Lean, Kaizen Blitz and 5S at the University of Aberdeen

1. Lean, Kaizen Blitz and 5S at the University of Aberdeen Chris Banks: University Librarian, University of Aberdeen Pat Browne: Lean Kaizen Specialist and Performance Coach, Exceed

2. What is it? Focused effort with a feel good factor requiring: Visible and genuine management support Careful planning and orchestration A realistic yet ambitious scope A means of measuring whether it’s made a difference Why do it? As a taster to experience what lean methods could bring To engage staff in positive change To resolve an issue and potentially bring about a step change To train internal change agents To train lean methods through practice on real issues Kaizen Blitz

3. How is it done? Plan and Enrol Pin down a subject Set a vision for improvement and a set of goals Assign roles and responsibilities Choose a team Coordinate diaries, appointments, focus groups Collect baseline information Raise awareness and allay fears Kaizen Blitz Timeline

4. Pat presented on Lean Kaizen to a meeting of Directors The University Secretary undertook to fund two projects University Librarian immediately volunteered (having had experience of Lean in a previous role) 1 day with managers and influencers identifying a subject and testing the scope and complexity Introducing the concept and gaining buy-in Invited a Lean champion from another HE library Linked the activity to the forthcoming move to new premises - some 22 months away and only at the digging out foundations stage How the process started at Aberdeen

5. The context for this project • Ancient University with significant special collections in need of resourcing to enhance documentation • A feeling that not all automated systems and processes were being fully utilised for the purchase and documentation of modern collections • A feeling that there may be some duplication across teams

6. Used the journey of a new book Goals around time taken and the staff time around the process Appointed a team manager from cataloguing as project leader Pulled together a team from acquisitions /cataloguing and subject floors Lined up managers and peers to attend open sessions Used existing performance indicators and a sample for additional analysis Engaged in advance with academics, students and library representatives Plan and Enrol

7. Kaizen Blitz in the QML - engagement

8. Kaizen Blitz in the QML –engagement

9. Taking ownership and pride

10. Employee engagement “We were given this tremendous opportunity to really understand what everyone was doing and what we could be doing much better. Why wouldn’t we make good decision for the organisation?” Initially sceptical team member Managers letting go “My employees are more likely to respond positively to a change process if they have some say in the new approach, and therefore the organisation’s structure. That means it is not only important to listen to what they say, but they should also be given the opportunity to design and implement the process themselves, based on the parameters specified. “ Senior Manager /Local Authority Kaizen Blitz – the tricky bits

11. Reduced staff time to support the process : Acquisitions: 39% (1.4 FTE) Cataloguing: 20% (0.7 FTE) Floors and sites: 50% (1.8 TE) Enabling in particular the cataloguing team to concentrate on rare books and floor staff to be more customer facing Tangible benefits

12. Kaizen Blitz in the QML Other Benefits

13. Shift in thinking More challenge about whether we’re doing the right things More acceptance about the introduction of other events e.g. 5S (workplace efficiency) Significant development for some staff members What’s been done since Internal facilitators trained on 5S and basic improvement tools 5S events prior to the move – including one involving SMT Experimentation with A3 reports Influenced the wider University approach to continuous improvement Kaizen Blitz legacy

14. 5S in QML

15. 5S in QML

16. Kaizen Blitz in the QML Other Benefits