Maurice Massaad’s Post

The U-shaped structure enhances efficiency by minimizing unnecessary movement. By providing easy access to tools, documents, and resources, it allows users to work more effectively and saves valuable time. The U-shaped desk designed by Gabriel Viardot for PM Georges Clémenceau perfectly embodies these principles, combining aesthetic elegance with functional design. Its historical significance adds depth, as it served a prominent political figure during a crucial time in history.

I watched the video again and would like to add further critiques. At minute 0:57, the technician is performing an inspection task. It would be easier and more efficient to inspect each item as it comes off the line, rather than inspecting them later. This method allows for more pieces to be inspected without requiring overtime. It's a more relaxed and effective approach—almost like working with ease—and you'd still finish during regular hours. We often have preconceived notions, believing that efficiency and productivity increase when we busily repeat the same task over and over. However, that isn’t always the case.

I came across an interesting video on X about #Opinel, the iconic French pocket knife. As a #Muda seeker, I noticed something intriguing: at 1:08, an operator proudly mentions their machine produces 150 ferrules per minute. Each knife requires one ferrule to safely lock the blade. However, at 5:23, the reporter mentions that one knife is sold every 7 seconds, which equates to a customer demand of about 9 knives per minute. Am I the only one seeing this as significant overproduction?

TGIF thoughts 💬 The Toyota Production System has two pillars: Just-in-time & Autonomation*. Autonomation corresponds to the skill and talent of individuals in a company. the JIT is the teamwork involved in reaching an agreed upon objective. * Autonomation is automation with human touch.

Friday thoughts on Office Chairs. A recent post by Bob Emiliani reminded me of a striking observation I made while searching for office chairs on Google using keywords like "CEO chair," "GM chair," "Manager chair," and "Employee chair." The visual contrast between the top and bottom of the corporate hierarchy is stunning. It seems that the more comfortable the chair, the less likely one is to go to the #Genba — the actual place where value is created! Shouldn't leaders be out on the shopfloor, observing, asking "why?", detecting problems, and solving them with their teams? Moreover, the disparity in office chairs sends a message. Are we inadvertently showing disrespect to those on the front lines by giving them less comfortable seating? It’s worth reflecting on how even these small details can shape workplace culture and employee engagement. Unfortunately, such preconceptions in the workplace contribute to slow or stagnant progress within our companies. This situation also reminded me of my early days in 1995 as a sales representative in office furniture. I once advised a buyer that all chairs should be similar across a company to ensure fairness and efficiency in maintenance. Unfortunately, that advice cost me a nice, big project.

Today, I encountered an unexpected issue: an empty tea sachet in what should have been a sealed individual bag. This experience got me thinking about how major agroindustrial companies can enhance their quality control processes. The real concern isn’t just the empty sachet, but the fact that the machine failed to detect and stop production when the sachet was missing. This oversight can result in continued production of defective goods, which seems to be happening now. How can we innovate to ensure our machines are equipped with robust error detection systems that can prevent such anomalies? #andon #autonomation #Genba #learntosee *AutoNOmation is automation with a human touch. When an anomaly is detected, the machine signals an alert. At this point, an operator—who supervises multiple machines simultaneously—should intervene to address the issue.

An amazing training tool that displays, in real-time, the cost of 'value' and 'non-value' operations during process progress. #Lean #TPS #learn_to_see #observe_and_ask_why?

It takes a lot of time to build a reputation and few weeks to ruin it.

Seaports of Yantai (ROC), Zeebruges and Antwerp (Belgium) are struggling with overproduced EVs. The good news is that Just in Time is not blamed (yet?). Just imagine what would happen to the batteries after 1.5 years of inventory. Overproduction, is one of the seven wastes. You will never see a process with less than 7 wastes.