The STRATEGY Methodology is an 8 step methodology for the development and implementation of strategy.  The 8 steps of the STRATEGY Methodology are:

1. Secure a vision, mission and core values.
2. Think externally.
3. Reveal internally.
4. Assess the gap.
5. Target objectives.
6. Execute.
7. Go and see, then act.
8. Yokoten.

  Scope Creep is a common challenge in project management.  Scope Creep is sometimes referred to as Scope Slip.  Scope Creep is any activity that was not part of the initial plan for a project.  It often can be seen in activities, services or additional features that are not covered in a project quote, out of the initial timeline or characteristics that are not within tolerance.  To prevent scope creep improvements must be monitored closely often on a very granular perspective so that the outputs do not exceed to the initial agreements and do not fall outside of timelines, project costs or quality.

  Standard costing is a predetermined or estimated cost of performing a service, operation or producing goods.  Standard costing takes into account the volume and rate of items or services to calculate costs.  For more information on standard costing click on the link below.

  The Sales and Operations or S&OP processes mission is to balance supply and demand at an aggregate level, to align operational planning with financial planning, and to link strategic planning with tactical/operational planning.  It does this through a series of meetings which are designed to guide a group of individuals towards consensus of "ONE" plan.  The plan ultimately lays out an agreement between demand and production and makes all parties aware of what needs to be done to influence any constraints so that the plan can be met.  In the book Sales & Operations Planning: The How-To-Handbook, authors, Wallace and Stahl list the 5 step process:

1. Data Gathering
2. Demand Planning
3. Supply Planning
4. Pre-Meeting
5. Executive Meeting

  Later in a book entitled Demand Management Best Practices, authors, Crum and Palmatier add two additional steps to the process:

1. Product Review
2. Demand Planning
3. Supply Planning
4. Financial Review
5. Pre-Meeting
6. Executive Meeting

Reference:​ APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional CSCP: Learning System. Chicago, IL.: APICS the Association for Operations Management, 2014. Print.

  Safety stock is used to help meet or mitigate the risks associated with stockouts.  Organizations often hold excessive inventory as a result of safety stock which in the most general sense is held to protect against uncertainties in supply and demand.  Safety stock is sometimes referred to as fluctuation inventory.  

  A spaghetti diagram is a tool used to track the amount of movement or distance traveled by a worker or materials.  You can then use your spaghetti diagram to analyze what you tracked and improve the flow.  The name spaghetti diagram comes from the reference of laying spaghetti noodles out to show the flow of materials or workers.

  The scatter diagram graphs pairs of numerical data, with one variable on each axis, to look for a relationship between them. If the variables are correlated, the points will fall along a line or curve. The better the correlation, the tighter the points will hug the line.

Reference: ASQ - Scatter Diagram

  The ©STUDY activity was inspired by Mr. Taiichi Ohno's famous stand in the circle training method.  Whether you're a consultant looking to add to your repertoire, an organization looking for a specific training method or an individual trying to develop their skill set in identifying waste, the ©STUDY activity is a perfect way to help employees:

1. Learn to see waste.
2. Discover opportunities to improve.
3. Develop a kaizen mindset. 

  The ©STUDY Activity is included in the 8 Forms of Waste Course, The Introduction to Lean Course and The Gemba Methodology Course.

  Like many other areas that lean is applied to a company's supply chain or "extended value stream" is a tightly linked set of processes.  These processes extend beyond one's organization and connect the entire system together.  The Apics dictionary ©2015 defines the term supply chain as the global network used to deliver products and services from raw materials to end customers through and engineered flow of information, physical distribution and cash.  This includes everything from purchasing, manufacturing, moving, storing and selling.   
  Lean principles and concepts can be applied to this global network just like it can be applied to our door to door value streams.  Some benefits of applying lean principles to the supply chain are:

• Inventory can be reduced throughout the supply chain (RAW, WIP and FG) creating a more efficient "turnover".
• Sharing lean techniques or offering support to help vendors improve quality, efficiency and resource utilization can be a win win situation.
• Lean principles when applied to sales can free up sales teams to go and create new opportunities.
  
• Driving waste from the value stream creates a healthier capital environment that in turn benefits the world.