ABSTRACT
The first element of the planning process is the formation of a project steering committee. The steering committee is an expansion of the existing lean support group or, if a support group is not in place, the key individuals in the business as well as a Lean Performance project manager and a business “owner” from all process areas in a single-site project or each project site in a multiple-site project. Management personnel identified during the Lean Performance assessment as being capable of playing the various roles required within the lean transformation project are appropriate individuals for the steering committee responsibilities:
Advocate
Champion
Sponsor
Communicator
Motivator
Team builder/team player
Educator/developer
Change agent
Mediator/negotiator
Facilitator/coach/catalyst
Management personnel identified for these roles during the Lean Performance assessment should be called upon now to assist in the development of lean project strategies. Prior to formal deployment of the lean business policies and strategies at the project inception, roles should be formalized and a steering committee introduced.
