In our India now a days politics is talk of the town. Many thoughts many parties and their same goal: "Khursi". Don't worry I am not going to put hot arguments about any party or any politician let them fight and just have fun out of them. The point which I want to share here is bit engineering in background but now a days it's finding it's way almost everywhere so why not to imagine lean systems working in politics also?
First let me give brief about what is lean management as per my understanding: lean system means to eliminate unnecessary processes and items from your working. So as an engineer I implement such system with help of various statistical and logical tools which finally gives better productivity, better quality and better environment for working. The final aim for all this long exercise is to make customer happy. I am not getting very technical here, hope this much information will clear the definition of lean in general.
Now back to our main story, so can we implement lean in politics(specially Indian addition of politics). Below I am mentioning some of my ideas about this, merging them with wastes defined in lean systems:
1. Over production: Yes we have overproduced political parties and politicians. We have national parties, regional parties, unnamed parties... and all these giving same result: Nothing. Yes, no benefit to public at all. We have many option but not the right option so instead of these many 'political leaders' just give few option but better option and make the customer i.e. people happy. Many political parties and leaders means many allegations, high ratio of caste based politics, waste of paper and plastic and increase in different kind of pollution (including solution pollution sometimes), waste of common man's money in this process and yes so many loud speakers at the time of election (very irritating!!!). In short on the name of democracy such kind of waste of national resources should not be allowed. Limited and better options can make democracy better.
2. Inventory: Over production and unmanaged workshop gives lot of inventory which blocks lot of space and lot of money. Now in politics we have lot of inventories of posters, of many unwanted ministers in cabinets and inventory of unwanted news items which are occupying lot of space and due to that important news are not coming on surface. Also the inventory of old aged retirable politicians are also part of this unwanted items in Indian politics. Fresh and new thought with nation and people oriented policies may overcome this problem
3. Waiting: Waiting of manpower or material for next process is also a waste. It blocks time and efficiency. Now for our story I think waiting is well known for all of us. We are waiting for good governance, better lifestyle and many more thing since independence and still the screen showing message WAITING. No more words about this, otherwise I'll transform into Hulk due to anger...
4. Excess motion: Unnecessary movement of a person or a product within the workplace is cause of fatigue and leads to lesser efficiency and productivity. In our case let's take example of parliament, all our elected representative go there to take decisions and make people's voice heard so that new policies or change in older policies can be made. That is very ideal situation I think which we have never seen unluckily, what we seen is arguments in loud voice, a scene like of a classroom filled with notorious children who are not in control. This is biggest waste of motion, politicians go there and do nothing except having very cheaper food of canteen. Hope one day few good man can make good law about discipline inside parliament house so that this wasted motion can be prevented and waste of money of tax payers can be stopped.
5. Over transportation: If man or machine travels unnecessary for a process it is a waste. Should I write much on this? Don't think so, as we see too much movement of choppers and jets for election campaign or inauguration which adds nothing to public and nation. This can be prevented if politicians can understand the value of public oriented work.
6.Rework: If any product is not as per customer's desired parameters it needs to be reprocessed which is responsible for wastage of time, money and skills. Our political system is producing many undesired specimens but unfortunately we are not having any rework in this, we are bound to have rejected materials. Even fractured mandate due to many parties also causes rework (i.e. electoral procedure) many times, which is wastage of common man's money, time and wastage towards national assets. Cure for this is simple strict rules for those who are in politics, limited parties to prevent fractured mandate and elections on shorter periods.
7. Over-Processing: To do more operations than what customer is paying for is overprocessing. We observe this waste in parties and in media some times, where we overprocess few terms and put debate for longer times without evaluating it's importance. Like issue of secularism is overprocessed in our country as without any result people are continuously making arguments and we have zero result. Many time we find many topics during election which are in media and have nothing to do with common man's life. e.g. Kejriwal called Kiran Bedi opportunist. Now tell me guys we had debate on almost all media houses and amongst all parties, does this point make any difference to our life? remedy for this is sensible media and sensible citizens.
Everything I mentioned about is having no offense for any individual it is just pain what I feel for my nation and tried to put it with a different point of view. Please share your comments and views. Only request is that please think for nation also in whatever field you are.
