Explaining Single Piece Flow

Try this next time you try to explain flow. 

A system with single piece flow is like a domino chain.

Think about it.

• The entire system is stable when not acted upon
• A single event provides the stimulus to start the flow
• After that event, the flow is predictable by step and time

One stimulus brings about predictable results. And this applies to physical flow as well as information flow. 

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Information Flow

Does the knowledge worker do things in a Lean way by simply having a clean desktop?  Is it merely a matter of clearly alphabetizing her book shelf?

That's perhaps necessary but far from sufficient.

So much more revolves around the knowledge worker treating the flow of information the way an assembly worker treats the flow of physical material.

• Does information flow?  
• Do I turn the raw data into a readable report, promptly?  
• Do I take my education on writing C++ code and make it flow into quality software?  
• Do I take the income statement and cash flow statement and make a prompt decision on that purchase request?  

This topic increasingly grabs me.



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