As far as I can tell from my extensive research (two Google searches), I’m the first person to notice that the “Systems Thinking Approach To Introducing Kanban” could go by a nice acronym, STATIK.
Not heard of it? You’re probably not alone. It’s not widely regarded as a first-class component of the Kanban Method, but maybe (and I’m expressing just a personal opinion here), we could change that.
You may recognize the steps:
- Understand sources of dissatisfaction
- Analyze demand and capability
- Model the knowledge discovery process
- Discover classes of service
- Design kanban systems
- Roll out
Our training has included these elements for a long time and we now expect each of them to be taught in accredited training (except perhaps step 6, which is beyond the scope of Foundation level training). If STATIK has a short name already, it’s “Day 2″!
if that doesn’t explain its familiarity, perhaps you’re reminded of the equivalent steps in Lean:
- Identify value from the customer’s standpoint
- Map the value stream
- Create flow
- Establish pull
- Identify and eliminate waste
In both formulations there’s an implied “rinse & repeat”. They’re not exactly equivalent (STATIK is by design more specific to creative knowledge work) but the parallels are clear.
I’ve been doing a lot with STATIK in the past year and a bit. It’s the focus of Part III of my book; in my interactive workshop at LKNA14 we will explore the combination of STATIK, values, and serious games (I’ve been working with Luke Hohmann on key elements of this); and of course I’ve been teaching, coaching, and consulting. And it changes things!
So to the real point of this post: I’m learning to be a little skeptical when I hear of changes driven from the board – “improvements” to layout, policies or WIP limits designed to drive changes in behaviour. I’d much rather hear that discussion of customer dissatisfactions or team frustrations is provoking discussion on how system changes might achieve one or more of these three things:
- make the impact of these issues more visible
- bring suspected root causes closer to the surface
- start in some testable way to address these issues
Changes to kanban systems then follow, as necessary.
I hope we’re agreed that change should be implemented with understanding,agreement, and respect (the three values I call leadership disciplines). STATIK is a highly actionable implementation of that guiding principle. I commend it!
