EON Blog

One of the first steps in applying Lean concepts on a path to operational excellence is identifying and eliminating waste. In the old days of manufacturing, this might have been called scrap. The Japanese TPS system, upon which Lean is modelled, focuses on delivering value to the customer. TPS uses the much broader waste concept of  “Muda” as anything that does not add value in the eyes of the customer. In fact, Lean articulates seven different types of wastes identified in TPS. Some use the acronyms of TIM WOOD or WORMPIT to remember each type of waste.

As I'm sure you know, the 2016 Summer Olympic Games are off to a great start.  I know I'm not the only one who gets excited to watch the world's premier athletes compete at the highest level for the right to say that they're the best at what they do. The diverse array of events is a great attraction as it offers the opportunity to reconnect with sports like gymnastics, track & field, and swimming, that aren't necessarily ingrained into our nation's consciousness, and for sports like basketball and golf that do have greater resonance, the Olympics are compelling because the athletes we know are now performing in an entirely different context.

The United States men's and women's track and field teams are generally considered to be among the best in the world.  Some of the greatest Olympians of all time are US track athletes, including Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Florence Griffith Joyner, and Carl Lewis.  

So it was no surprise heading into the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing that both the US men's and women's track and field squads were expected to perform well. But things didn't exactly go according to expectations that year. And in order for this year's Rio competitors to prevent history from repeating itself, there are some lessons to take away from those that came before them.

If you don't already know, our offices are located just outside of Washington, DC. Being so close has given us a special affinity for our nation's capital, so we make it our business to stay on top of the latest developments within the public sector.

We believe that affecting change within our own communities, whether at the local, state or federal level, is one of the greatest ways to pursue continuous improvement. Turns out, we aren't the only ones that feel that way.

The race to 'win' at Lean government has already begun, and here's why. 

We at EON are privileged to have countless interactions with enterprise executives every year, focused on their successes and challenges in driving operational excellence (OpEx) in their business.

In many cases, these interactions result in a dialogue on what I like to call their “investment thesis,” or their organization’s overall philosophy and approach toward investing in OpEx. 

A common response to our questions on investing in OpEx goes something like this...