The Remedy: Bringing Lean Thinking Out of the Factory to Transform the Entire Organization

Chapter 9. Design and Engineering—Making Knowledge Flow

"Sam-san, Kurt-san, what do you see?"

Sam Hendry, Kurt Schaeffer, Andy, and I were doing a visual management walk in the engine test lab at the Design Centre. The lab measured about 10,000 square feet, had high ceilings and glass walls. The walls and floors were bare concrete.

There were 15 engine test cells—glass-and-metal structures sprouting pneumatic, hydraulic, and electronic cables. Only three were in operation even though the lab was crammed with engines. Technicians sat at desks around the perimeter. Not much was happening.

Sam and Kurt were our team leaders in Design and Engineering, respectively. They were preparing for upcoming boot camps with executives and Lean coordinators, and had asked for help with problem selection. As I mentioned, boot camps entailed practical problem solving in the gemba. Engine testing, central to new technology like Chloe's HEV engine, was a good place to start.

It was late fall and the financial tsunami continued to recede. The economy was showing tentative signs of life. People were "prairie-dogging"—poking their heads out, to see if it was safe. But they weren't buying cars—not like they used to. North America wouldn't see annual car sales of 16 million again for a long time. Our most optimistic internal forecast called for 12 million. Like everybody else, we'd have to adapt to lower volumes and slow growth.

"I see equipment, test chambers, engines," Sam replied.

"What is the engine lab's ...