Lean Sensei
Think you are lean? Wonder what defines best-in-class? How do you really rank?
Let AME's Lean Sensei® help you improve the way you improve so you can maximize your results!
The Association for Manufacturing Excellence offers the AME Lean Sensei to anyone interested in benchmarking their organization against distinguished AME Excellence Award recipient companies. AME Excellence Award recipients operate at exceptional levels of performance, setting the bar high for achieving success in the search for operational excellence. If you are interested in joining this distinguished group of recipients, the AME Lean Sensei will help you see if you’re ready to apply.
Even if your company is not interested in applying for the AME Excellence Award, the AME Lean Sensei is a valuable tool to help your organization identify potential areas of focus and improve the way you improve.
Download the health care version of the AME Lean Sensei Excel Tool!
In partnership with a team of health care professionals, AME created a tool that will help health care organizations self-assess their current process improvement strategy, learn where they stand, identify the gaps and plan for the future. Get the new health care version of the AME Lean Sensei Excel Tool for free today!
"For me, it was important to do this because health care is progressing fast in process improvement and there wasn’t anything like the AME Lean Sensei for health care professionals to use. Lean and process improvement started in manufacturing, and most tools are manufacturing specific, but there is nothing that prevents us from using these tools and making them more relevant to health care. I am very excited to use it as an operations improvement strategic planning tool at Meritus Health." - Sara Abshari, manager of operations improvement for Meritus Health, AME Lean Sensei health care team
How to use the AME Lean Sensei:
1. Evaluate your operations today
Have 5 to 10 key staff members or key knowledgeable associates come together in one room. Include people who have little to do with direct responsibilities for your improvement program activities. Discuss each question and arrive at a letter grade for each answer. The AME Lean Sensei should be used as a systematic process for your team to improve. It is not a survey to be given to all employees but should be used by a team that has some familiarity with basic lean principles.
A+ = Best in class – World-class benchmark
A = Excellent - Sustainable with great results
B = Good results – Definitely going in the right direction
C = On the journey - Some process gaps but striving for improvement
D = More gaps than achievements – Definite area for improvement
F = No achievements in this area – No process documented or followed
2. Understand how you rank against the benchmark
Once you select a letter grade for every question, the app will populate the dashboard and report card automatically. With this information, you can easily see your improvement maturity strengths and weaknesses.
3. Develop improvement plans for the future
The letter scoring is the easy part of the AME Lean Sensei. To truly get the most benefit from the tool you must take the next step. Document where you are today and develop plans for where you want to be in the future! The app encourages you to document and support your assessment for both your successes and the areas you need to improve.
Use the Lean Sensei as your roadmap. Leverage your report card to develop your improvement plans and track your lean journey progress.
4. Celebrate your lean journey
There is no end to the continuous improvement journey. It's important to review and celebrate your progress along the way!