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VOL.3 | ISSUE 1 | SUMMER 2009

aba goes lean

Darnell Cooper, Accounting Services,
reports results of LEAN table exercise at
ABA's October Staff Professionals meeting

Last fall, staff professionals proposed a host of valuable ways for ABA to become leaner. Since then, ABA units have implemented a number of LEAN practices. For those who have not, here are some staff ideas for conserving resources that can be applied across the board.

  • Use more recycled paper
  • Print two-sided copies
  • Use the blank side of unwanted documents to print drafts
  • Reduce paper copies:
    • Scan hard-copy documents and send electronically
    • Distribute announcements via e-mail, not flyers
    • Use shared drives  to post and retrieve documents
    • Implement digital filing using flash drives
    • Use projection screens at meetings instead of paper copies
    • Share information using electronic bulletin boards
  • Reduce variation by using templates
  • Proof-read to reduce rework
  • Reduce errors through training
  • Find uninterrupted time to focus on projects
  • Turn off lights
  • Turn off machines at night
  • Encourage full participation in direct deposit to reduce staffing needs

Other ABA LEAN initiatives include:  equipping campus information booths with laptops to reduce the printing of daily reports and improve services, and a streamlined check review process that eliminates the transit of checks to and from multiple campus locations. Administrative Operations and other ABA offices now project information at meetings using a laptop to eliminate copying documents for individual committee members.  These are just a few ways that demonstrate ABA’s commitment to a LEAN organization.