Have you read part 3 “Role of the Design History File“? Read now!

Features of Lean Design Documents

Lean design documents are intentionally structured to ensure clarity, conciseness, and the elimination of waste. They provide precise yet complete information to support design, manufacturing, and validation processes. Let’s take a look at some examples and additional attributes of Lean Design in action:

Single Function Drawing

• Purpose: Focuses on a specific part or function within a design, providing all necessary information for manufacturing or analysis.
• Features:
  • Clarity: Utilizes simple, straightforward symbols and annotations to eliminate ambiguity.
  • Conciseness: Contains only the essential details needed to understand and implement the design.
  • Minimization of Waste: Avoids unnecessary details or decorative elements, emphasizing only what is crucial for manufacturing or comprehension.
  • Integration: Connects logically with other documents and drawings to provide context without redundancy.

Bill of Materials (BOM)

• Purpose: Lists all components, materials, and parts required to build a product, serving both as a blueprint for manufacturing and a tool for effective inventory management.
• Features:
  • Comprehensiveness: Includes all parts, materials, and quantities, providing a complete list.
  • Organization: Arranges parts logically, often by assembly or function, to enhance understanding and usability.
  • Minimized Redundancy: Reduces duplication by referencing existing information where applicable.
  • Flexibility: Supports updates and changes without introducing unnecessary complexity or confusion.

Material Specifications

• Purpose: Defines the requirements for all materials used in the product to ensure consistency and quality.
• Features:
  • Clear Requirements: Specifies material properties, including strength, durability, and chemical composition.
  • Compliance: Incorporates regulatory and industry standards to ensure safety and quality criteria are met.
  • Streamlined Information: Focuses on essential attributes while minimizing unnecessary details.
  • References to Standards: Provides links or references to external standards, reducing document length and redundancy.

Function Expert (not a document, but a tremendously important resource)

• Purpose: Oversees a specific function within a project to ensure design and validation plans are achieved. An example would be a Project Engineer.
• Attributes:
  • Expert Knowledge: Specializes in a specific area, providing valuable insights and expertise.
  • Centralized Responsibility: Acts as the primary point of contact for issues within their functional area.
  • Coordination: Works with other experts to ensure cohesive project design and progress.
  • Problem-Solving: Focuses on efficient, effective and compliant issue resolution, contributing to Lean project management.

Exact, Yet Complete Information of the Product Design and Validation Plan

• Purpose: Ensures that design and validation plans contain all necessary information while avoiding unnecessary details.
• Attributes:
  • Precision: Provides exact and specific information to eliminate ambiguity or confusion.
  • Comprehensiveness: Offers a complete overview of the product design and validation plan while remaining concise.
  • Easy Navigation: Utilizes clear headings, bullet points, and formatting to help users quickly find relevant information.
  • Effective Documentation: Efficiently captures validation plans and design elements, minimizing unnecessary cross-references or duplication.

No Unnecessary Cross-References

• Purpose: Prevents documents from being cluttered with excessive cross-references, minimizing confusion and inefficiency.
• Attributes:
  • Focused Content: Each document maintains a clear focus and minimizes unnecessary external references.
  • Self-Contained: Provides all required information within its scope, reducing the need to refer to external sources.
  • Simplified Structure: Reducing cross-references makes documents easier to understand and navigate.
  • Reduced Complexity: Simplifies documentation processes and reduces potential sources of error.

Minimize Duplicate Information from Other Project Documents

• Purpose: Reduces redundancy by centralizing information and preventing its appearance in multiple locations.
• Attributes:
  • Centralized Information: Stores information in a single location or document, using references instead of duplicating content.
  • Reduced Maintenance Overhead: Simplifies document updates and minimizes inconsistencies by reducing duplication.
  • Efficient Communication: Decreases the likelihood of conflicting information, promoting straightforward communication.
  • Consistent Updates: Ensures consistent updates and reduces the risk of outdated or incorrect information appearing across multiple documents.

Together, these features and attributes contribute to a Lean design document approach that emphasizes clarity, efficiency, and minimized waste in documenting product design and validation. In a Lean context, product and process documents serve different purposes but share common principles of efficiency, clarity, and waste minimization.