Lean - problem definition & problem solving

As was once said "If a problem cannot be solved, enlarge it."


These words make sense in this video from a lean point of view from two perspectives.



First, a fundamental principle of lean management is to make problems visible. This may not require making a small problem bigger, only making it clearer or bringing it into focus.



The andon system (andon = Japanese for lamp) allows team members to call attention to a problem so that the local support can arrive immediately to contain the problems.



In fact most problems are bigger than they appear precisely because we are only seeing a small visible portion of the problem.



We don't need to enlarge it if we can simply make it more visible.



Second, taking a problem situation and enlarging it can be likened to creating the so-called burning platform, or raising the sense of urgency to a critical level compels us to take action.



Most of the time these big problems are already in front of us and we do not need to enlarge them in fact, but only in terms of importance within our minds.