While it was initially deployed in the automotive sector, the Lean manufacturing management methodology has gained momentum in almost every industry. The approach is now widespread within healthcare organizations, universities, consumer goods manufacturing, construction companies, software development, and many other sectors. Thoughtful leaders can adapt lean ideas to fit the needs of many organizations.

One error we encounter is that some leaders believe that generic project management software will be sufficient for supporting and reporting on Lean initiatives. However, that’s generally not the case. Project management software does not have many of the features that are required for a successful Lean implementation. On the other hand, Lean manufacturing software helps leaders implement improvement and understand the impact of Lean at the same time. Here are a few essential Lean software capabilities.

Online Access

It’s 2021, so this is probably obvious, but the best Lean manufacturing software solutions are cloud-based. This model, which is becoming the default for almost every business application, ensures that the system is available from anywhere, at any time. It also makes the vendor, rather than your IT team, responsible for maintenance and updates.

Improvement Opportunity Collection

One of the guiding principles of Lean manufacturing is that improvement is everyone’s responsibility. Lean software makes it easy for anyone from the President to frontline employees to report an opportunity for improvement when they identify one. The solution should allow users to put improvement ideas into categories so that leaders can report on the most frequent areas of concern and recurring problems.

Active Workflow

Once an opportunity has been reported, the solution should have features that help ensure it is evaluated and potentially implemented. The best platforms allow for alerts and notifications both within the application and via email so that everyone is up to speed on improvement projects.

Digital Huddle Boards

Daily huddle meetings are a popular Lean manufacturing technique. Everyone gathers at the start of each shift to review current projects and select new ones for short-term implementation. Some organizations use physical boards to visualize all of the current projects. Lean software makes it possible to do this digitally, so the team stays up-to-date with the current state. This is especially important if your team is working remotely due to COVID concerns. Remote or traveling employees can participate fully during the meeting.

Rotating Wallboards

Digital wallboards are dashboards projected in a workspace that scroll through select Lean reports to always display improvement activities and results. Employees from all areas of the business can get a holistic view of what’s going on across the organization. Wallboards act as a continuously updated slideshow that helps keep improvement and waste reduction front and center.

Engagement Reporting

In addition to organizing tasks and displaying information, Lean manufacturing software helps leaders understand how well improvement culture has found its roots. Engagement reporting gives insight into which people, teams, and departments are participating in the work. With this information, leaders know who to recognize and who to coach to help Lean culture spread.

Activity Reports

Effective Lean manufacturing software makes it easy to report on the specific improvement activities going on at any time. It is important to understand which types of waste are being reduced, whether the number of ongoing projects is trending in the right direction, and whether the activities align with strategic objectives.

Impact Reports

The thing that really makes Lean manufacturing software different from other project management software or spreadsheets is calculating the results of improvement work in both the long and short-term. You will quantify results for metrics such as lower costs, fewer defects, shorter wait times, and increased customer satisfaction scores.

Success Broadcasting

When team members see others being recognized and rewarded for their engagement with Lean, they are more likely to get excited about sharing their ideas and transforming the organization. Look for Lean manufacturing software that has success broadcasting features.

Customizable Dashboards

Everyone will engage with Lean differently, so look for a software solution that makes it easy for each user to configure their view in a way that makes sense for them. Some staff members will need a dashboard only related to their unit or function, while others, such as department heads and executives, may require several dashboards to get all of the data they need.

Mobile Apps

Insightful ideas for improvement and waste reduction can happen at any time. That’s why it is important to consider a Lean solution with mobile apps so that employees can capture opportunities from anywhere on the device that they always carry.

Evaluating Lean manufacturing software doesn’t have to be intimidating. Just make sure that the solutions you consider have each of these capabilities. Your final choice should be purpose-built for improvement work and come from a vendor who has the experience to offer you outstanding support.