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Kaizen Training: The Big Picture
The term “Point Kaizen” or “Kaizen Event” are well-worn statements. We’re familiar with them, as most companies have tried Kaizen or something Lean related at some point in its existence. But, has...
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Queueing as Marketing
That’s right – Queueing as Marketing. In other words, create a service or product around the fact that people don’t like to wait – AND – charge a premium for the service or product. I’m calling that...
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Visual Management: The Buddy Wheel
As most of you know, I have a pretty big family. I’m grateful for my family and I love all the kids – but sometimes, okay more often than not – things are a bit crazy. So, we need all the help we can...
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Lean Thinking and Emotion: Customer Experience is the Link
In Lean Thinking, traditionally not much has been said regarding the customer’s emotions; except for a bit here around “Voice of the Customer” and a bit there on “Customer Satisfaction”. Other than...
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Visualizing the Customer Experience: Customer Journey Map and Continuous...
In a prior post, I discussed how most Lean practitioners focus primarily on the mechanical aspects of a process and often ignore the emotions of the customer. In other words, one can improve the...
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PDCA Cycle: Lego Style
It’s not often I see something ingenious. This is one of those times. How about demonstrating the PDCA Cycle via Lego Figures! Håkan takes his approach and applies it to software development, but the...
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SWOT Analysis Done Right
I’ve been in strategy sessions or like meetings where SWOT was done the either: The question at hand didn’t call for a SWOT. So, in this case, a tool was applied to the wrong problem. Or, a SWOT was...
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Airline Customer Satisfaction: An Oxymoron
This month, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) released their annual customer satisfaction scores for the airline industry 1 and the airline carriers. To no surprise, the scores were...
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NPS Customer Feedback Loop, Closed Loop System, and Lean Thinking
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a metric that more and more companies are using as a measure of loyalty and, proponents argue, is a leading indicator of future profit and earnings. One of the critical...
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Macaroni Grill: Ordered Chicken but Got Beef and the Net Promoter Score Survey
A few weekends ago, my wife and I went to Macaroni Grill for dinner. We had a great server who was funny, helpful, and courteous. After looking at the menu, I decided to order a meal with Chicken –...
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[Guest Post] An Outsiders View of Agile Software Development: Part 1
We’re pleased to welcome Joe Woods as a guest post today, who will be sharing his thoughts with us on what he likes about Agile Software Development, Part 1. In Part 2, he’ll share with us his...
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[Guest Post] An Outsiders View of Agile Software Development: Part 2
This is Part 2 on Joe Woods’ views on Agile Software Development. He shared with us his initial thoughts on the subject in Part of Agile Software Development – what he likes about Agile Software...
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[Guest Post] 3D Printing and Reducing Product Development Costs in Your...
We’re pleased to have Farrah Pappa present a guest article today on her thoughts on 3D Printing, Lean Manufacturing, Reducing Product Development Costs, and how 3D Printing can help improve the...
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[Guest Post] How Detailed Should User Stories be in Agile Software Development?
Today we are pleased to welcome Ed Hill, who is providing a guest post for Shmula.com today, where he discusses Agile User Stories and explains, in practice, how detailed they should be. For Lean...
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DMV Queueing Properties: Waiting in Line at the Local Department of Motor...
No matter who you are – rich, old, poor, young, famous, infamous, or not known to anybody – there are a few things that unite us all and we all have in common: We all bleed We all breath oxygen We all...
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Defects Hidden in Plain Sight
We have a guest post today from James Lawther. James is primarily involved in process improvement within the Service Industry but, even more than that, he is an articulate thinker and a keen observer...
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[Fun Friday] Graban is Not Impressed
Today, I’m sharing my version of a popular meme on the interwebs – Mark Graban is not Impressed. Many of you know Mark – he’s a good friend and the writer of Leanblog.org; in his most recent post, he...
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Customer Service Tips from the DMV
A few weeks ago, I renewed my driver’s license and I documented my Queueing experience of waiting in line at the DMV. There was a sign, hidden behind a desk, that appeared to contain some tips on...
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Mobile Survey: Net Promoter Score, Fried, Crispy, or Grilled
There’s appears to be a massive proliferation of consumer centered companies interested in obtaining feedback from its customers. Almost where ever I purchase something and receive a receipt, there’s...
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3D Printing: 7 Companies To Watch
As many of you know, shmula.com allows guest bloggers to submit articles in areas of manufacturing, operations research, technology, customer experience, lean manufacturing, leadership, and...
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