Lean KSS
Lean KSS
Lean KSS
Introduction
The world is changing with the confluence of multiple pressures related to weakening currencies,
inflation, credit crisis, oil pricing, consumer products pricing, fundamental changes to business
models across industries, IT centricity, technology advancements, etc. . These are changing the
fundamental nature of our Client’s Businesses. If we do the same way we do our business, we
cannot sustain in the future world. There is a need to optimize the way we do everything,
continuously... with an objective to give a multi fold customer value. Lean can lead to efficiency,
effectiveness and innovations.
Operations - The way processes and resources are used to create customer value,
minimizing cost to serve. Focus should be on waste elimination, reducing variability and
value levers
Governance -Infrastructure needed to manage process performance and maintaining the
processes through skilled people. Systems should be in place to manage the operating
practices
People - Mind set of people on how they feel and act individually and as a team. People
need to be given clear direction and skills to perform the work.
Voice of customer - Action based on continuous feedback from customers
Demand/Capacity management
Work load mismatch between applications causes some of the team members to over strain. Cross
skill team members across applications/technology. Identify applications/work streams that can be
consolidated based on complexity and domain and team members assigned to conserve overall
team work load. Also reduce incoming work through data analysis. Make changes in work/ticket
allocation – such as mapping complexity to skill. Forecast demand requirement through advance
planning, staffing and better co-ordination with customer. This will result in SLA improvement, effort
reduction, elimination of surplus capacity, improved work life balance, productivity improvement
potential around 5%
Operations standardization
Reduce NVA and variability. Perform Defect prevention activities. Plan and conduct reviews in early
life cycle phases. Have a robust governance in place.
Productivity Improvement
Bridge the skill gap of below average/average performers so that the overall team
productivity is improved. Bridging Skill gap shall be done through various methods like
Training on Functional/Technical/Process aspects
Robust Knowledge management mechanism –KR, elearnings, FAQs, Discussion forums
Tools Rationalization
Help the client manage tools licenses and bring down the cost spent on licenses
Governance
Operations
VSM
Operations efficiency analysis
People
Potential Benefits
Large improvements in Work life balance & Span of Control
A culture of planning the tasks in advance, setting realistic Goals and Targets by the team
Service to customer by absorbing additional work load with the same FTE
Identifying effort spent on non-productive tasks and taking corrective actions
More planned trainings for up skilling
Increased Capacity Utilization – 10% to 20%
Improvement Productivity - up to 15%
Reduced Rework – From 4% to 1.5%
Improved test effectiveness – up to 3%
Reduced defect leakage – From 1.4 % to < 0.5 %
Increased Automation coverage
Recommendations
Have a process approach for lean implementation – have a framework defined with
necessary guidelines, checklists and templates
Define and Implement standardized levers
Focus on Best In Class delivery
Bring leadership focus to get necessary support for the initiative
Have Rewards and Recognition mechanism to motivate best performers
Review the implementation at various milestones focussing on
o Team's awareness on KPIs, levers identified & interventions made
o Huddles – whether happening regularly, Is the visual display dashboard updated
regularly and being used for the daily huddles
o If the team is lagging behind the set target, is there a get well plan?
o Sustenance plan
Mask the employee name in the Individual Productivity display (in Visual Display Dashboard)
If the freed up employees are reinvested to create value adds for the same project rather
than releasing the person for new opportunities, it needs to be streamlined to bring out
tangible benefits
Visual display dashboards-procurement process to be initiated in early stages for timely
availability
Focus on productivity improvements as well and not just on cost savings and people releases
Have knowledge sharing between projects that are implementing lean
Have the entire team participation including onsite
Author Profile
Krishnadas comes with 22+ years of experience in Information technology and 8 years in
Manufacturing. He is specialized in Program Management, Software Quality Management,
Information security management, implementing Best In Class practices and tools leading to
transformations/improvements