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The first time I saw computer monitors hanging above every work station in a hi-tech factory, I was very impressed—until I saw them in action. What appeared to be a great approach to providing necessary info and schematics at the point of use really just turned out to be a very un-Lean practice that generated hours and hours of data search and retrieval time every day. Simple flipcharts, including photos and standardized work instructions soon replaced the hi-tech solution resulting in much less effort and a reduction in time wasted finding needed information. As a fan of computerized solutions, this was a bit disappointing. But when something simple works better than something complex, you have to go with it. It is the Lean way.
The floor, the walls, the shelves, and even the ceiling for that matter, can be painted or taped with colors that provide immediate information as to supply quantity on-hand, finished goods in-stock, etc. It seems the best Lean enhancements are usually obvious and intuitive and are generally very low-tech.
Clearly there are times when low-tech solutions are not the best answer for your company's challenges. We all know sometimes you need to spend some money on high-tech solutions to get the results you seek. The point of this article is to remind and encourage people effecting changes in the name of Lean, that throwing money and complexity at problems is not in itself Lean. Most Lean practitioners come to appreciate that simpler, even Low-Tech Lean solutions are often, if not always, better.
