1. Do you know what product features that your customers value and are willing to pay for?

____1. Yes, we regularly survey our customers for input.
____2. We only ask for input when sales are down.
____3. We never ask our customers for input.

2. Do you look at your production floor and business practices through your customers’ eyes?

____1. Yes, we bring our valued customers to the plant and note any comments for changes.
____2. Occasionally, a customer mentions items to our sales representative.
____3. No. We do what makes sense to our flow and costs.

3. Does your shop floor still operate much the same way it did 15 years ago?

____1. No. We have implemented many changes.
____2. We have tried to implement a few.
____3. Our operation doesn’t need to be changed.

4. Is your production floor a patchwork of add-on processes and equipment dropped where space was available without thought to a smooth production flow or efficient use of operators?

____1. We have reconfigured our space many times with input from our employees.
____2. We don’t have much room, but try to locate equipment for a smooth flow.
____3. We are too cramped for space to do anything about it.

5. How much do you respect and challenge your employees?

____1. We challenge our employees for improved operations and recognition.
____2. We try to challenge our employees for ideas as time permits.
____3. We just ask for a full day’s work.

6. Do you ask employees to suggest improvements and identify ways to eliminate unnecessary steps in an effort to become Lean?

____1. We have numerous award and incentive programs in place to eliminate unnecessary steps.
____2. We try to ask for input, but we are so busy.
____3. We never ask for input.

7. Do you have a system in place to collect, act on and reward their input?

____1. We have an automated system to collect input and a reward system.
____2. We try our best to reward close to implementation of an idea.
____3. We have no system.

8. Do your employees understand how their output impacts someone else’s processes downstream, or that they are the “customer” receiving material from upstream?

____1. Yes, we have provided training, so our employees view each other as customers.
____2. We manage to rotate jobs and responsibilities slightly to educate them.
____3. We don’t have an understanding workforce.

9. What is your turnover rate for inventory? Do you know what the benchmark for inventory turns is for your industry?

____1. We have a great turn rate better than average for our industry.
____2. We don’t know our industry turn rate, but ours is good.
____3. We are not happy with our inventory turns and hold too much in our inventory.

10. How would you spend the dollars freed up from cutting fat from your inventory?

____1. We would invest in new technology or updating our employees’ skills.
____2. We would buy newer equipment.
____3. We would keep the excess cash in the bank.

11. Do you communicate your needs and timeframes clearly to suppliers and distributors?

____1. Yes. We have a great communication stream.
____2. We have a fair relationship, but sometimes there are errors or mishaps.
____3. Our suppliers have unrealistic expectations.

TOTAL: Scoring – add up the numeric values for all responses. If total score is 11-16 you are utilizing Lean. If your total score is 17–23, you have somewhat adopted Lean techniques, but need an outside facilitator. If your score is over 24, you need to get Lean.