Question 1

What are LEAN INFORMATION's values?

Accepted Answer

Vision – Everyone can create and use consistently efficient information.  Mission – Help the world optimally understanding and act.  Core Competence – transfer skills that help people to create and use consistently actionable and responsible information.  In the private sector, we help organizations refine their information to gain time, win customers, and increase productivity. In the public sector, we help citizens to better understand and act.

Question 2

What makes LEAN INFORMATION different?

Accepted Answer

Lean information is actionable, responsible, and strategic. It supports process maturity and continuous improvement. Information is lean when it is ‘free of waste’ for the information consumer. Waste is measured in lost time and money.  For example, a report is written in plain language but has unnecessary repetition and includes confidential information, e.g., business results not yet public. The report might be readable, but it's not lean. Repetition wastes time and the incorrect use of confidential information is not responsible – an operational risk and a potential cost.   Lean information is not a writing class. It assumes that people write well enough. Rather, they need to modify their relationship to the information they create and use. Lean information applies disciplines from lean manufacturing and information science, systems design, management, quality, and governance.

Question 3

Which organizations does LEAN INFORMATION mostly serve?

Accepted Answer

We serve all organizations. The principles of lean information are universal, applicable to all business functions, content types, and languages.   Usually the more information-intensive, highly-regulated, industries will have greater needs for information efficency. In alphabetical order these are:  Air Transportation Energy & Utilities Financial Services Healthcare Legal Services Life Science Manufacturing Retail Re/insurance Pharmaceutical

Question 4

What are lean manufacturing and management's eight wastes?

Accepted Answer

Eight wastes of lean manufacturing and lean management:  Defects Excess Processing Overproduction Waiting Inventory Transportation Movement Non-utilized talent  We suggest a ninth – Information

Question 5

What are readability tests?

Accepted Answer

Readability tests define a text's ease of understanding. In general, they measure the average number of words in sentences and syllables in words.  Readability is not a complete indication of quality. Let's say a sales report is easy to understand, but it has lots of repetition. It might be understandable (using plain language), but it is not lean. In addition, the very nature of the text can be complicated, making it difficult to simplify, e.g. an instruction manual for a medical device.   In 1978, the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Index was first used by the US Army to ensure consistent levels of readability in their training manuals. Target reading grade levels: 7-9 grade for English mother tongue speakers, lower for those speaking English as a second language.   R. Flesch, The Art of Readable Writing, Harper & Row, 1974   Free public readability tests: English text, «deutsche Texte»

Question 6

What is the Information Governance Reference Model (IGRM)

Accepted Answer

The IGRM provides a framework for defining a unified governance approach to information by showing the linkage between value and duty to information assets. The IGRM is a responsibility model rather than a document or case lifecycle model. Source: EDRM.net, 2012

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)