We did this by sketching what we saw as we watched, for hours, the work on several assembly lines. I know, I know, you must be thinking: how much fun can 22 people stand? But really, it was exciting and energizing to see Lean Principles in action, even if most of us can't draw worth a lick!

We've found that sketching is actually quite helpful in improving our ability to "see". And we've all been filling our sketchbooks with variably artistic efforts. An example of a pretty darn good one is Tom Hansen's depiction of flow on one of Yamatake's production lines. Here it is:

What we saw at Yamatake was an almost problem free environment. The more we watched and sketched, the more we saw how they did it. What have they done? They have removed waste from their processes. Their work areas are clean and orderly from 5S, needed tools and supplies are readily available, and help is immediate if they have a problem or find an error. Above all, the workplace is consciously designed to support the people doing the work, to enable them to focus completely on the job at hand, so they can produce defect-free results.

David Fisher had this to say about the experience: "We've observed and learned how Yamatake produces high quality items in a very efficient manner. Concepts like 'standard work' and 'one piece flow' become very real when you see them in action. The Lean principle 'focus on people doing the work' is applied throughout Yamatake. At Children's we too need to assure that the necessary materials, equipment, and information are there when you need them."

We came away from Yamatake with many ideas and principles that can be applied at Childrens. We did not, however, get to keep the slippers. See picture:

Among the ideas and principles that we learned, supporting our people in their work is clearly preeminent. That support includes providing clear expectations, providing the right tools and equipment, and providing timely help when needed.

Here are some other ideas we gleaned from Yamatake:

- Visual aids, from cues to instructions to results, should be used whenever and wherever possible;

- Ideas for improvement should be solicited from all places in the organization;

- Errors can and should be eliminated through mistake-proofing process design and rigorous self-checks.

These and other Lean priciples are applicable to Childrens and will be a big part of our CPI journey. Even as you read this, our teams are applying these learnings to the "future states" of their value streams.

On a personal note, many of you may know that harmony, or "Wa", is highly valued in Japan and that peace and quiet are much appreciated. I want to assure you that reports you may have heard about certain members of our group disturbing the Wa wherever they go... are greatly exaggerated!!

More in a few days...