When I assess a factory, I generall

When I assess a factory, I generally begin by walking the floor, starting at final assembly and working my way backward. This lets me quickly get a sense of how lean the facility really is, since disruption and waste are most evident at the end of the line, where all of the problems come together. For many businesses, this is where the assessment ends; they quickly act on these findings, draw down waste, and then move on to the next project.