1. EPA Lean Management System
Vance S. Fong, P.E., LSS BB
R9 ELMS Deployment Coordinator
U.s. environmental protection agency

2. U.s. environmental protection agency | office of continuous improvement

3. Lean Management System
Cascading Performance Measures
Standard Process
Visual Management
Business Reviews and Huddles
Problem Solving
Leader Behaviors
U.s. environmental protection agency

4. Fundamentally . . . Do more environmental good
Set targets, expectations, and standard work
Do more environmental good
Measure results against targets
Take action to close gaps
We tent to say EPA Lean Management System is based on Lean principles. Lean is a proven method for reducing waste and improving efficiency including all levels of EPA. But in truth, the ELMS is about more than getting rid of waste in our systems and processes.
At its most basic level, the ELMS is about:
Measuring what matters most and setting targets for improvement.
Visually tracking performance against the targets and identifying gaps between our intended targets and actual results. These problems are opportunities for getting our performance back on track.
When we’re off track, taking action by implementing counter measures to close the gaps.
Identify gaps between targets and results
Lean Management System Overview

5. Lean Management System Overview
Solve small problems before they become BIG problems
Monthly Check-in
Semi-annual Check-in
Annual Check-in
Lean Management System Overview

6. U.s. environmental protection agency
 NOTES:
EPA is committed to deploying ELMS in 80% of the Agency by 2020.
Many people ask, what’s in it for me? This slide illustrates
the benefits of ELMS in multiple areas.
ELMS can help you:
Quickly understand if work is on or off schedule
Identify small problems before they become big problems
Sustain gains/improvements from Lean efforts
Create and improve predictability for customers and staff
Create a more transparent and accountable workplace
U.s. environmental protection agency

7. U.s. environmental protection agency
It’s important for an EPA employee to know how to “connect the dots” on how MEASURES directly link to NPM’s and/or agency measure. Some of the areas that he/she is measuring are also being measured at the national level. So, if his or her team is missing their targets, the team could be responsible for missing the agency target also. This is why problem-solving skills and getting back on track is so critical.
U.s. environmental protection agency

8. U.s. environmental protection agency
Henry encouraged ADEQ, as he now encourages EPA, to continue doing Lean Kaizen events and ELMS visual management, bowling chart, and other system oriented tasks at the same time.
If one does Kaizen events w/o ELMS, what is gained from the Kaizen cannot be sustained.
We do Kaizen events when certain measures on the bowling chart or on a flow-board have gotten off-track.
U.s. environmental protection agency

9. U.s. environmental protection agency
This slide was presented by Henry at a recent Leadership Council meeting where he emphasized the alignment between NPMs & Regions with respect to strategic measures.
Many FY19 regional measures will clearly contribute to NPM metrics.
Regional program divisions will be in an organization structure more in line with their NPMs for more efficient overall EPA.
U.s. environmental protection agency

10. U.s. environmental protection agency
 NOTES:
Continuous Improvement. Lean is about a cycle of continuous
improvement. Continuous Improvement “is a business philosophy or system that’s based on making incremental improvement on a regular basis.
Problem Solving. Problem solving is a systematic approach or strategy employed to surface the root causes of a problem and identify a specific solution to address it. Problem solving frameworks you may have heard of include: PDCA, A3, 8 Step or DMAIC.
Root Cause Analysis. Root cause analysis is a problem-solving technique used to identify the underlying cause or root of a problem. Asking Why, What if; Why not, requires curiosity.
Eliminating Non-Value Added Activity (Wastes). Non-value- added activity is also called waste. There is a cost associated with waste that affects, time, cost, and quality. Our organizations can operate more efficiently if we eliminate activity that is non-value added.
Visual Management is about making the workplace visual so that everyone understands the health of the process and can spot abnormalities quickly.
Standard Work means that work is done the same and most
U.s. environmental protection agency

11. U.s. environmental protection agency
What is EPA doing next?
Deploying ELMS training in regional offices.
Developing flow boards and performance boards using visual management tools.
 NOTES:
Next time you visit a program in 75 Hawthorne, ask for a tour of some of the programs’ flow boards!
U.s. environmental protection agency

12. U.s. environmental protection agency
An Example of Flow Boards
U.s. environmental protection agency

13. U.s. environmental protection agency

14. U.s. environmental protection agency
NOTES:
Provides the primary platform where problems are prioritized and discussed as a team
Encourages the flow of information in all directions
Key element of ELMS and leader standard work
Reflection on how we are doing and engages staff’s critical thinking skills
Platform for identifying problems in the workplace
Purpose
Identify the previous week’s work and issues, the current week’s expectations, any issues affecting today’s performance, team member concerns, etc.
Attendees
The Unit/Team
Timing
Weekly, 15 minutes in duration
U.s. environmental protection agency

15. U.s. environmental protection agency
Celebrate successes and people!
U.s. environmental protection agency