TITLE OF YOUR - UW-Stout · 2013-01-23 · Definition of Terms 5S. A term derived from the Japanese...

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Author: Chacon, William, P.

Title: Implementation of lean process improvement strategies to the compost and recycling

systems in the Memorial Student Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stout The accompanying research report is submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Graduate School in partial

completion of the requirements for the

Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Operations and Supply Management

Research Adviser: James Keyes, Ph.D.

Submission Term/Year: Fall, 2012

Number of Pages: 59

Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th

edition

I understand that this research report must be officially approved by the Graduate School and

that an electronic copy of the approved version will be made available through the University

Library website

I attest that the research report is my original work (that any copyrightable materials have been

used with the permission of the original authors), and as such, it is automatically protected by the

laws, rules, and regulations of the U.S. Copyright Office.

STUDENT’S NAME: William R. Chacon

STUDENT’S SIGNATURE: ________________________________________________ DATE:

ADVISER’S NAME: James Keyes, Ph.D.

ADVISER’S SIGNATURE: __________________________________________________DATE:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

This section to be completed by the Graduate School This final research report has been approved by the Graduate School.

___________________________________________________ ___________________________

(Director, Office of Graduate Studies) (Date)

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Chacon, William, P. Implementation of lean Process Improvement Strategies to the Compost

and Recycling Systems in the Memorial Student Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Abstract

The objective of this research project was the implementation of lean process

improvements in the Memorial Student Center’s Dining Service at University of Wisconsin-

Stout in order to achieve the organization and standardization of the recycling and composting

process. The accomplishment of this goal required changing current labeling and organization

methods of recycling and compost containers. Lean strategies have been implemented in order

to improve visual aids in recycling and compost containers, reduce waste of material and set a

better organization of containers.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people for their support and guidance during my

academic studies in The University of Wisconsin-Stout.

My wife, Yaskara Armas, I would not be here without her unconditional support and

encouragement. I will always be extremely grateful to her for having been with me all this time.

Thank you for believing in me.

My family, for their unconditional support from Venezuela.

My program director and advisor, Dr. James Keyes for giving me the opportunity to be

part of this program and his support provided during the development of this project.

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Table of Contents

.................................................................................................................................................... Page

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………...2

List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………………….7

Chapter I: Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..8

Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………….....9

Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………………………9

Assumptions of the Study………………………………………………………………..10

Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………………11

Limitation of the Study…………………………………………………………………..12

Methodology……………………………………………………………………………..12

Summary………………………………………………………………………………....14

Chapter II: Literature Review……………………………………………………………………15

Lean Origins…………………………………………………………………………...…15

Lean Concepts…………………………………………………………………………....15

Lean Principles…………………………………………………………………………...16

Lean Techniques…………………………………………………………………………17

Lean and Green Connection……………………………………………………………...19

Lean and Green Strategies……………………………………………………………….19

Environmental Benefits of 5S Tools……………………………………………………..21

Lean Manufacturing Relationship with Compost and Recycling Systems………………23

Sustainability…………………………………………………………………………….24

Corporate Sustainability………………………………………………………………….25

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Summary…………………………………………………………………………………26

Chapter III: Methodology………………………………………………………………………..27

Developing Project Scope………………………………………………………………..27

PDCA Methodology……………………………………………………………………. 29

Plan……………………………………………………………………………...31

Do.………………………………………………………………………………31

Check….………………………………………………………………………...32

Act………………………………………………………………………………33

5S Tools for Recycling and Composting Containers…………………………………….34

Limitations……………………………………………………………………………….35

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………35

Chapter IV: Results………………………………………………………………………………36

A3 Report Analysis……………………………………………………………………...36

PDCA Implementation………………………………………………………………….39

Plan Phase………………………………………………………………………..39

Do Phase…………………………………………………………………………41

Lower Level Analysis……………………………………………………42

Upper Level Analysis……………………………………………………42

Check Phase……………………………………………………………………...45

Act Phase………………………………………………………………………...46

Results From lean 5S application………………………………………………………46

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Summary………………………………………………………………………………....47

Chapter V: Discussion…………………………………………………………………………...49

Limitations……………………………………………………………………………….51

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………...52

Recommendations……………………………………………………………………….52

References……………………………………………………………………………………….55

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List of Figures

Figure 1: A3 Report………………………………………………………………………….......28 Figure 2: PDCA Cycle…………………………………………………………………………...30 Figure 3: Data Collection Spreadsheet…………………………………………………………..32 Figure 4: A3 Report Analysis……………………………………………………………………38 Figure 5: Spreadsheet Analysis…………………………………………………………………..41 Figure 6: Lower Level Map……………………………………………………………………...42 Figure 7: Upper Level Map……………………………………………………………………....43 Figure 8: Recycling and Composting Containers………………………………………………..43 Figure 9: Recommended Containers……………………………………………………………..44 Figure 10: Current Label System………………………………………………………………...44 Figure 11: Labeling System Recommended……………………………………………………..45

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Chapter I: Introduction

Lean philosophy has been growing during the last decade, because increasingly, clients

are demanding it. For that reason companies have implemented lean processes improvement as

part of their business. The implementation of lean strategies focuses on getting the right things,

to the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity, to achieve perfect work flow while

minimizing waste and being flexible and able to change. These strategies aim to make the work

simple enough to understand, to do and manage.

Today, markets are changing continuously and organizations are under tremendous

pressure to improve productivity and quality while reducing costs. This has led many

organizations to implement the Toyota Production System, otherwise known as lean

manufacturing (Liker, 2004; Womack, 2003).

The dinning service at the University of Wisconsin-Stout department, in the Memorial

Student Center, has been implementing green practices such as recycling and composting, as a

tool to increase sustainability. The implementations of these strategies have been completed to

reduce environmental issues and improve customer satisfaction.

The idea of combining lean process improvement with green philosophy within the

dinning service occurred because of the staff goal of commitment toward enhancing the current

methods to educate people and employees in how to correctly use recycling and compost

containers.

The principles of lean manufacturing that aid in organization and standardization process

have helped the dinning service increase customer education in terms of recycling and

composting. The implementation of lean process improvements was aided by the use of a

labeling system that was designed to enhance the visual nature of storage in the Memorial

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Student Center area, and the standardization of containers and informative materials. Lean and

green manufacturing can have a more significant, positive impact on multiple measures of

operational performance when implemented concurrently rather than separately.

The link between lean production and environmental improvement is strong. The main

objective of lean process improvement is the systematic elimination of waste by focusing on

production costs, product quality and delivery, and worker involvement. This means that the

implementation of lean methods continually seeks to reduce the materials, energy, water, space,

and equipment needed per unit of production. Due to the lack of understanding about what kind

of methods the staff of the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service could use to achieve green

sustainability, this project was developed to guide them to achieve their goal.

Statement of the Problem

The Memorial Student Center Dining Service at University of Wisconsin-Stout had a

need to implement lean process improvement to document in their recycling and composting

processes. The lack of a documented system to handle waste has led to improper disposition of

waste and increased costs for waste handling.

Purpose of the Study

The aim of this project was the integration of green strategies and lean process

improvement within the Memorial Student Center Dining Service at the University of

Wisconsin-Stout. The purpose was to develop a proposal for improvements that would help the

understanding of different aspects of lean process improvement and fundamentally how these

new strategies would aid in the path toward sustainability.

Adopting lean process strategies is a philosophy organizations can use to influence their

operations to improve production and services methods. The integration of lean process

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improvements has allowed companies to improve performance, keep their leading position on

the market by increasing the quality level of the services provided, and reducing costs to

motivate the staff to be more efficient.

With the integration of lean strategies in the recycling and composting processes in the

Memorial Student Center Dining Service of University, the staff would be able to increase

efficiency, and move toward sustainability. The Implementation of these strategies has improved

the labeling of waste containers in Memorial Student Center dining areas which has led to the

correct food products being placed in the correct waste containers. Additionally the containers

have been located in the areas where they would have the most impact to the waste stream. The

improvement in standardization in containers has helped to maintain the same information in all

areas avoiding waste of materials.

The application of lean practices, more specific 5S strategies, has helped the dinning

service to optimize the current recycling and composting system. A correct labeling system and

a standard process are crucial roles within the food industry. Keeping an accurate and correct

labeling system at the Memorial Student Center Dining Service has allowed for products being at

risk of being mixed or wasted, to be properly placed in the correct location.

Assumptions of the Study

This project held two assumptions; first that previous studies were not conducted in this

area using lean process improvement strategies to increase efficiency in order to achieve

sustainability. The second assumption related to the lack of standardization of disposals and

containers at the Memorial Student Dining Service; information labeling and an appropriate

manual of procedures did not existed prior to this project.

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Definition of Terms

5S. A term derived from the Japanese words for five practices leading to a clean and

manageable work area; sort, straighten, scrub, systematize, and standardize (Womack, & Jones,

1996).

Compost. A mixture of decayed or decaying organic matter used to fertilize soil.

Compost is usually made by gathering plant material, such as leaves, grass clippings, and

vegetable peels, into a pile or bin and letting it decompose as a result of the action of aerobic

bacteria, fungi, and other organisms (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005).

Kaizen. A Japanese term for continuous improvement and the process of making

incremental improvements, no matter how small, and achieving results (Liker, 2004).

Lean. maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Simply, Lean means creating

more value for customers with fewer resources (Lean Enterprise Institute, 2009).

PDCA. Deming cycle, the plan–do–check–act cycle a four–step model for carrying out

change. Just as a circle has no end, the PDCA cycle should be repeated again and again for

continuous improvement (ASQ, 2012).

Recycling. the process of re-using a given product (beyond its intended use), or

producing a new product from a recyclable material (Clean Energy Ideas, 2012).

Sustainability. based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival

and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability

creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive

harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future

generations (The United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012).

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency. Born in the wake of elevated

concern about environmental pollution, EPA was established on December 2nd, 1970 to

consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and

enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. Since its inception, EPA has been

working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people (The United States

Environmental Protection Agency, 2012).

Limitations of the Study

This study was limited in the application of lean techniques to only the waste products

within the Memorial Student Center Dining Service. Other opportunities for waste reduction and

improved food handling for programs unlike that of the dinning service were not explored. The

scope of this study was to identify improvement opportunities that could improve the recycling

and composting system. Time was also a limitation, two months, July 2012 to August 2012, did

not allow for full implementation of these concepts. Implementation would be addressed as a

separate project.

Methodology

The lean tools and techniques applied in this project have facilitated the accomplishment

of the project goals. The main techniques used as part of this project were A3 report analysis,

PDCA methodology and 5S practice. The methodology used in this project to address the

problem, was to collect and analyze information about lean practices that were part of the

labeling and standardization process within the dining service. The scope of this project was to

identify the problems and weaknesses in the current recycling and composting system to aid the

employees in achieving sustainability through utilization lean strategies. This project analyzed

how companies had been implementing lean strategies along with green methods to achieve

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sustainability. The results have been compared with current methods used by the dining service;

this allowed formulating recommendations for process improvement.

An A3 Report was created to identify and communicate the critical project information

and to facilitate decision-making. This report can be characterized as a lean tool best suited for

solving improvement activities. The A3 Report offered a simple and structured approach to

reporting possible solutions to the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service staff to solve

current problems. This report was particularly effective demonstrating to the staff the current

state of the recycling and composting processes, and helped in reaching a solution.

The development of the A3 report revealed the actions that were necessary to be taken, in

order to eradicate the pour waste handling techniques and improve the waste processes. Also the

A3 report reflected the benefits of implementing particular methods to solve problems, this led to

the identification and elimination of waste, in order to control the recycling and composting

processes.

Another tool used in this project to appraise the benefits of lean process improvement in

the Memorial Student Center was visually documenting the existing processes. Photographs

were very effective at visually highlighting the appearance and lack of order in the workplace.

These photos helped in the development of an A3 report of current of state. As part of this

project the creation of A3 reports and PDCA strategies were crucial because it helped identify

weaknesses in the recycling and composting system. These tools have been used to detect faults

in container disposition and labeling information.

This project aims to integrate lean strategies such as 5S with the purpose to improve the

current conditions of recycling and composting containers. 5S practices supported a smooth

flow of current processes within the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service facilities, which

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is an essential characteristic of a lean system. With the implementation of these strategies the

organization have benefitted with the improvement of a labeling system and disposition of

recycling and composting containers, which reduces confusion of employees and customers.

Finally, all the processes implemented in this project have been documented for the

purpose of creating a training system for new employees, and for improving the monitoring and

maintenance of the areas used for waste and recycling. Solving these problems in the Memorial

Student Center Dinning Service would not only provide cost savings, but would also increase

customer satisfaction.

Summary

The objective of this project was to develop strategies to improve the current recycling

and composting system using lean process improvement strategies along with green practices in

order to achieve sustainability in the Memorial Student Center Dining Service at University of

Wisconsin-Stout. The implementation intent of these strategies was to reduce waste of material,

improve the labeling system and enhance customer and employees’ knowledge. The next chapter

reviews literature to help analyze and understand how lean process improvements, along with

green methods, bring a wide variety of benefits to organizations. The literature reviewed in

Chapter II presents specific information where lean process improvement and green strategies

have been applied to reduced waste and improved organizational effectiveness.

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Chapter II: Literature Review

The Memorial Student Center Dining Service at the University of Wisconsin-Stout had a

need to implement lean process improvement strategies as part of their recycling and compost

process. The lack of a documented system to handle waste led to improper disposition of waste

and increased costs for waste handling.

The literature included in this chapter provided key information about lean concepts and

sustainability. The dinning service had knowledge that there was a necessity to adopt new

strategies to improve disposition of materials and documentation of processes in order to reduce

waste and costs. This project looked to provide useful lean process improvement strategies in

the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service facilities with the purpose of achieving better

disposition of waste and reduce costs.

Lean Origins

The term lean goes back to the 1990s when a book called The Machine That Changed the

World: The Story of Lean Production introduced the term lean production (Holweg, 2007). The

book follows the transfer of manufacturing ideas from craft production to mass production to

lean production.

The origins of lean manufacturing processes came from the Toyota Production System

(TPS) and were initiated by Ohno and Shingo at Toyota, with the aim of efficient use of resource

through level scheduling. Ohno and Shingo used the Japanese word “muda”, which were

defined as any human activity that absorbs resources but creates no value (Dettmer, 2008).

Lean Concepts

Recent studies have determined that due to the intensive competitive environment of the

global economy, the survival of many companies depends on the ability to continuously improve

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their processes while reducing costs. These studies have determined that many organizations

have been adopting lean thinking in order to improve performance and allow for competitive

advantage.

According to Balle (2011) lean is about servicing the customer better with less staff, less

inventory and less capital expenditure. Based on the author’s statement, lean has been developed

to improve inventory management to avoid waste of material and reduce costs. Toyota has used

this tactic as a philosophy to improve their manufacturing process, reduce waste, and implement

changes among others.

Excess raw material, work in process, or finished goods cause longer lead time,

obsolescence, damaged goods, transportation and storage costs, and delay (Liker, 2004). To

decrease amount of excess material, companies have to keep an accurate inventory in order to

avoid chemical spoilage and obsolescence. The elimination of waste leads to improved quality,

and decreased production time and cost.

According to Seth and Gupta (2005) the goal of lean manufacturing is to reduce waste in

human effort, inventory, time to market and manufacturing space to become highly responsive to

customer demand while producing quality products in the most efficient and economical manner.

There is a common interchangeable usage between the terms lean thinking, lean production, lean

manufacturing and TPS.

Lean Principles

The principles behind lean production aim at minimization of resources, and by this

minimization of waste in the context of mass production, i.e. less human effort, less

manufacturing space, less inventory, less defects (NSPR, 2004). Accordingly, lean production

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aims at meeting customers’ expectations by delivering quality products and services at the right

time and at the right cost (Ross & Associates Environmental Consulting, 2004).

Lean production exists on both strategic and the operational level. The strategic level

refers to the customer’s value and identification of value stream, while the operational level deals

with various tools and practices that lead to waste elimination and support continuous

improvement (Demeter & Matyusz, 2008). The main lean process improvement technique used

in the development of this project was 5S.

Lean Techniques

5S is a lean tool that facilitates organization of The five S’s stand for sort, stabilize, shine,

standardize, and sustain – a series of activities for eliminating wastes that lead to errors, defects

and injuries (Liker, 2004).

The definitions of the 5S pillars based in The United States Environmental Protection

Agency (2012) are:

1. Sort (Seiri). The first S focuses on eliminating unnecessary items from the

workplace that are not needed for current production operations. An effective

visual method to identify these unnecessary items is called red tagging, which

involves evaluating the necessity of each item in a work area and dealing with

it appropriately. Tools that are in continuous use for workers are placed in

work areas where they are easily accessible.

2. Set In Order (Seiton). Set in Order focuses on creating efficient and effective

storage methods to arrange items so that they are easy to use and to label them

so that they are easy to find and put away. Strategies for effective Set in

Order include painting floors, affixing labels and placards to designate proper

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storage locations and methods, outlining work areas and locations, and

installing modular shelving and cabinets.

3. Shine (Seiso). Once the clutter that has been clogging the work areas is

eliminated and remaining items are organized, the next step is to thoroughly

clean the work area. Daily follow-up cleaning is necessary to sustain this

improvement.

4. Standardize (Seikesu). Once the first three 5S's have been implemented, the

next pillar is to standardize the best practices in the work area. Standardize,

the method to maintain the first three pillars creates a consistent approach with

which tasks and procedures are done. Some of the tools used in standardizing

the 5S procedures are: job cycle charts, visual cues (e.g., signs, placards,

display scoreboards), scheduling of "five-minute" 5S periods, and check lists.

The second part of Standardize is prevention - preventing accumulation of

unneeded items, preventing procedures from breaking down, and preventing

equipment and materials from getting dirty.

5. Sustain (Shitsuke). Sustain, making a habit of properly maintaining correct

procedures, is often the most difficult S to implement and achieve. Changing

entrenched behaviors can be difficult, and the tendency is often to return to the

status quo and the comfort zone of the "old way" of doing things. Tools for

sustaining 5S include signs and posters, newsletters, pocket manuals, team

and management check-ins, performance reviews, and department tours.

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Lean and Green Connection

The relationship between lean and green manufacturing has been well documented in

recent literature. Green, or sustainable, manufacturing is defined by Allwood (2005) as a method

to develop technologies to transform materials without emission of greenhouse gases, use of non-

renewable or toxic materials or generation of waste. Markedly, the green wastes are different

from the lean wastes. Lean seeks to eliminate traditional production objectives like cost or time

(Bergman, Hermann, Stehr, & Sebastian, 2007) while green is concerned with wastes that impact

the environment (Bergmiller & McWright, 2009).

According to Sawhney, Teparakul, Aruna, and Li (2007) the connection between lean

manufacturing and the environmental movement with its inherent value-stream view and focus

on the systematic elimination of waste, makes it natural that the lean concept fits with the overall

strategy of protecting the environment, which the authors call Environmental Lean (En-Lean).

Due to research conducted by Teresko (2004) the connection between green

manufacturing and the Lean movement was made. The author stated in his research that the

main goal of lean process improvements, when applied within a manufacturing facilities layout,

is to involve a structure around an optimized process including the entire external commercial

environment in the optimized process, integrating all the manufacturing flows from global to

national to submicroscopic levels.

Lean and Green Strategies

Traditionally, the implementation of lean process improvements have been accomplished

through analysis of the shortcomings of an existing process, implementation of a revised process,

and subsequent Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles (Dennis, 2007). Much like lean, green

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manufacturing implementation is largely dependent on PDCA for deployment and assessment

(Maynard, 2007).

According to Bergmiller and McWright (2009) the implementation of an environmental

management system (EMS) is a process where organization’s management identifies

environmental aspects either regulated or unregulated and the impacts of its operations, assesses

current performance, and develops targets and plans to achieve both significant and incremental

environmental improvements. In a 1997 study, Briscoe, Marcus, Maxwell, and Rothenberg

identified that 80% of Fortune 500 firms had written environmental statements, or the “Plan” in

Plan, Do, Check and Act (PDCA). The mid-1990’s is identified as the start of the green

manufacturing movement (Haworth, 2009).

While lean and green strategies share similar implementation strategies, they differ in the

standards to which implementation is evaluated. According to The International Organization of

Standardization, 14001 is a standard for environmental management systems to be implemented

in any business, regardless of size, location or income. The purpose of this standard is to reduce

the environmental track of a business and to decrease the pollution and waste a business

produces. The main topic areas of the ISO 14001 standard are as follows (Maynard, 2007):

1. Scope

2. Normative References

3. Definitions

4. Environmental Management System Requirements

5. General Requirements

6. Environmental Policy

7. Planning

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8. Implementation & Operation

9. Checking/Corrective Action

10. Management Review

Lean manufacturing does not have any accepted standardization for assessments. Lean’s

fundamental principles developed by Toyota are universally accepted but commonly adapted to

each organization or industry. Lean and green manufacturing have similar implementation

strategies but distinctly different methods by which their respective implementations are

evaluated.

Environmental Benefits of 5S Tools

5S tools are systems created to reduce waste and optimize productivity through

maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational

results. The implementation of 5S methods within the workplace specifically in its existing

process is typically the first lean method which organizations implement.

According with The United States Enviromental Protection Agency (1996), a typical 5S

implementation would result in significant reductions in the square footage of space needed for

existing operations. Also this agency states that the implementation of 5S strategies would result

in the organization of tools and materials into labeled and color coded storage locations, as well

as "kits" that contain just what is needed to perform a task (United States Enviromental Agency,

1996).

The United States Enviromental Protection Agency (1996), identified that the most

importat benefits of implementing 5S strategies, especially in inventory systems are:

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1. The removal of obstacles and the marking of main thoroughfares decrease the potential of

accidents that could lead to spills and associated hazardous waste generation (e.g., spilled

material, absorbent pads and clean up materials).

2. Regular cleaning, as part of the Shine pillar, decreases the accumulation of cuttings,

shavings, dirt, and other substances that can contaminate production processes and result

in defects. Reduction in defects has significant environmental benefits.

3. Organizing equipment, parts, and materials so they are easy to find can significantly

reduce unneeded consumption.

4. 5S visual cues (e.g., signs, placards, scoreboards, laminated procedures in workstations)

can be used to raise employee understanding of proper waste handling and management

procedures, as well as workplace hazards and appropriate emergency response

procedures.

5. 5S techniques can be used to improve labeling of hazardous materials and wastes.

According with agency, the integration of 5S visual cues and operating procedures will

improve employee environmental management.

Many companies have reached a superficial implementation of lean and that is due to the

fact that they are concentrated on some of the lean tools like 5S or Just in Time, rather than

grasping the concept and apply it as a cultural change throughout the whole organization (Liker

2004).

According with Liker (2004) previous research has demonstrated that companies can just

implement three of the five S and fail in the standardization of processes and even more difficult

of a task is to keep the sustainability of the results of the project, therefore the completeness of

the 5S tool is essential to achieve a complete process improvement.

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Lean Manufacturing Relationship with Compost and Recycling Systems

According to The United States Enviromental Protection Agency (2003), some lean

experts indicate that between 30% and 40 % of all United States manufacturers report having

begun implementing lean methods, with approximately 5 % well down the road of implementing

multiple advanced manufacturing tools. Some opportunity areas that the EPA might consider to

advance environmental improvement through lean manufacturing efforts are compost and

recycling systems.

According with the U.S. Composting Council (2012) compost manufacturing is an

environmentally sound, cost-effective, and decentralized method for processing organic

materials into an environmentally beneficial product, thereby avoiding the long-term negative

impacts associated with disposal. Due to this organization, composting is part of the recycling

industry that directly or indirectly employs more than 450,000 Americans throughout the United

States. These jobs account for more than $90 billion in economic output (US Composting

Council, 2012).

Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources.

Collecting used bottles, cans, and newspapers and taking them to the curb or to a collection

facility is just the first in a series of steps that generates a host of financial, environmental, and

social returns (The United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012).

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (2003) states that lean

manufacturing network has a shared goal—elimination of waste from business—with the

environmental management network promoting environmental improvement, waste

minimization, pollution prevention, design for environment, and sustainability.

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Sustainability

In this changing world sustainability has become in a fundamental requirement for human

development. Sustainability has been defined in different ways. According to The World

Commission on Environment and Development (2011) sustainability is:

“In essence, sustainable development is a process of change in which the exploitation of

resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development and

institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet

human needs and aspirations” (p. 15).

Sustainability strategies have been implemented by companies in order to fight against

environmental issues and reach efficiency and effectiveness in their business. According to Bell

and Morse (2003) however sustainability focuses on not only economic growth and production

but also human condition in this generation as well the future generation.

Bell and Morse (2003) illustrate that the implementation of lean strategies are vital to

achieve sustainability within companies. The integration and collaboration of all staff involved

with this project was also vital. In another perspective, Stead and Stead (2004) argue that

sustainability requires balanced, complex interactions involving cooperation and competition

among all subsystems on the planet.

One of the goals in the process to achieve sustainability is to work hand in hand with

local companies in order to pursue a common goal (Stead & Stead, 2004). For that reason we

can say that implementation of lean process improvement in the compost and recycling systems

is a win-win solution.

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Corporate Sustainability

Corporate sustainability is commonly used to define sustainable development on a

corporate level. This term was brought up to address the change of value system in companies

driven by sustainability requirements (Salzman et al., 2005). Based on this definition, companies

are seeking to create multiple benefits for stakeholders, including not just shareholders but also

employees, customers and community. According to Dyllic and Horkerts (2002) most

companies accepted corporate sustainability as a precondition for their business activities.

Corporate sustainability identifies a realization in companies that economic sustainability

alone is insufficient for overall sustainability in a corporation (Gladwin et al., 1995). From

Dyllick and Horkert’s (2007) definition, corporate sustainability contains three key elements:

economic, social and environmental. These important elements involve three kinds of capital for

the company: environmental, social and economic capital. Understanding types of capitals is

important for a company to understand what they are aiming to sustain. The three capitals

definitions based on Dyllick & Horkerts (2002) are:

Economic capital means debts, stocks, machinery, inventions, and reputation.

Natural capital consists of both natural resources (e.g. fossil fuel, wood) and ecosystem

services (e.g. climate stabilization, water purification). This way, corporations will not

degrade ecosystem but sustain its service ability.

Social capital can be both human capital and societal capital. Human capital concerns

people’s skills, motivations and growth while societal capital concerns public service,

community health and so on.

Recently studies conducted by the Harvard Business School have revealed that corporate

sustainability is a key driver for company’s innovation that also yields real financial rewards

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rather than extra cost. A new study in the Harvard Business Review has found that by treating

sustainability as a goal today, early movers will develop competencies that rivals will be hard-

pressed to match (Eccles, Ioannou, & Serafeim, 2011).

Summary

The classical deployment of lean’s tools such as standardized work, visual control, and

Kaizen, are ways to identify problems and solve them. The main purpose of lean is to highlight

the underlying root cause of many types of problems to find the correct process to solve it (Lean

Manufacturing, 2009). According to Marrewijk and Were (2003) each organization should have

its own detailed definition of sustainability based on their specific concerns and intentions. This

means that there is not a specific definition or strategy to achieve sustainability in organizations.

The purpose of reviewing literature was to gain insight on the approach and application

of lean strategies and apply this knowledge in solving the problems at the Memorial Student

Center Dinning Service. Also through this chapter different definition of lean were examined

and how these strategies have been implemented in food service organizations in order to reduce

waste has been studied. From this it is clear that lean and sustainability concepts fit well

together, they have similar and complementary objectives, to reduce waste. With this purpose in

mind, the following section will explore the key steps that have been taken to reduce the problem

in the recycling and composting system, the tools and techniques employed.

27

Chapter III: Methodology


need to implement lean process improvement strategies as part of their recycling and compost

processes. The lack of a documented system to handle waste has led to improper disposition of

waste and increased costs for waste handling. The lack of standardization, ineffective disposal

management, and an inadequate labeling system are some of the causes that led to high levels of

misinformation and increased costs through the waste of material. This chapter introduces how

the data was collected and analyzed.

With the integration of lean strategies in the recycling and composting system in the

Memorial Student Center Dining Service of University of Wisconsin-Stout, the staff would be

able to increase efficiency, effectiveness and move toward sustainability. Developing standards

in containers and accurate labeling system has helped to decrease the risk to place products in

wrong containers, and reduce costs in the collecting process.

Developing Project Scope

A better understanding of the current recycling and composting process was acquired

upon completion an A3 report. This report is defined by The Lean Enterprise Institute (2012) as

a practice of getting the problem, the analysis, the corrective actions, and the action plan down

on a single sheet of large A3 paper, often with the use of graphics. This report was created to

facilitate data accumulation and to permit a better understanding of the main issues in the

recycling and composting system in public areas at the Memorial Student Center.

The A3 report shown in Figure 1 was the template used to document the current state of

the recycling and composting process in the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service. This

report was created to define and scope out the intentions of this project. Using the A3 report has

28

helped to identify the root of the problems and determine corrects measures in order to improve

them and develop an effective and efficient process.

Problem Statement (What is unacceptable with the current situation or driving the need for improvement?)

Scope (What is included and/or not included in the project)

Objectives (Objectives should coincide with problems. Include quantitative goals. Ie.%)

Current Condition (What is the current situation? Display your thinking in this box)

Dates 7/1 7/8 7/9 7/10 7/11 8/1 8/15 9/10 #### Responsible

1

2

3

4

5

Implementation Plan Key: Red Box indicates work in process

Green Box indicates completed milestone (on the date it was completed)

Measures

1

2

3

4

Countermeasures / Future Condition (How should the process operate in order to achieve the objectives?)

Measures should coincide with Objectives and be measurable. Measures should correspond to your tracking measures

Initial

Implementation Plan (List of major steps required to implement the Countermeasures / Future Condition)

Target Results

Owner:A3 Project: Memorial Student Center Dinning Service

Figure 1. A3 Report

The data collected to complete this A3 report was gathered during visits to the Memorial

Student Center Dinning Service facilities with different managers, with the aim of collecting

different perspectives of the current situation. The visits took place between July 1st and August

15th 2012 on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays during 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00

pm shifts. Through these visits the observation method occurred and was crucial to better

understand and analyze the current situation of containers and labels.

After the observation process and data gathering, a brainstorming session with managers

and general staff was done in order to identify the current state of the recycling and composting

system. The scope of the project was established and possible measure plans to achieve the

improvement in the standardization of containers in the public areas and implementation of 5S

29

tools were developed. The development of this report helped to engage the staff at the Memorial

Student Center to collaborate in problem solving.

The problems that were found during this project had been addressed in superficial ways.

The Memorial Student Center Dinning Service had been working around some of the problems

in their recycling and composting system such as containers identification and disposition, and

proper organization in the public areas to accomplish their immediate objective. This did not

address the root causes of the problem to prevent its recurrence. By not addressing the root

cause, during the inspection of the current situation in the public areas of the Memorial Student

Center, the same problem or same type of problem was found again and again, and operational

performance was not improving.

PDCA Methodology

According to Moen and Norman (2011) The PDCA cycle emphasized the prevention of

error recurrence by establishing standards through the ongoing modification of those standards.

The authors stated that the four step cycle for problem solving included planning (definition of a

problem and a hypothesis about possible causes and solutions), doing (implementing), checking

(evaluating the results), and action (back to plan if the results are unsatisfactory or

standardization if the results are satisfactory).

The PDCA simplicity comes from the systematic, straightforward and flexible approach

that it offers (Gorenflo & Moran, 2010). According with the author’s point of view, PDCA

power derived from its reliance on the scientific method, i.e., it involves developing, testing, and

analyzing hypotheses. The model is both widely applicable and easy to learn and use and

supports improvement efforts in a full range from the very informal to the most complex.

30

The PDCA cycle shown in Figure 2 is a four–step model that as a circle has no end; the

PDCA cycle should be repeated again and again for continuous improvement.

Figure 2. PDCA Cycle (Allen, 2012)

The data collected for this project followed the PDCA methodology. This method

allowed for capturing and recording of the current state of processes to create strategies with the

aim to address deficiencies and weaknesses in the recycling and composting system while also

identifying processes that could be eliminated and improved. The PDCA helped to reach a

methodological approach to the problems solving and implementing the right solutions.

This simple and powerful format has driven continuous and ongoing efforts to achieve

measurable improvements in the efficiency, effectiveness, performance, accountability,

outcomes, and quality in the recycling and composting system. Documentation of each step has

provided a successful application of the process improvement. At the start of this project, key

information about the current situation was not known; the PDCA has provided a methodology

for improvements in the current recycling and composting system at the Memorial Student

Center Dinning Service.

31

Plan.

During the plan phase, outlining areas of improvement in the recycling and composting

system was fundamental. In the plan phase, identification of who was in charge of the

implementation and control during the improvements process occurred. Identification of areas

needing improvement for the purpose of this project and future areas to be improved took place

where these strategies had been implemented. For this project the public areas of the Memorial

Student Center Dinning Service were the scope of improvements. When all these improvements

were going to be implemented, project dates were established in order to keep track of the

improvements, and finally why was important the implementation of these strategies.

The second task was the definition of the problem within the Memorial Student Center

Dinning Service areas. In this step, the current recycling and composting system was analyzed

by examining recycling and composting containers and the current label system. The data

collected during facilities visits had been analyzed for number of containers per area, types of

containers, label information, and types of labels.

After the data collection in this phase, different approaches to address improvements in

the current process for the recycling and composting system such as standardization of

containers and development of a new labeling system were reviewed.

Do.

Developing a data analysis spreadsheet in the Do phase as shown in Figure 3 summarize

the problems encountered during the visits to the Memorial Student Center facilities. This

instrument captured detailed descriptive data about the current situation evaluation and possible

strategies to be used in order to solve the problems. The data was collected over the course visits

done from July 1st until August 15th 2012 on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays during 9:00 am

32

to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm shifts. Different measure plans were brainstormed and

discussed. For every data point, the factors measured were standardization of containers,

labeling system, disposition of containers and development of proper documentation of

procedures. This data instrument was used to develop summary evidence of problems within

public areas.

MSC Area Commingled Recycling Trash for Landfill Organics for Compost Mixed Paper Inkjet, Batteries

Lower Lever

Upper Level

Total


Lower Lever

Upper Level


Lower Lever

Upper Level

# of Containers

Types of Containers

Types of Labels

Figure 3. Data Collection Spreadsheet

The purpose of this tool was to evaluate the consistency and variability in the current

recycling and composting process in public areas. Problems in the standardization of containers

and labeling system were the factors considered in this project.

Check.

This phase involved analyzing the effect of the lean process improvement strategies

implementation within the Memorial Student Center Dining Service areas. The new data

obtained from past recycling and composting process had been compared with the results after

the implementation to determine whether the improvements had been achieved, and whether the

objectives in the problem statement were met. The A3 report and 5S tools have assisted with this

analysis.

During the check phase, it was important to document the lessons learned in the

development of the A3 report and the implementation of 5S strategies and the knowledge and

33

experience gained through this project and identify if the desired results have been accomplished.

Other surprising results or new areas of improvement emerged during the implementation

process had been recorded and the results had been communicated to managers and general staff.

Some questions had been asked to identify if these improvements had reached their goals

such as, has the recycling and composting process improved as expected and has this process

improved from the staff perspective? After answering these questions, the staff team should

perform a self-analysis of their performance emphasizing on how the team process had been

improved.

Act.

In this phase, the standardization of solutions in the recycling and composting system had

been developed by using 5S strategies. During the application of 5S strategies different areas of

improvements were localized. For the purpose of this project the focus was in the

standardization of containers in order to create a uniform system, avoiding confusion in

customers and staff and the enhancement of the current label system had been important with the

aim to develop a better visual management.

The most important task in the act phase was to review and define what the next areas of

improvement would be. Throughout this project managers and general staff has been involved in

the development of ideas with the purpose to solve current problems. With the experience

obtained during this project the staff and managers are able to identify new areas for

improvements, generate solutions and together implement the new lean process improvement

strategies in order to increase effectiveness and efficiency in their processes.

34

5S Tools for Recycling and Composting Containers

This project had focused attention in three of the five S including set in order,

standardization and sustainability. The standardization of containers and labeling system and

proper disposition of containers were the objectives of lean 5S application. During the set in

order step recycling and composting containers were sorted by category (recycling, composting),

type of containers (size, colors), and labels. After sorting the containers, the Memorial Student

Center Dinning Service area was analyzed to find additional improvement opportunities to make

the public area more visually instructive.

During the application of set in order process, the objective were to evaluate the current

process in terms of localization and labeling of recycling and composting containers, making

sure that all containers were clearly named and identified, and localized close to specific areas

where people used to eat frequently. Emphasis was made in the effective identification of

containers such as logos, colors, clear information of what type of product has to be placed in

each container and informative labels with the benefits of recycling and composting processes.

Documentation of the current condition using photographs captured the current state of

the process and, after the implementation of improvements, makes comparison with the future

process. In order to be successful in the implementation of this S required the commitment,

participation and involvement of the staff and strong visible support from top management.

The lack of standardization in recycling and composting containers was the main problem

found in the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service areas. During this phase of

implementation, different ways to create standards in containers in terms of size, colors and

identification had been identified. The standardization could be accomplished by creating better

35

containers with the same color; same size in order to create consistency and avoid confusion in

customer and generate an excellent visual environment.

The main goal of the final S of the 5S steps was to sustain the improvements generated

during this project. A management auditing process had been put into practice to ensure that

employees had understood that maintaining standards in containers and labels in the Memorial

Student Center Dinning Service areas was a top priority. Designing audits programs had been

fundamental to ensure that the improvements achieved through this project were properly

maintained. The development of these follow up programs had also provided an opportunity for

asking questions and providing suggestions for further improvements.

A follow up program had been scheduled six months later; the continuous improvement

thinking had become part of Memorial Student Center activities of the work day. The

involvement and engagement of employees in sustaining 5S improvements has been important.

Limitations

This project was limited to the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service facilities during

July 1st until August 15th 2012. The project only addressed problems in the recycling and

composting system located in public areas.

Summary

This project focused on the implementation of lean process improvement strategies as

part of the recycling and compost process in the Memorial Student Center at the University of

Wisconsin-Stout. The evaluation and comparison of previous research with current process in

the Dining Service was a fundamental key in the completion of this project. The implementation

of strategies and the impact that they had in cost reduction, waste of material and inventory

levels have been presented in Chapter IV.

36

Chapter IV: Results


need to implement lean process improvement strategies as part of their recycling and composting

system. The lack of a documented system to handle waste led to improper disposition of waste

and increased costs for waste handling. The lack of standardization, ineffective disposal

management, and an inadequate labeling system are some of the reasons that led to high levels of

misinformation and increased costs by the waste of material.

A3 Report Analysis

The A3 report has served as a tool for process improvement in the recycling and

composting system in the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service. This report also had the

potential to increase the knowledge of managers and staff in terms of the implementation of lean

process improvements strategies. The A3 report has been developed to provide scope to this

project.

The first step in the development of the A3 report was to identify the problem. A first

meeting with the manager in charge of this project was scheduled. During this meeting the

problem statement was created. The problem statement for this project focused on the

implementations of lean process improvement strategies with the aim of improving the current

recycling and composting system. The lack of standardization in containers and labels has been

affecting the proper use of containers within the Memorial Student Center areas.

After the problem was identified, it was time to define the scope of this project. Due to

the lack of standards in the current recycling and composting system, the scope of this project

was the implementation of 5S strategies such as set in order, standardize and sustain with the

purpose of solve the problem statement. Through the scope identification the objectives of this

37

project were established. The standardization of containers and the enhancement of the current

labeling system using 5S strategies were the main goals. Keeping an accurate and correct

labeling system in containers within the Memorial Student Center areas has helped to avoid

products misplacement.

During the visits to the Memorial Student Center areas, the current state of the recycling

and composting process was recorded. In the current process, lacks of standardization of

containers along with lack of consistency in labels placed in containers were the main issues

highlighted in these visits. When the current situation was fully understood and the root causes

for the main problem in the recycling and composting system has been revealed, it was time to

devise actions in order to improve them.

The countermeasures proposed in this project have involved the development of new

uniform containers, with recycling and composting logos placed in visible areas, and bright

colors to identify each container to avoid mixing of products. The information placed in the

current labeling system was then updated and standardized. The information has to be placed in

an understandable way, using pictures of the right products that should be placed in each

container. A brief explanation of the benefits of recycling and composting process has been

provided with the aim of educating customers and staff in how to properly use the containers.

Once these changes have been made the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service will be closer

to the ideal performance, making the process more efficient, by addressing root causes.

In the A3 report shown in Figure 4, the target condition illustrates how the new proposed

process will work. The specific lean strategies have been noted and listed, and the improvement

has been identified.

38

Problem Statement (What is unacceptable with the current situation or driving the need for improvement?)

Collect data to simulate an improved processThe MSCs dining service at University of Wisconsin-Stout had a The implementation of these strategies seeks to reduce waste of material need to implement lean process improvement strategies as part of improve labeling system and enhance customer and employees knowledge.their recycling and compost process. The lack of a documented system to handle waste has led to improper disposition of waste increased costs for waste handling. Scope (What is included and/or not included in the project)

The purpose of this project have been to help the MSC dining service at University of Wisconsin-Stout to understand the different aspects of Lean process improvement and fundamentally how these new strategies can aid in the conquest of sustainability

Objectives (Objectives should coincide with problems. Include quantitative goals. Ie.%)

The application of lean practices, more specific the labeling and 5Swith green strategies has helped the dinning service to optimize its organization and customer information. A correct labeling system and standard process are crucial role within the food industry. Keeping an accurate and correct labeling system, companies can avoid that products might be at risk of being mixed or waste

Current Condition (What is the current situation? Display your thinking in this box)

Lack of Standardization and labeling system result in poor information, increase in collection costs and processing of recyclable and compostable materials

Dates 7/1 7/8 7/9 7/10 7/11 8/1 8/15 9/10 #### Responsible

Problem in the standardization of containers Poor Label System Disposition of containers 1 First Meeting with staff William Chacon

2 Facilities tour current situation William Chacon

3 Facilities tour take pictures William Chacon

4 Brainstorming with staff William Chacon

5 Strategies implementation William Chacon

Implementation Plan Key: Red Box indicates work in process

Green Box indicates completed milestone (on the date it was completed)

Measures

1 Standardization of containers

2 Improve labeling system

3 Disposition of containers

4 Develop manual of procedures

Owner:A3 Project: Memorial Student Center Dinning Service

Enhance Information in Labels Universal logos to indentify containers

No proper manual

Information Problems

No standards Create a standard container

Enhance labels information

Relocate containers

Create a new manual of process

Initial

Implementation Plan (List of major steps required to implement the Countermeasures / Future Condition)

Target Results

Bad location

New Label System, Metallic frame floor label Standardization of Containers

Countermeasures / Future Condition (How should the process operate in order to achieve the objectives?)

Measures should coincide with Objectives and be measurable. Measures should correspond to your tracking measures

Figure 4. A3 Report Analysis

The A3 report has been a key tool for successful achievement of project’s goals and to

move toward organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and improvement. In order to reach the

target state, a well thought and workable implementation plan was developed. The

implementation of 5S plan included a list of the actions such as meeting and brainstorming

sessions with managers and staff to identify solutions of these problems. A series of tours in the

facilities were scheduled in order to document, with photos, the current state of the process.

Finally the strategies needed to be done were established with the purpose of getting the

countermeasures in place and accomplish the target condition.

39

PDCA Implementation

In this project PDCA methodology has been used to understand why the existing

recycling and composting process was not working in an effective and efficient way. At this

point it had been necessary to introduce refined measurements of the process in order to

determine specifically what was causing most of the problems. The utilization of spreadsheet

data analysis has served as a data collection tool, and based on the analysis recommendations has

been made.

The most important step in the implementation of PDCA methodology was that the

strategies that had been selected to address the problems, these had to be clearly defined and

understood by managers and general staff. The collection of data was fundamental in order to

generate the right strategy with the best implementation process to achieve the desired

improvement. The work done in each of the phases will be described, and an analysis will be

provided.

Plan phase.

The planning phase identified who was going to be in charge of the implementation and

monitor the improvements that have been made in the recycling and composting system. The

idea of improving the current process came from the general manager of the Memorial Student

Center. After the first meeting, a middle level manager was designated as the individual

responsible for keeping track of the improvement implemented in this project.

The areas that have been the focus of this project were the lower and upper floors of the

Memorial Student Center. In these two levels, the recycling and composting containers were

identified and documented with photos. This project started in July 2012, during this period the

research about lean strategies and implementation plan had been done.

40

The application of lean process improvements in the recycling and composting system

has been important for two reasons, first it has helped to create a uniform system allowing for the

root of the problems to be addressed and the Memorial Student Center has created a friendly

environment. The second reason was that managers and staff have gained knowledge in how

lean process improvements strategies can be used to make their process easier and better.

In the planning phase, the scope and goals of the improvement project had been defined,

and the development of a process plan to initiate these actions had been created. The main goal

of this project was to develop standards in recycling and composting containers along with the

enhancement of the current labeling system in the Memorial Student Center areas. In order to

achieve these goals the implementation of 5S strategies specifically set in order, standardization

and sustain were selected to solve the current problems.

The plan to address the problems in the recycling and composting system consisted of

documenting the current state of the problem by scheduling visits with managers. During visits,

general staff perspectives about the process had been recorded with the aim of analyzing

different points of view and ideas for improvements. The integration of the data collection

spreadsheet was an important requirement needed to document number of containers, types,

location and labels.

The lean tool used in this project to solve the problems was 5S. This project has planned

to use set in order, standardization and sustainability as part of the strategies. These three S have

helped to develop standards and a plan to improve containers, enhance the information placed in

labels and finally create audits programs with the aim of evaluate the improvements and generate

new ideas for futures improvements.

41

Do phase.

In this phase, the process performance has been measured by collecting data specifically

concerned about number of containers per level, types of containers, and labels types. These

data were collected using the spreadsheet (see Figure 5 below). Using this tool shown in Figure

5 has helped to analyze the potential causes of defects in the recycling and composting process.


Lower Lever 12 13 3 11 1

Upper Level 13 13 2 9 0

Total 25 26 5 20 1







# of Containers

Types of Containers

Types of Labels

Figure 5. Spreadsheet Analysis

The data collected in the public areas found a total of 77 containers in the upper and

lower levels; in the upper level four types of containers were found in terms of size, shape, and

colors, and in the lower level, three types of containers were found. Five containers of 77 total

were for organic compost.

Based on the data collected through the spreadsheet, three points in the recycling and

composting system were highlighted with the aim of improvement. The first point in this

analysis was collecting the numbers of containers located in each level of the Memorial Student

Center areas. As shown in the spreadsheet five containers for composting were found within the

facilities.

42

Lower level analysis.

The analysis in the lower level has found a coffee shop, restaurant and one vending

machine, as shown in Figure 6 , four areas with 51 tables and sofas where people eat and ten

conference rooms.

Figure 6. Lower Level Map

In the lower area three containers for composting products were found. As noticed in

Figure 6 the findings suggest one container for composting in areas 1 and 4, two containers in

each exit door and two containers to cover the conference room area. This means that in order to

cover the lower level, 11 containers were needed instead of three.

Upper level analysis.

In the upper level, two containers for composting products were found. The biggest

dining area is located in this level. This dining area has 53 tables and has capacity for

43

approximately 200 people; also this floor has four large ballrooms which often serve food

products. Figure 7 below shows the current location of composting containers.

Figure 7. Upper Level Map

It has been recommended to place one compost container in each mid-size ballroom, two

in the largest and two more within the dining area, which means nine containers, have to be

placed in order to cover this lower area.

The second point of improvement was the development of standards for containers. As

shown in Figure 8, four different types of containers in terms of shape, size and colors were

found in the public areas of the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service.

Figure 8. Recycling and Composting Containers

44

The lack of standardization has affected the efficiency and use of recycling and

composting containers. This has led to increased mistakes in placing products in the wrong

container, increasing the time of recollection because products had to be sorted by collectors.

This process has increased costs in the recycling and composting process and reduced usage.

Figure 9 shows the idea that came out in the brainstoorming sessions with managers and general

staff. Containers with uniform shapes and sizes, with brigth colors with universal recycling and

composting logos in order to identify them, were reccomended.

Figure 9. Reccomended Containers

The last point for improvement found in the Memorial Student Center Dinnig Service

recyling and composting system was the enhacement of labels placed in containers in the public

areas. As shown in Figure 10, different types of labels were found along with a lack of

consistency in the information placed in these labels.

Figure 10. Current Label System

45

One of the mosts important steps of lean process improvement is the adequate

identification of workplace and work tools. The lack of consistency and standardization in labels

has created confusion among customers and employees due to the misunderstanding of how to

use these containers properly. A new labeling system shown in Figure 11 was reccomended with

the aim of creating a better visual management system to educate people in how these containers

are to be used, and a list of benefits of recyling and composting had been placed.

Figure 11. Labeling System Recommended

Check phase.

After submitting the improvements proposal it would be necessary to continue data

collection to determine if the improvements have increased effectiveness and efficiency of the

recycling and composting process. Through the check phase, comparing the current process with

future results after the process improvement implementation, has confirmed that the Memorial

Student Center has achieved sustainable improvement in the recycling and composting system.

Once the implementation of these strategies had been completed, the standardization of

containers and labeling system had been improved significantly. From reviewing and analyzing

the outcomes of this project, valuable knowledge was acquired and served to be useful in the

implementation of future improvements in different areas of the Memorial Student Center.

46

Act phase.

Adopting the A3 report as part of the staff management process has been important in

order to sustain the changes and to determine if the recycling and composting process is running

in the right way. The efficient use of data analysis in decision-making and problem solving has

facilitated the accomplishment of this project. Using the structured A3 report and 5S

methodology has provided an improvement plan to approach to quality of recycling and

composting system in the Memorial Student Service.

Results From lean 5S application

The sorting process of the recycling and composting containers at the beginning of the

lean 5S principle application has facilitated the recording of the containers placed within the

Memorial Student Center Dinning Service areas. During the set in order step a total of 77

containers in the upper and lower levels were sorted. In the upper level four types of containers

were found in terms of size, shape, and colors; in the lower level three types of containers were

found. In the lower level three containers of 40 were for organic compost, in the upper level two

containers of 37 were for composting.

In the set in order step the containers of recycling and composting containers within the

public areas were located. The relocation of containers in different zones where most people eat

was proposed. Once the areas were defined, strategic positions for containers were established in

an effective way in order to cover a wide range in each level.

Once the set in order step has finished, the next step was to concentrate on standardizing

the best practices accomplished through this project. As part of this project the standardization

of recycling and composting containers was crucial. The development of standards in the current

47

recycling and composting system would reduce the mistakes of placing products in the wrong

container and also create a uniform system which would be friendlier and less confusing.

The final S used in this project was to make a habit of maintaining the process

improvement implementation to ensure sustainability of the recycling and composting system,

and to make further improvements by encouraging effective use of the PDCA Cycle. The aims

of this final S were to build awareness in the Memorial Student Center staff and customers of the

importance of 5S when improvements in process are needed. Rewarding and recognizing efforts

of the Memorial Student Center staff, has helped in the development of new areas of

improvement within the facilities.

The focus of the audits programs is to ensure that the containers and labels that have been

specified in the standardization phase have been properly maintained. Keeping the recycling and

composting process standardized would help to make useful comparisons between former

processes and current improvements. Finally, the integration of audits program as part of the

Memorial Student Center activities would help to make sure that any problems are discovered

promptly and reported to the correct person.

The sustainability requires self-discipline, without it is impossible to maintain consistent

standards of quality, safety and cleanliness. With the purpose of keeping staff motivated and

encourage in the application of lean process improvement, the development of informative

material to review achievements was important.

Summary

The application of lean processes improvements principles in the recycling and

composting system at the Memorial Student Center has helped the staff to understand a different

approach to reduce costs and improve processes with a low investment. The lean system is

48

based on the continuous improvement and waste reduction by means of methods that do not rely

on investments, but on the improvement of the processes and the employees’ performance.

The implementation of 5S strategies has helped in the standardization of containers and

redesign of current labeling and relocation of containers in the public areas. The application of

the lean principles supposes a continuous dialogue between the manager and employees in order

to generate ideas and solve problems. The implementation of lean process improvements

involved no major expenses, but only more attention to details and practical ways to do things

better and more efficiently.

The Memorial Student Center managers were focused on the active involvement of all

staff members in the process of continuous improvement. The staff was particularly encouraged

so that they could suggest and make improvements. After a detailed analysis within the

Memorial Student Center areas, the staff noticed that, even in the areas where they consider no

improvements needed, plenty of possibilities for improvements were evident.

49

Chapter V: Discussion

The application of lean process improvement strategies as part of the recycling and

composting system techniques for the Memorial Student Center Dining Service at the University

of Wisconsin-Stout was needed. A lack of the standardization in the recycling and composting

system led to improper disposition of products in containers and increased costs for waste

handling. The inadequate labeling system has led to high levels of misinformation and increased

costs resulting from wasted materials.

This project has involved the implementation of lean process improvement specifically

three of the 5S techniques such as set in order, standardize and sustain, in the recycling and

composting system at the Memorial Student Center.

The techniques used in this project included A3 report, this report helped to define the

project scope, identify weaknesses in the current recycling and composting system, create

countermeasures to address problems in the standardization of containers and enhance the

current labeling system. The Plan, Do, Check and Act methodology has helped to create a

project plan structure to address the problems. Going through the plan, do, check and act phases,

the scope and goals were defined, 5S techniques were selected in order to achieve project’s

goals, the action plan was developed, and control measurements were proposed with the aim to

maintain the improvements.

Reviewing literature helped to obtain a clear understanding of the lean approach, and the

implementation framework of the methodology that has been later applied in the proposal of lean

process improvement in the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service. Learning about the use

of 5S tools and lean strategies gave to this project the opportunity to develop tools to collect data,

50

structure actions plans following the Plan, Do, Check and Act methodology and apply 5S

techniques with the aim of achieving its goals.

Analyzing the data collected with the A3 report created a clear perspective about the

problems found in the recycling and composting system. Using this report helped to develop the

proposals to create new plans to standardize recycling and composting containers in order to

reduce mixing products in containers. These standards would help to enhance labels to improve

visual environment within the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service public areas. This

project proposal also included the implementation of Plan, Do, Check and Act methodology as

part of the managers activities with the aim of create a structured action plans to solve the

problems in the recycling and composting system and other areas of improvements.

The development of standards in the recycling and composting system was needed. This

project proposal has recommended the creation of a useful and easy to use containers, with

uniform shapes to avoid problems of mixing products in the wrong containers. The sizes has to

be consistent, bright colors were recommended in order to clearly identify containers using

universal recycling and composting logos, and redesigning the current informative labels in

containers would help to understand how to use these containers properly.

Through this project managers and staff have been involved in the development of the A3

report and structuring the Plan, Do, Check and Act methodology to learn how these tools can be

used to identify problems, create possible solutions and develop new improvement strategies in

current processes.

Creating a Plan, Do, Check and Act methodology has created a structured way to address

problems and propose possible solutions to the recycling and composting problems. Going

through the plan, do, check and act phases has helped to create a systematic approach to address

51

the problem. This methodology has been used in order to create a structured plan to achieve

project goals.

In the Plan phase the definition of the problem was developed and based on that, the

goals and strategies were identified. This project focused attention on the development of A3

report to diagnose problems in the current process and the implementation of 5S strategies to

improve the current recycling and composting system at the Memorial Student Center Dinning

Service. During the Do phase, the lean strategies were used to document the current state of the

recycling and composting system and develop action plans to address the problems. In the

Check and Act phases control plans were recommended in order to keep the improvement

running in the right direction, and to detect and document failures on time with the aim of solve

them properly.

This project proposal has included the implementation of set in order, standardize and

sustain as part of the action plan to improve the current system. These strategies would help to

achieve the sustainability of the recycling and composting process in the Memorial Student

Center facilities.

Limitations

The results obtained in this project are limited to the current conditions that existed in the

recycling and composting system at the Memorial Student Center Dinning Service between July

and August 2012. These results cannot be applied beyond the scope of this project. The

methodology applied during this project, the data collected, and the analysis were specific to the

recycling and composting system in publics areas in the Memorial Student Center.

The implementation of the strategies proposed in this project should be conducted during

the winter or summer seasons where the volume of students using the facilities is low. This will

52

likely not interfere with the normal functioning of the Memorial Student Center Dining Service

activities.

Conclusion

This project was successful in using lean strategies to identify problems in the current

recycling and composting system within the Memorial Student Center public areas. The

development of an A3 report and PDCA analysis, along with the application of 5S strategies,

were fundamental in accomplishing the project’s goals. The standardization of containers and

labels would create a uniform system that would be friendlier and less confusing for customers

and employees.

While the standardization of containers and labels were the key points of improvement in

this project, the proper locations of containers was a key factor in order to achieve efficiency in

the recycling and composting system.

Recommendations

The objective of this project was to develop proposals for lean process improvement in

the recycling and composting process, to achieve a high level of efficiency, decrease the number

of mistakes of placing products in the wrong container and finally develop a new labeling system

to educate how to properly use the containers.

Using lean tools has made it possible to develop proposals of improvement, to create a

better labeling system in containers, better disposition and standardization of containers and

create a lean mentality in employees and staff in the Memorial Student Center. 5S strategies

were executed, going through set in order, standardize and sustain phases. The improvements

proposal in this project should be integrated as part of the daily activities within the Memorial

Student Center Dinning Service with the aim of identifies new areas for improvements.

53

The success of 5S implementation will depend on monitoring the recycling and

composting system within the Memorial Student Center. These follow up programs have been

recommended in the improvements proposal of this project to keep the improvement running in

the right way. The proposal has included the development of audits programs in order to

evaluate the current state of the recycling and composting process, and then comparing that with

the results after the improvement strategies have been implemented. Through these audits the

problem areas could be recognized and corrected and through this, sustainability of the changes

would be achieved.

The application of lean principles would not involve major expenses, but only required

more attention to details and using practical ways to do things better and more efficiently. Each

approach in this project started with highlighting the root problems so that appropriate

techniques could be used to address them. The success in the implementation of 5S would

depend in employee’s involvement throughout the implementation process.

It would be hard to measure the financial impact from the implementation of 5S in the

Memorial Student Center Dinning Service. However, instead of measuring precisely monetary

numbers, the proposal recommended the development of performance indicators as

measurements of the effect of 5S. Developing waste metrics would show the current process

performance and compare it with the improvements once the containers had been standardized

and a better labeling system had been applied.

The development of training programs and educational activities such as seminars and

courses would be the best way to involve employees into the process improvement. Another

critical success factor is the freedom of employees in mastering a processes improvement

54

project, in this way they will feel that they have control over the situation, which stimulates

positive attitude towards the lean process improvement.

The adoption of a continuous improvement culture in the Memorial Student Center

Dinning Service would provide a better way of thinking among employees, so that every one of

them and every process that they perform can be improved. This cultural behavior will not be

easy to adopt and it would take a long period of time, but the payoff would be the sustainability

of operational improvement efficiencies.

The implementation of lean continuous improvement can be accomplished every day, in

every process and can be implemented for every member of the staff. A continuous

improvement occurs naturally through small improvement steps that directly impact the

efficiency of processes. Pursuing perfection is a long highway without an arrival point. This

never ends.

The strategies included in the proposal of this project could be implemented in others

areas within the Memorial Student Center such as kitchen and disposal areas. The adoption of

lean thinking would be a key factor in achieving sustainability. Spreading these ideas and

strategies among other areas at the University of Wisconsin-Stout would help to improve current

recycling and composting processes in other campus areas.

55

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