The true essence of Lean/Kaizen - gaining benefits from the effective use of Lean principles in the I.T./software industry
I.T. costs often represent the largest non-direct type of expenditure in a company Companies spend between 2% to 9% of annual revenues on I.T. depending on industry type. The average spend is between 2% and 5%. 53% of I.T. projects had overrun their schedule and budget, 31% of I.T. projects were cancelled and the average overrun on projects was 222% of the original estimate – Standish Group study on I.T. in corporates A scant 16% of projects were completed within the original timeframes and budget considerations – Standish Group study on I.T. in corporates
In a service environment such as IT, the KAIZEN Institute has found from global experience that between 40% to 50% of an employee’s regular 8 hour day is lost due to 10 main ‘time thieves’/unproductive ‘busy-ness’, activities, e.g., searching for information, meetings that go on too long, sorting out unnecessary information. What would happen if this level of performance was allowed in our manufacturing, customer service or supply chain activities?
This presentation will cover:
Key challenges facing businesses globally and the I.T./software industry – the imperative to have world class operational performance
What do we mean by the terms Lean and Kaizen?
How can the concepts of Lean and Kaizen help the I.T./software industry – case studies and examples
The link between Lean/Kaizen and innovation
Alex Crossley
Alex has worked in managerial level positions for a Fortune International 500 company and a mid sized distribution company and has over eighteen years consulting experience. In Australia, he became the first person in the history of Deloitte Consulting to join the firm at an entry-level consultant and progress through to partner. He did this in a five-year timeframe. During his near decade involvement at Deloitte Consulting, the firm grew to be one of the largest consulting firms in the country. He was has also the first Leader of the Australasian Manufacturing Consulting practice at Deloitte Consulting.
Alex is currently the Australian Country Manager for the Kaizen Institute, one of the world’s premier business advisory organisations dedicated to the practice of Lean and Continuous Improvement. He has written several articles on the importance of customer focus and operational performance. These have been published and quoted in various journals and the local press such as the AFR.
He has had the privilege of working with many of Australia’s leading corporations on a number of Lean, process and performance improvement assignments including: Alberto Culver, Amcor, Adelaide Brighton, Adelaide Bank, AH Beard, Austrim, Boral, BTR Nylex, Brambles, Cantarella Bros, Capral Aluminium, CSR, Coles Myer, Commonwealth Bank, Colgate Palmolive, ETSA, Glaxo- Wellcome, GEC, GUD, Hydro Tasmania, Iplex, Lucent Technologies, OPSM, MIM, NRMA, Pasminco, PeopleSoft, Procter and Gamble, Reed Elsevier, Schiavello, The Smiths Snackfood Company, Sunbeam Appliances, NM Rothschild, Telstra Mobile, Telstra Wholesale, Telecom NZ, The Ricegrowers Co-operative, St.George Bank, Tomago Aluminium, Volvo and Rio Tinto.
Alex holds a Bachelor of Business administration degree, is the current President of the Australian Chapter of the Product Development Management Association (PDMA), and a member of the Australian Association of Manufacturing Excellence. He has lived and worked in Africa, the U.S.A, Europe and Australia.