Lean Management Methods in Product Development – A Case Study Advances in Sustainable and Competitive Manufacturing Systems Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering 2013, pp 1385-1399. 23rd International Conference on Flexible Automation & Intelligent Manufacturing (FAIM 2013) http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-00557-7_112 Daniel Soares 1, João Bastos 2,3, Diana Gavazzo 1, João Paulo Pereira 1 and A.J. Baptista 1 1 INEGI – Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica e Gestão Industrial Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Porto, Portugal 2 INESC TEC Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto Porto, Portugal 3 ISEP Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Instituto Politécnico do Porto Porto, Portugal ABSTRACT The current reality of intense competition has forced many companies to increase their performance and competitive advantages by pursuing innovation and improving and streamlining internal methods of designing products and processes. With shortening of product life cycle, in order for companies to survive, the need for a continuous stream of multiple innovations over time has arisen. However, the resources consumed by companies, whilst developing a product or process, are increasingly high, even in integrated approaches, and often the finished product or process arrives too late to provide the company with an edge over its competitors. Due to the large impact Lean philosophy has had in recent decades, within the manufacturing area, through the increase of efficiency and generation of continuous improvement, more companies have progressively applied Lean methods in their units of product and process development. This paper seeks to present a reference model for Lean implementation in the areas of product and process development in order to support companies in their path to streamline and make their innovative processes more efficient. The proposed reference model includes a concrete case study example that helps to explain the main concepts behind the proposed approach.

1. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Daniel Soares1, João Bastos2,3, Diana Gavazzo1, João Paulo
Pereira1 and A.J. Baptista1
Lean Management Methods in
Product Development – A Case Study
1 INEGI – Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica e Gestão Industrial
2 INESC TEC – Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores do Porto
3 ISEP – Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto

2. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Lean manufacturing vs Lean product development
3. Reference model development
4. The “stopper” concept in the PDCA cycle
5. Implementation examples
6. Results and final considerations
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study

3. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 1. Introduction
Top Management Commitment
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Difficulties of Lean Implementations and Continuous Improvement
The (common) human resistance to change
“Making Change Work: Practical Tools for Overcoming
Human Resistance to Change” Book by Brien Palmer
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4. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 1. Introduction
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Difficulties of Lean Implementations and Continuous Improvement
Have an accurate assessment of the “AS IS” (initial) state
Visible components of the system
Processes
Procedures
Tools
Invisible components of the system
Culture
Behaviours
Mentality
Habits

5. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 2. Lean manufacturing vs lean product development
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Manufacturing
Visible flux of materials and WIP
Easier identification of wastes
(stocks, WIP, disorganization,
bottlenecks, failures, etc.)
Repeatable tasks and processes
Product Development
Invisible flux of data and
information
More difficult to identify waste
(over-engineering, poor
knowledge management, slow
access to information, etc.)
Strong process variability (less
repetitive tasks)
Ability to influence teams
productivity and the customer
defined value and costsAbility to influence product
quality, operation costs and
productivity

6. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 3. Reference model development
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Culture of the organization
Supportive Management
Improved Quality – Reduced Cost
Reduced Lead Time – Improved Security – High Morale
Lean Management
Respectfor
Humanity
Continuous
Improvement
Information
flows
• Clear
• Accurate
• At the right time
Value

7. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 4. The “stopper” concept in the PDCA cycle
Time
Improvement
Standardization stable levels
(classic lean approach)
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
An “anti-rollback mechanism” during change transition
Objectives
Analyse failure modes or
weaknesses for the process
improvement implementation
Find intrinsic motivation within
the team for the change
Avoid unpredicted issues for
the change before it happens
Secure the improvement
progress until the complete
standardization stable level
Change transition

8. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Respect for Humanity: Skills and intrinsic motivation matrix

9. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Respect for Humanity: Skills and intrinsic motivation matrix
Objectives
Get a information about each team
member Skills (Self Evaluation) and
hidden talents
Get a information about each team
member intrinsic motivation (Self
Evaluation)
Match adequate team member skills for
the project and which he/she is more
motivated for those technical areas
Detect insufficient technical capabilities
within the team
Manage team knowledge more
effectively both for projects and training

10. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden
Problems
Get to know for the entire team
useful and essential information
(technical or general)
Avoid long time waste searching
information and long clicking
sequences
Avoid resistance and blocking
attitudes for folder directory re-
organization by 5S tool application
Objectives
Aggregate and compile
information at “one click distance”
Create a visible link for a digital
box of suggestions and issues
reporting
Create an robust and simple
method to change file folder
systems organization without
impact normal day work

11. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
SF3
SF2
SF1
Main Folder
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden
SubFolder 1
SubFolder 2
SubFolder 3
Target File
Target File
Spaghetti line length - elapsed time
Main Folder

12. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
SF3
SF2
SF1
Main Folder
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden
SubFolder 1
SubFolder 2
SubFolder 3
Target File
Target File
Ideal Solution = Direct way
Main Folder

13. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden
“Real world inspiration”: temporary bridge

14. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden
“Digital inspiration”
Invisible meta data linked
to organized visible icons

15. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden
Stoppers: Use of wide spread Power Point software and attractive
features for the team (both technical and for social team integration)

16. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Overcoming information access issues and time waste burden

17. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 5. Implementation examples
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Other issues and implemented solutions
Standardized Project Folder Structure (reduced time for new project members)
Standardized file name convention
Technical Library re-organization (with Endnote, more than 1000 files catalogued)
List of contacts (team members, clients, suppliers)
List of suppliers capabilities and evaluation by technical areas
Development of advanced timesheets for time and task control

18. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Porto,Portugal 6. Results and final considerations
Lean Management Methods in Product Development
A Case Study
Development of an adapted Reference Model for Lean Implementations in
Product Development Projects
Development of conceptual strategies for dealing with the change process
Lean thinking and continuous improvement introduction within the team
Centralization and broad availability and awareness of essential and useful
information for the team
Standardization of name convention for files and folders (documental management)
Identifying team technical skills weakness, hidden talents and knowledge level
Increased motivation of team members by knowing and using their intrinsic
motivations and opinion (suggestions and issues reporting)
Estimated gains of 2300 hours / annum (within a 15 elements group)

19. ThechallengeofSustainingGlobalCompetitiveManufacturingSystems
Daniel Soares1, João Bastos2,3, Diana Gavazzo1, João Paulo
Pereira1 and A.J. Baptista1 [abaptista@inegi.up.pt]
Lean Management Methods in
Product Development – A Case Study