Simulation: Taking “Lean Thinking” to the Next Level

Simulation: Taking “Lean Thinking” to the Next Level

Brittany Hagedorn, Healthcare Lead for North America

SIMUL8 Corporation | SIMUL8.com | [email protected] 1 800 547 6024 | +44 141 552 6888

My Evolving View of Simulation & Lean

TODAY

Pure Lean and Six Sigma.

Simulation as a risk reduction tool.

Management Consulting.

Simulation as an engagement tool.

Advocate for Integration.


• Established 1994

• Suite of Simulation Products

– SIMUL8 Professional – Core Product

– LeanHDX – Architectural Layout Design

– LeanSim Toolkit – Teach Lean Concepts

– Scenario Generator – Strategic Planning

– SIMUL8 Web – Collaborate on Models Online

SIMUL8 Corporation

Easy to Use

Quick to Learn

Visual & Interactive


“Thinking Lean”

What does it mean to “Think Lean”?


Continuous Improvement

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MEASUREMENT


Challenges for Improvement

• Sustainment of change.• Lots of high priorities.• Adoption/stakeholder engagement.• Complex process interactions.• Interdependent changes/projects.

As improvement practitioners, we face challenges when it comes to implementing a culture of continuous improvement.


Mounting Pressures

• Need to get more done, faster.• More improvement opportunities than you can

handle with existing staff.• Mandate to quantify results.• Requirement to reduce risk and ensure the

success of every implementation.

Brittany Hagedorn

Add a cloud brewing?


Lean & Simulation’s Shared Philosophy

Variability impacts outcomes. Measure performance. Value everyone’s ideas. Pilot before you implement.

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Models of Integration

Independent Simulation

Small Model built during a Lean Project

Simulation Integrated into the Standard Lean Process


Value Stream Mapping

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Even Value Stream Mapping can benefit from simulation.



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Use simulation to get even more from a VSM.

1. Validate the VSM by examining inventory levels.2. Prioritize potential projects based on projected

impact on key metrics.3. Identify interactions between projects.4. Set evidence-based improvement targets.


Compare Scenarios


Risk-Free Pilots

Visualize everyone’s suggestions and their impact on key outcome measures – for minimal time or cost.


Post-Kaizen Implementation

Answer questions such as:• Do I have enough resources to handle the increased throughput?• Is the new process robust enough to handle unusual or unexpected

situations?• What downstream effects have we forgotten to plan for?

After a Kaizen event, there is always some uncertainty about how the new process will work after “go live”. For critical business processes, simulation can help mitigate implementation risk.


Simulation in Lean & Six Sigma


Identify Improvement Opportunities

PrioritizeProjects

Develop Charters

Map Current State

Design Future State

PilotFuture State Implement Sustain

• Conduct observations.

• Collect data.• Document

value stream statistics.

• Document all barriers, rework, and wait times.

• Estimate the impact and effort for each improvement.

• Combine for prioritization.

• Define process and outcome metrics.

• Establish target (%) for improvement.

• Create a detailed process map.

• Identify potential interventions.

• Develop and document a future state process map.

• Implement the proposed future state on a small scale.

• Identify issues & unexpected effects.

• Modify the future state as needed.

• Conduct training.

• Go live.

• Document standard work and policies & procedures.

• Monitor and sustain improvements. Incorporate

variability into VSM.

Understand dependencies.

Set evidence-based targets.

Validate your current state.

Reduce risk.

Gain buy-in.

Visualize improvement

results.

Simulation is a powerful tool, but it is most effective when integrated with the Lean Six Sigma approach. By doing so, we can maximize the impact of our improvement efforts.

TEACH LEAN CONCEPTS

Daniel

Potentially expand another slide or two for this section to touch upon other ideas from this slide.


Situations For Simulation

• Average is not enough • Complex process

• Many possible input variables• Dependent relationships between variables

• Need a “Sand Box” test environment• Risky (potential danger)• Expensive (moving equipment, building walls)• Time & Resource (running many tests to find the optimum)• Rare occurrence (extremely high demand, disaster response)

• Data constraints (estimational, not available, or “dirty”)• Stakeholder engagement (visualize the future in order to gain buy-in)

04/09/2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. BONSAI RESOURCE GROUP, INC. 9


Key Takeaways

1. Lean and Simulation share a common philosophy.

2. There are many opportunities to incorporate Simulation into standard Lean practice.

3. Lean ROI can be enhanced by integrating Simulation.

4. Careful deployment and strong advocacy will be required in order to fully integrate Lean and Simulation.


Additional Resources

Visit SIMUL8.com for case studies that demonstrate how Lean and Six Sigma benefit from simulation.

For free downloadable booklet and models from Warwick University, visit SimLean.org.