Lean Manufacturing Topic of the Day: Is There a "Lean Way" of Getting Aid to the People of Haiti?

Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake that has caused so much destruction and human suffering. Many of the companies and good people who visit our website will do much to contribute to helping with the immediate and long-term needs of the people there. We are grateful to be in such good company!

Like Hurricane Katrina, it appears getting needed supplies and services to Haiti is proving to be a real challenge. Are there Lean ways to streamline this process and provide help where needed in a more immediate manner?

To at least partially answer that question, there are local Haitian churches that had some supplies of emergency essentials that were almost immediately distributed to those in need. That is a great start; but what more could be done through using the principles of Lean Manufacturing of Eliminating Waste, Adding Value, and providing JIT “Just in Time” supplies and services to those in desperate need of help?

Your thoughts would be much appreciated and we will make recommendations to various agencies if we (as a Lean Community,) can generate some workable solutions.

All the Best,

Bill
Senior Partner