Now we have the tools. Supervisors are watching the process, identifying muda, re-work and redundant processes. Front line staff are meeting production goals within acceptable standards. Our work-in-progress is flowing with less wait time, a focus on pull of resources and just-in-time customer service. We are sustaining production within dictated standards. What is next?

A meeting. A person in the production line is not working within standards. The governing authority inserts some new standards or a new program. Somebody at the top still is not happy? In government it may be a powerful citizen group driving the change, or a manager who has a new idea, or a legislative accountability unit.

An intervention plan is required. Management must decide what to do. How much muda exists in a meeting? When does listening, brainstorming and planning becoming waste? We know from experience that with out a plan there is no standard or map. With out standards there is no measurment and without measurment, well … that is the whole point of continious improvement and lean thinking.

But the real question is this. How many times can a work group review and plan before making a decision. When does this become muda?