Learning About Lean

Reducing Delays in NGOs

At Food for the Poor, the Gift-in-Kind (GIK) team was coordinating the shipment of thousands of containers each year using a fully manual process. Offers from partners were printed and physically passed between departments, while updates were shared informally through emails or in-person conversations. This outdated system created frequent delays and handoff errors. On average, 13 to 15 containers per week were missing their shipping deadlines and being rolled over to the following week, each incurring a $300 penalty. These delays were costing the organization more than $180,000 annually and creating unnecessary stress for staff. The challenge became even more apparent during remote work and team absences, when visibility into shipment status was further reduced.

To address this, the team implemented a fully digital, Kanban-style workflow using Microsoft Planner. The entire shipping process was mapped into visual task buckets—such as “Offer Sent,” “Approved,” “Pickup Scheduled,” and “Ready for Export”—so that every team involved had real-time visibility into each container’s status. Physical documents were replaced with digital uploads directly into task cards, ensuring version control and eliminating confusion. The system included automatic notifications for overdue tasks, as well as due-date tracking to reduce late submissions to shipping lines. An automated clearance form tool was also introduced, replacing a 20-minute manual task with a streamlined 5-minute dropdown-based form.

The impact was immediate and substantial. Weekly rollovers dropped from 13–15 to just one, saving approximately $3,600 per week in penalty fees. Clearance documentation time was cut by 80%, freeing an estimated 500 staff hours per year. The new process improved accountability, reduced errors, and made it easier for team members to step in during staff absences. During a month-long cyber outage, the team was able to remain operational thanks to the resilience of the cloud-based system. The change also contributed to a stronger culture of continuous improvement, encouraging staff to identify further Lean opportunities across the organization.

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Discover various Lean tools tailored for NGOs to streamline processes, minimize waste, and maximize impact.

Success Stories

Read inspiring success stories from NGOs that have effectively used Lean methods to achieve their goals.

Answer Key – 5 Whys Quiz

Q1: What is the purpose of the 5 Whys method?
✅ Correct Answer: To identify the root cause of a problem
📌 Asking “Why?” repeatedly helps move past symptoms and surface-level causes toward something actionable that can be improved.

Q2: When should you stop asking “Why?” during the 5 Whys process?
✅ Correct Answer: When you identify a cause that is within your control and can be addressed
📌 The goal is not to reach an arbitrary number or assign blame — it’s to reach the point where you can intervene meaningfully.

The 7 Wastes Answer Key

Q1: Which of these is a type of waste in Lean?
✅ Correct Answer: Overproduction
📌 Overproduction happens when more is made than needed or before it’s needed — leading to excess inventory, defects, or delay.

Q2: “Motion” waste refers to:
✅ Correct Answer: Unnecessary movement of people during a process
📌 This includes walking, reaching, or shifting frequently between tools or workstations — often overlooked but cumulative in cost.

Answer Key – Value Stream Mapping Quiz

Q1: What is the primary purpose of Value Stream Mapping?
✅ Correct Answer: To visualize a process and identify waste
📌 VSM maps out every step in a process to show how materials and information flow — highlighting delays, inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve.

Q2: Which of the following is least likely to appear on a value stream map?
✅ Correct Answer: Customer names
📌 VSM focuses on process elements like steps, inventory, wait times, and handoffs. Individual customer data is not typically included unless specifically relevant to process variation.

 

Answer Key – 5S Quiz

Q1:
❌ Incorrect Option: “Simplify”
✅ Correct Answer: Sort, Shine, Sustain are all part of 5S — Simplify is not.

Q2:
✅ Correct Answer: “Shine” means clean the workspace and inspect for problems.