Question

Research information on performing quality assurance using lean. How can lean be used on IT projects? How can you use kanban cards, a lean tool, to maximize customer value while minimizing waste?

Answer 1

In Lean, waste is defined as anything that does not add value to the customer. It can come in the form of excessive inventory, inefficient meetings, excessive collaboration, ineffective processes, and more. Continuous improvement helps organizations systematically identify and eliminate waste. Practicing continuous improvement also allows organizations to continuously improve by enabling a culture of growth, experimentation, and learning. The process by which organizations practice continuous improvement is known as the continuous improvement cycle. It has four steps: Identify, Plan, Execute, and Review.

Quality assurance is an important part of any business output. Lean method helps to promote efficiency through quality assurance. It helps to deliver output of high quality. It helps to document the necessary functions of a product or system that needs to be fulfilled. The methods of quality assurance such as lead helps to specify performance levels and get efficient output by analysing the parameters effectively. Lean is used to increase efficiency by monitoring processes continuously and ensuring that waste is reduced along with unnecessary effort. It is an important method for quality assurance specifically for small companies wherein there are limited resources. The process steps are eliminated and identified by lean principles and the ones that do not add value are eliminated. The waiting times are reduced with the help of streamline process. There is emphasis given to on time delivery and the principles are implemented by providing specific responsibilities for performance of important tasks. It helps to address efficiency by satisfying the quality goals. It helps to add statistical measurement to the operations.