Design for Operational Excellence: A Breakthrough Strategy for Business Growth

CHAPTER2The Myth of Improvement

Imagine that you are boarding an aircraft. You take your seat and relax as the other passengers get on board and the doors are shut. The plane begins to roll down the runway and then takes off. While it is cruising, the captain comes out and gathers the flight crew in the galley. He holds a meeting with them and asks if there are any issues he should know about. After they tell him that all is well, he informs them that they have to find ways to reduce the operational cost of this flight. He asks the crew members for suggestions, and they brainstorm answers such as, “Move more people to the back of the plane for ...