration for tasks such as answering standard inquiries or call center operation. It is most common in production lines that move a product along a line of stations that each performs a set of predefined tasks.

Using the takt time to determine production quantities makes it easy to organize the equipment, labor-hours, and other factors necessary for effective production. If only one type of item is manufactured, level production is possible by leveling only the quantity. If multiple types are manufactured, however, the leveling of the types is necessary to avoid the waste that leads to lowered efficiency.

Standardized work helps to eliminate unwanted variability in the manufacturing process, which diminishes the opportunity for defects to be created. It also results in a much more consistent per piece manufacturing time. Standardized work also helps eliminate variability in manufacturing time. In most cases, standardized work instructions will have an associated Takt time. ¨Takt time can serve as a goal for kaizen activities that focus on making improvements to the production process. The results of these activities should ultimately be captured in standardized work instructions.

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The basic goals of lean manufacturing and waste reduction were derived from Benjamin Franklin through documented examples. Franklin’s The Way to Wealth speaks to the waste carrying unnecessary inventory. Henry Ford cited Franklin as a major influence on his own business practices, which included Just-in-time manufacturing.

Lean Manufacturing Leaders

Some of the best lean manufacturing organizations that using the methodology are outlined below:

1. Nike – An American multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and worldwide marketing and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, in the Portland metropolitan area. It is one of the world’s largest suppliers of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of $24.1 billion dollars.

2. Kimberly-Clark – An American multinational personal care corporation that produces mostly paper-based consumer products. Kimberly-Clark brand name products include Kleenex facial tissue, Kotex feminine hygiene products, Cottonelle, Scott and Andrex toilet paper, Wypall utility wipes, Kimwipes scientific cleaning wipes, and Huggies disposable diapers. Founded in Neenah, Wisconsin, in 1872 and based in Irving, Texas, since 1985, it has approximately 43,000 employees. Kimberly-Clark UK holds Royal Warrants from Queen Elizabeth II and from the Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom. Kimberly-Clark is also listed among the Fortune 500.

3. Caterpillar – A corporation which designs, develops, engineers, manufactures, markets and sells machinery, engines, financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. With more than $89 billion in assets, Caterpillar was ranked number 1 in its industry.

4. Intel – Is a multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California that was founded by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce. It is the world’s largest and highest valued semiconductor chip makers based on revenue, and is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors.

5. Illinois Tool Works – A Fortune 500 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith. Today, it employs nearly 48,000 people in hundreds of businesses across 57 countries, and is based in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. In 2011, ITW had more than 20,000 unexpired patents and pending patent applications worldwide, including 2,900 U.S. patents and 1,116 pending U.S. applications. The company typically ranks in the top 100 of patent issuers in the U.S.

6. Textron – Is a global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies industrial conglomerate. Textron includes Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Beechcraft, and other components. It was founded by Royal Little in 1923 as the Special Yarns Company, and is now headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. Textron employs over 35,000 people worldwide.

7. Parker Hannifin – Originally Parker Appliance Company, usually referred to as just Parker, is an American corporation specializing in motion and control technologies. Its corporate headquarters are in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, in Greater Cleveland. The company was founded in 1917 and has been publicly traded on the NYSE since December 9, 1964. Parker Hannifin is one of the largest companies in the world in motion control technologies, including aerospace, climate control, electromechanical, filtration, fluid and gas handling, hydraulics, pneumatics, process control, and sealing and shielding. Parker employs about 58,000 people globally.

8. John Deere – A corporation that manufactures agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, and lawn care equipment. In 2016, it was listed as 97th in the Fortune 500 America’s ranking and was ranked 364th in the global ranking in 2016.

9. Ford – A multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand. Ford also owns Brazilian SUV manufacturer, Troller, and Australian performance car manufacturer FPV. In the past, it has also produced tractors and automotive components.

10. Toyota – Is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In March 2014, Toyota’s corporate structure consisted of 338,875 employees worldwide and, as of October 2016, was the ninth-largest company in the world by revenue. As of 2016, Toyota is the world’s second-largest automotive manufacturer behind German Volkswagen Group. Toyota was the world’s first automobile manufacturer to produce more than 10 million vehicles per year, which it has done since 2012.

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The 5S methodology was developed in Japan, and was identified as one of the techniques that enabled Just-in-time manufacturing.

Two major frameworks for understanding and applying 5S to business environments have arisen, one proposed by Osada, the other by Hirano. Hirano provided a structure to improve programs with a series of identifiable steps, each building on its predecessor.

The 5S methodology has expanded from manufacturing and is now being applied to a wide variety of industries including healthcare, education, and government. Visual management and 5S can be particularly beneficial in healthcare because a frantic search for supplies to treat an in-trouble patient can have dire consequences. Although the origins of the 5S methodology are in manufacturing, it can also be applied to knowledge economy work, with information, software, or media in the place of physical product.

Enjoy this informational video on 5S.

https://youtu.be/F7hk_sMings

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There is much confusion around Lean tools and the practice of a Gemba walk. Most commonly, leaders sometimes confuse a Gemba walk with the philosophy of Managing By Walking Around (MWBA). The two philosophies are truly in opposite camps, without similarity.

Gemba walk denotes the action of going to see the process, understand the work, ask questions, and learn. It is also one fundamental part of the Lean management philosophy.

The concept and development are credited to Taiichi Ohno, an executive at Toyota. It is an opportunity for staff to stand back from their day-to-day tasks to walk the floor of their workplace to identify wasteful activities. It is designed to allow leaders to identify existing safety hazards, observe machinery and equipment conditions, ask about the practiced standards, gain knowledge about the work status and build relationships with employees. The objective is to understand the value stream and its problems rather than review results or make superficial comments. Gemba walk is one of the five Lean guiding principles that should be practiced by Lean leaders on a daily basis. Usually, it is an activity that takes management to the front lines to look for waste and opportunities to practice Gemba Kaizen, or practical shopfloor improvement. They are crucial to maintaining the disciplined adherence to Lean process designs, part of the Lean support role permeating all leadership positions.

The more observation and problem solving that happens with operators on a Gemba walk, the more successful and enduring the changes will be. There is no rule that says a practitioner cannot take a Gemba walk at any point in a process change. In fact, reviewing ideas, piloting changes and tweaking implementation issues are all great uses of the Gemba walk. As a leader’s confidence builds in solving problems with many tools, the more problems you will solve directly on the shop floor, and consequently be able to coach others to recognize their abilities within themselves to solve the challenges they face.

A Gemba walk is not an opportunity to find fault in others while they are being observed. It is also not a time to enforce policy adherence, except possibly serious safety problems or gross violations. If a Gemba walk is used punitively, employees will shut down and resistance to change will rise rapidly. A Gemba walk needs to be approached from a place of mutual respect and interest in making things faster, safer, easier and just plain better.

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Jaguar is the luxury vehicle brand of Jaguar Land Rover, a British multinational car manufacturer with its headquarters in Whitley, Coventry, England, owned by the Indian company Tata Motors since 2008.

Jaguar’s business was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, originally making motorcycle sidecars before developing bodies for passenger cars. Under the ownership of S. S. Cars Limited, the business extended to complete cars made in association with Standard Motor Co, many bearing Jaguar as a model name. The company’s name was changed from S. S. Cars to Jaguar Cars in 1945. A merger with the British Motor Corporation followed in 1966, the resulting enlarged company now being renamed as British Motor Holdings (BMH), which in 1968 merged with Leyland Motor Corporation and became British Leyland, itself to be nationalized in 1975.

Jaguar Innovation & Success

Two of the proudest moments in Jaguar’s long history in motorsport involved winning the Le Mans 24 hours race, firstly in 1951 and again in 1953. Victory at the 1955 Le Mans was overshadowed by it being the occasion of the worst motorsport accident in history. Later in the hands of the Scottish racing team, two more wins were added in 1956 and 1957.

In spite of such a performance orientation, it was always Jaguar’s intention to build the business by producing world class sporting saloons in larger numbers than the sports car market could support. Jaguar secured financial stability and a reputation for excellence with a series of elegantly styled luxury saloons that included the 3 liter and 3½ liter cars, the Mark VII, VIII, and IX, the compact Mark I and 2, and the XJ6 and XJ12. All were deemed very good values, with comfortable rides, good handling, high performance, and great style.

The 1961 E-Type is considered one of the most beautiful cars of all time.  The iconic E-Type caused a sensation when introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. Touted by Enzo Ferrari as “the most beautiful car ever made,” the sleek design exudes timeless elegance, strength and beauty.

Step back in time and enjoy a factory tour from 1961.

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Hoshin Kanri is a process used in strategic planning in which goals are communicated throughout the company and then put into action. This method of strategic planning originated from post-war Japan, but has since spread to the U.S. and around the world. Translated from Japanese, Hoshin Kanri means “compass management.” The individual words “hoshin” and “kanri” mean direction and administration.

It requires a strategic vision in order to succeed. From there, strategic objectives need to be defined, with goals being written for a year-long time frame. Leadership needs to avoid picking too many goals in order to stay focused on what is important. The biggest goals then need to be broken down into smaller goals, on a weekly and monthly basis, and then implemented so that everyone, from management to the factory floor, is in agreement on what needs to be accomplished.

The goals should be reviewed on a monthly basis, with a larger annual review at the end of the year. Performance measurement is also a key part of the process. Hoshin Kanri is a top-down approach, with the goals being mandated by management and the implementation being performed by employees.

Systems need to be in place to ensure that objectives from senior management are effectively communicated all the way down the chain of command. A catchball system is often used in order to aid in the execution of the strategic plan. A catchball system seeks to get opinions of both managers and employees through meetings and interactions in order to ensure the bidirectional flow of goals, feedback, and other information throughout the organization.

Organizations that use Hoshin Kanri often follow a Think, Plan, Implement, and Review process, which is comparable to W. Edwards Deming’s Plan Do Check Act cycle.’ This is because Deming played a role in the spreading of quality control principles that influenced the development of Hoshin Kanri.

Learn more about Hoshin Kanri and download a template

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Tofurky is the brand name of an American vegetarian turkey replacement (also known as a meat analogue, or, more specifically, tofurkey) made from a blend of wheat protein and organic tofu. The name Tofurky is a trademark of Turtle Island Foods, a company based in Oregon. Turtle Island has come to also use the brand name for most of its meatless products, such as deli slices, sausages, jerky, tempeh (its first product), burgers, and franks.

The Magic of Tofurky Roast

Located in Hood River, Oregon, Turtle Island Foods began in 1980 with intentions to create delicious, nutritious, convenient and affordable vegetarian food. The company was founded by Seth Tibbott. Seth began by producing tempeh for friends and family. With their help, he expanded his company to what is now the second largest tempeh producer in the United States. The famous Tofurky was developed in 1995. In 2008, Turtle Island became a sponsor of The Humane Society, the first food processor to do so in the society’s history. In 2011, the company announced plans to build a new plant in Hood River at a cost of $10 million, with a goal to achieve a LEED platinum certification on the building. The new 33,000-square-foot plant opened in October 2012.

Watch this creative video.

https://www.wired.com/2011/11/st_processtofurkey/#slide-1

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Tofu is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is a component in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines. It can be soft, firm, or extra firm. Tofu has a subtle flavor and can be used in savory and sweet dishes. It is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish.

It is believed that it was first recorded during the Chinese Han dynasty some 2,000 years ago. Chinese legend ascribes its invention to prince Liu An. The production technique was introduced into Korea and then Japan during the Nara period. Some scholars believe tofu arrived in Vietnam during the 10th and 11th century. This spread probably coincided with the spread of Buddhism because it is an important source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism.

Consuming plant-based foods of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Countless studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant-based foods decrease the risk of obesity and overall mortality, diabetes, and heart disease. It also promotes a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, and overall lower weight.

Cooking with Tofu

The goal when frying tofu”whether pan-frying or deep frying”is the same as the goal when frying meat or vegetables: to alter the texture and flavor. We’re talking about adding some crispness to an otherwise tender food, and adding some rich browning, which brings out the natural sweetness and bring some savory notes to the forefront.

The key to both crispness and browning is the removal of moisture, so the drier you get your tofu to begin with, the more efficiently these reactions will take place, and the better the contrast between crisp exterior and moist, tender interior will be.

How is Tofu Made?

Check out this amazing video on how it is made:

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Reading: The Secret Sauce of Success

Have you ever thought about what one habit ultra-successful people have in common? Sure you have! We look up to highly successful people as mentors and guides to the path of our own success. Everyone looks at them and studies their habits to learn the secret sauce’ of just exactly what creates their success.

Well, here is the answer: Every highly successful person will tell you their one secret to success ¦ they read. A lot!

Warren Buffett was once asked about the key to success. He pointed to a stack of nearby books and said, Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it. Buffett takes this habit to the extremeŠ ” Šhe reads between 600 and 1000 pages per day when he was beginning his investing career, and still devotes about 80 percent of each day to reading.

Other top business leaders and entrepreneurs who make reading a major part of their daily lifestyle:

¢ Bill Gates reads about 50 books per year, which breaks down to 1 per week
¢ Mark Cuban reads more than 3 hours every day
¢ Elon Musk is an avid reader, and when asked how he learned to build rockets, he said, I read books.
¢ Mark Zuckerberg resolved to read a book every 2 weeks throughout 2015
¢ Oprah Winfrey selects one of her favorite books every month for her Book Club members to read and discuss

A study of 1,200 wealthy people found that they all have reading as a pastime in common.

Successful people don’t just read anything. They are highly selective about what they read, opting to be educated over being entertained.

They believe that books are a gateway to learning and knowledge.

In fact, there is a notable difference between the reading habits of the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy. Successful people tend to choose educational books and publications over novels, tabloids, and magazines. And in particular, they obsess over biographies and autobiographies of other successful people for guidance and inspiration.

Start Reading Books Written By Paul Akers

Paul Akers is an entrepreneur and leader in creative and innovative business practices. As the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. His intense curiosity on how things could be improved paved the way for him to become a prolific innovator. Today, Paul holds many US and international patents, and his company launches approximately 20-30 innovative products per year.

Paul’s core passion is helping people discover their full potential, and showing others how to implement Lean in their business and personal life. His passion for Lean has taken him around the world to over 65 countries to work and speak. He has devoted his life to teaching Lean concepts with passion and excitement. You can learn more about Paul on his website at PaulAkers.net

The following 3 books are a great way to get your reading discipline off to a great start! His 3 books below are easy to read, motivational, entertaining, and filled with practical examples.

The best part is that they are FREE from his website, if you want an electronic or audio version!!

   2 Second Lean

Can you make an improvement at work that saves 2 seconds from your day? Everyone can do that! That’s what makes “2 second lean” so much fun, and it engages everyone in the company in making improvements.

“There are plenty of workshops, executive manuals and textbooks on the market. I wanted to write a book that would make Lean accessible to everyone, from homemaker to executive. This is a real life journey that examines the astounding results Lean thinking can produce!”

Get the PDF, Kindle, or audio file here.

   Lean Health Book

Are you looking to get in shape, or live a healthier lifestyle? Paul will help you re-think your relationship with food and exercise, using the concepts of lean and waste. The results speak for themselves, as Paul has transformed his own life over the past couple years.

“Lean thinking can make a difference in your health if you think of it as a car. Do you think of your body as a Ferrari and treat it like a powerful and well designed machine? Or, do you treat your body like an old jalopy, lacking in power, efficiency and just getting down the road? Not surprisingly, most people find their machines low on the necessary fuel, oil and maintenance required by the machine to achieve the highest performance possible. Learn to take care of your body just like a high-performance Ferrari.”

Get the PDF, Kindle, or audio file here.

  Lean Travel

Does traveling cause you stress and headaches? For most people, it can cause just as much stress as what your vacation is trying to relieve. Paul is an avid traveler, and shares his advice and tips for making travel easy and efficient. Again, he ties everything back to lean concepts and the 8 forms of waste.

“Travel is one of the most inspiring and educational experiences we can have. For most, the true experience of global travel is elusive. For the ones who do experience travel, most miss out on the pure joy and enlightenment travel brings us. In this book, we learn to understand and experience travel the way it was intended, through the simplicity of Lean thinking.”

Get the PDF, Kindle, or audio file here.

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John Shook is recognized as a true sensei who enthusiastically shares his knowledge and insights within the Lean community. Shook learned about Lean management while working for Toyota for nearly 11 years in Japan and the U.S., helping it transfer production, engineering, and management systems from Japan to NUMMI and subsequently to other operations around the world.

While at Toyota’s headquarters, he became the company’s first American manager in Japan. In the U.S., Shook joined Toyota’s North American engineering, research and development center in Ann Arbor, MI, as general manager of administration and planning. His last position with Toyota was as senior American manager with the Toyota Supplier Support Center in Lexington, KY, assisting North American companies implement the Toyota Production System.

As co-author of Learning to See, John helped introduce the world to value-stream mapping. John also co-authored Kaizen Express, a bilingual manual of the essential concepts and tools of the Toyota Production System. In his book Managing to Learn, he describes the A3 management process at the heart of Lean management and leadership.

Enjoy this informative video from John Shook.

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Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is a business-process management method related to traditional Six Sigma. DFSS is used in industries, such as finance, marketing, engineering, process industries and electronics. It is based on the use of statistical tools like linear regression and enables empirical research similar to that performed in other fields.

Six Sigma practices require a process to be in place and functioning for application. DFSS has the goal of determining the needs of customers and the business, then driving those needs into the product solution.

Designing Excellence with DFSS

Measurement is the most important part of most Six Sigma or DFSS tools. Six Sigma measurements are made from an existing processes, and DFSS focuses on gaining a deep insight into customer needs and using them to inform every design decision and trade-off. DFSS practices seek to avoid process problems by using advanced techniques to avoid process problems at the outset.

DFSS techniques include tools and processes to predict, model and simulate the product delivery system. DFSS looks at the processes tools, personnel and organization, training, facilities, and logistics to produce the product or service. While these tools are sometimes used in the classic DMAIC Six Sigma process, they are uniquely used by DFSS to analyze new and unprecedented products and processes.

Qualifications to Master

Expertise for DFSS is signified in Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt proficiency. Qualifications for these belts for mastery are as follows:

Yellow Belt

¢ Applying the Lean Six Sigma mindset and methodologies to product, service and process design
¢ Phase-Gate design structures, checklists and principles of concurrent development
¢ Defining and chartering design projects
¢ Deploying the Voice of the Customer (VOC) through product, service and process design
¢ Identifying risk in the design process

Green Belt

¢ Management of design and process related risk
¢ Gaining and understanding the Voice of the Customer
¢ Deploying the Voice of the Customer through initial stages of product design
¢ Tools and techniques for benchmarking
¢ Using a Design Scorecard to ensure success
¢ Development of the Functional Mindset; Functional Mapping & Analysis
¢ Concept Ideation: Ideal Final Result & the Morphological Matrix
¢ Concept Generation and Controlled Convergence (CGCC)
¢ Design for X (manufacturability, serviceability, etc.)
¢ Piloting and Prototyping
¢ Planning and Transitioning the design to production

Black Belt

¢ Advances understanding of customer needs through Kano Analysis
¢ Enabling creativity through the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
¢ Effectively handling contradictions in the design process
¢ Efficient handling of functional requirements
¢ Using effective design principles to manage interfaces and keep the design simple
¢ Using simulation to efficiently test the system design
¢ Understanding and managing reliability and robustness in the design process
¢ Advanced experimental techniques to enhance design robustness

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The Grameen Foundation’s goal is to reach more people across the spectrum of poverty, while deepening the focus on the very poor, especially women. Over the past twenty years, one billion people have been able to exit extreme poverty. The Grameen Foundation has the unprecedented opportunity to accelerate such changes, especially for the 800 million people still living in dire poverty and highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Their mission is to enable the poor, especially women, to create a world without poverty and hunger. Its programs expand financial inclusion, enhance health, strengthen resilience and improve livelihoods for people in poor, rural communities around the world.

In this video presentation, Dr. Odeh discusses her Lean IT challenges and the power of Gemba in a small Ugandan village with the Grameen foundation. Watch this enlightening video.

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