Values Stream Alignment

Welcome to Values Stream Alignment.  My name is Tim Pettry.  I work at the Cleveland Clinic, implementing and facilitating continuous improvement activities within the Neurological Institute.  For the past 20 years, I’ve been a student and teacher of Lean and have finally decided to take the plunge, and start sharing my thoughts on lean and organizational development. 

My blog’s name, Values Stream Alignment comes from an observation I had while working at Ford.  Lean practitioners use value stream mapping to identify where products and information stop flowing, thus exposing waste.  I recognized that where an organization’s VALUES stop flowing, there is greater waste.  The waste of human potential.  Thus the need for mapping the flow of Values in an organization to see where they are mis-aligned and implement organizational development mechanisms to align the thoughts and actions of everyone in the organization.  This application of a basic lean principle of flow to the world of organizational development has been a focus of mine since 1997 that I have continued to develop and refine.

 I have been a Shingo Prize examiner since 1996 when I helped lead Ford‘s Cleveland Engine Plant 2’s successful challenge for the Shingo Prize.   For the past 5 years, I’ve been involved with the SME / AME / Shingo Prize / ASQ Lean Certification program.  First as a writer of exam questions, then as an appointed member of the Oversight and Appeals Committee,  representing the Shingo Prize organization.  In 2010, I served as the elected Chairman of this committee. 

In late 2009, I became involved with the Healthcare Value Network as a member of the Assessment development team, where we are using the Shingo Prize model to help healthcare organizations focus their continuous improvement activities.  This alignment of my participation in outside organizations and their objectives serves as my model for Values Stream Alignment.

My posts will draw on my struggles and successes with aligning people and organizations around the principles of lean as outlined in the Shingo Model.

I’m looking forward to the exchange of ideas!

Blog contents copyright © 2011 Values Stream Alignment.  The views expressed here are solely my own personal views and not those of my past or present employers.