Comments on Business Lean: IT and Lean – can’t we all just get along?

I agree that there is a major disconnect with in-h...

2010-08-10T14:10:36.836-07:00

I agree that there is a major disconnect with in-house IT departments and the business functions they serve. There are numerous reasons for that with fault on both sides. However, I don't believe you can achieve lean successfully without information technology systems. The ERP/MRP system vendors are providing real time functionality for the shop floor and integrating quoting, sales, purchasing, QM functions in their systems. The most pressing issue is for IT and operations personnel to work together to use the IT solutions to support lean processes. I have done this successfully with finance departments. I have created teams of finance, ops and IT personnel to use the concepts of lean and the functions in the ERP system and other technologies to greatly reduce the manual processes and waste in the back office operations.

Aligning IT with company's value stream is a diffi...

2008-09-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

Aligning IT with company's value stream is a difficult proposition currently. As i mentioned in the blog business people are outside IT organization. They can only provide inputs but unable to incorporate the knowledge with in the organization.

Like product managers in software companies who effectively connect outside customers with engineering teams, IT needs to have business managers who understand the company's value stream and its global impact. They can then assist and educate the technologists in making the appropriate decisions.

In my opinion this change will take time as CIOs are not currently focusing on these issues.

Great analysis on the changing IT environment over...

2008-09-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

Great analysis on the changing IT environment over the years. I often see a gap between what IT thinks the business needs and what would truly add the most value to an organization. Sometimes it seems they lose sight of who the customer is.

I also like this analysis of the gap that sometimes exists between IT and other business functions http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/IT-Management/Solving-ITs-Biggest-Challenge/

It is certainly a big challenge to solve, though. How do you look at the whole value stream of bringing a product from raw materials to finished goods and ensure that the IT system adds value (as opposed to creating barriers), but also doesn't become a collection of disjointed, ineffective mini-applications that are difficult to maintain and support.