The Mouse Trap® Experience: The Power of Lean Learning

Course Objective Recognize the value of experimentation Strengthen lean knowledge Apply and test scientific method principles

Lean is Born From How We Think Lean cannot be made successful by: One person One department One job title Lean requires dedication and commitment of all People must first understand before they can make a commitment

A Learning Organization Structure Formal seminars Informal coaching Apply Organization-wide Departments Job responsibilities Reflect What worked well? What didn’t work well? Why? What can we do differently?

Standardization Enables Learning Identify the most efficient way to accomplish a process Ensure that everyone follows same structured process Visibly indicates deviations Improvement opportunities become evident

Standardization Enables Learning How do you do this work? How do you know you are doing this work correctly? How do you know that the outcome is free of defects? What do you do if you have a problem?

Experimentation and the Scientific Method Directly observe the problem Brainstorm an idea Develop hypothesis of anticipated results Implement an idea Directly observe and record results Compare actual results with anticipated

The Hypothesis ‘A tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences’ Learning occurs as the hypothesis is tested

Why Create a Hypothesis? Provides direction to the ideal state Prevents becoming sidetracked How can you identify success if you don’t have a vision of what it looks like? Source of all process learning

Experimentation Barriers Failure to understand current state Failure to develop hypothesis Focus on symptoms Failure to verify results

Plan-Do-Check-Act Identifies improvement area Maps out an action plan Details time frame Continually assesses progress

When Do I Use PDCA? Implementing any change Defining a repetitive work process Identifying root cause Developing a new process

Plan Identify the condition Recognize an opportunity Clearly define current state Analyze the current state Identify current reality Develop ideas Brainstorm ideas Narrow down ideas to one Develop hypothesis Define your idea Define expectations

Do Execute an idea Perform your experiment Implement on trial basis and test

Check Evaluate results Direct observation Gather data More important to learn process than achieve the desired result

Act Experiment did not produce desired result Determine “why?” Strategize revisions Experiment produced desired result Expand solution Adopt solution Standardize solution Continue to search for improvements

Mouse Trap®: The Simulation Identify problems/inhibitors Brainstorm potential solutions Develop hypotheses of expected outcomes Execute solution Reflect

The Objective Capture as many mice as possible Make the process as efficient as possible Teams compete against one another

Mouse Trap® Mechanics

Role Responsibilities Operator Begins when Set-Up has returned trap to ready state Turns crank to trigger trap Material Handler Begins when Operator has triggered trap Removes mouse from trap Transfers cheese from cup one to Holds mouse throughout cheese transfer Returns mouse under cage

Role Responsibilities Set-Up Person Begins when Material Handler has returned mouse under cage Returns trap to ready state Timer Collects data OBSERVER Improvement Coordinator Looks for improvement ideas Documents improvement ideas

Mouse Trap Ready State Guidelines Trap must be reset to ready state if trap malfunctions at any time

Mouse Trap® Process Guidelines

Role Responsibility Guidelines Permitted to do active work during Mouse Trap® is operating Operator Set-Up Material Handler Picks up the mouse Moves cheese pieces Must always pick up mouse during cheese transfer Move 1 piece of cheese at a time

Practice Round 2 minutes Familiarize yourself with trap mechanics Operating the trap is permitted

Round 1 Operate Mouse Trap® in current state No method changes No modifications to process or operation 1 mouse caught = 1 cheese piece Material Handler transfers cheese piece from cup 1 to cup 2 Complete results report

Let’s Begin! 5 minutes

Round 1 Continuous Improvement Discussion 10 minutes 2 improvement areas Document improvements in PDCA Timer and Improvement Coordinator actively contribute

Let’s Begin! 10 minutes

Round 2 Only 2 ideas may be implemented Every change is 1 idea Improvement ideas must be documented in PDCA Complete results report 5 minutes

Round 2 Operation Guidelines Turn crank to move boot Marble falls from bucket and follows red rain gutter to hit blue helping hand rod Blue helping hand rod allows marble to fall into bathtub Marble lands on diving board and catapults diver into yellow washtub Cage falls down pole to catch mouse

Let’s Begin! 5 minutes

Round 2 Continuous Improvement Discussion 10 minutes 4 improvement ideas If you are keeping ideas implemented during round 2, these count toward the 4 maximum Document improvements in PDCA Timer and Improvement Coordinator actively participate

Let’s Begin! 10 minutes

Round 3 Only 4 ideas may be implemented Every change is 1 idea Improvement ideas must be documented in PDCA 4 ideas implemented may be new or may be ideas implemented during round 2 Complete results report 5 minutes

Round 3 Operation Guidelines Turn crank to move boot Marble falls from bucket and follows red rain gutter to hit blue helping hand rod Blue helping hand rod allows marble to fall into bathtub Marble lands on diving board and catapults diver into yellow washtub Cage falls down pole to catch mouse

Let’s Begin! 5 minutes

Identifying Current State is Key Key to Mouse Trap simulation success Valuable usage of time Essential to the lean journey Contributes to sustainable solutions

Current State Results Identifies effective processes Identifies improvement opportunities Ensures that you are addressing the root cause and not firefighting Provides direction toward ideal state Assists in identifying change as it occurs Serves as point of reference

Experimentation is Vital You must be constantly looking for improvement opportunities If you stop searching, you become complacent with the current state Complacency with the current state halts the ideal state

Standardize Improvement Through PDCA Identifies the current state Identifies the problem Develops potential solutions Maps out an action plan Evaluates results Standardizes effective solutions Assesses improvement progress

Small Steps = Significant and Sustainable Change Wide-sweeping and sudden change is not recommended Wide-sweeping and sudden change is difficult to monitor Lean is a journey that never ends