This Focused Performance Weblog started life as a "business management blog" containing links and commentary related primarily to organizational effectiveness with a "Theory of Constraints" perspective, but is in the process of evolving towards primary content on interactive and mobile marketing. Think of it as about Focusing marketing messages for enhanced Performance. If you are on an archive page, current postings are found here.
Monday, July 07, 2003
A LEAN Mean Chillin' Machine -- Another illustrious member of my blogroll -- Joe Ely -- suggests an automatic ice maker as an excellent example of leanness and matching flow to demand (and nothing more)...
"The icemaker sits idle for much of it's life. It does not maximize efficiency. If the container is full, it simply sits. Isn't this a waste? Isn't this inefficient? Didn't I pay for that ice maker? Don't I want it to keep going, flat out?
"No. What I want is ice. I don't want an efficient ice maker. All I want is ice. In the amount that I normally use, whenever I want it. And if it sits idle through most of the cold Indiana winter time, what do I care? I already paid for it. The incremental use of water and electricity is not important. I just want ice.
"The icemaker is correctly sized. It does just what I want. When I want it. And sitting idle is just fine.
"It is a great example of what a lean machine looks like."
Yep, a lean mean chillin' machine.
Just what the doctor ordered for a hot and humid summer's day.
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