CAN WE DO IT ??? TENNIS BALL EXERCISE

Tennis Ball Exercise

  Play 4 Rounds 3 or 4 equal groups (a good size is 7 to   10 people) Each group will use 3 tennis balls At the end of rounds two and four there  will be a brief discussion Each round is timed by the facilitator

Tennis Ball Exercise

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Round One Rules

 The teams must stand in a circle     One person starts by holding all 3 balls Each person must touch each ball once All 3 balls have to start and stop at the same person Not allowed to throw the ball to the people standing next to you Two people cannot touch the ball at the same time One person cannot touch 2 or 3 balls at the same time Practice, this is your process and must be repeatable A dropped ball is a quality defect and you must start over The facilitator is the Customer – Don’t argue with the Customer!!!

Tennis Ball Exercise Cont.

 Round 2 Rules  Must cut your time in half, or your competition will     Must keep the same order from Round 1 Do not have to stand in a circle Two people cannot touch the ball at the same time One person cannot touch 2 or 3 balls at the same time  Must be repeatable!

Summary Questions

 After Round 2  What did you do to make the improvements? (like moved closer, rearranged, the rules changed)  Did you use just one person’s idea?

 Did you draw out a detailed plan? Or did you just try it? Did it work on the first try?

Tennis Ball Exercise Cont.

 Round 3 Rules  Must cut your time in half, or your competition will      Can use ANY prop in the room Must keep the same order from Round 1 Do not have to stand in a circle Two people cannot touch the ball at the same time One person cannot touch 2 or 3 balls at the same time  Must be repeatable!

Summary Questions

 After Round 3  What did you do to make the improvements? (like moved closer, rearranged, the rules changed)  Did you use just one person’s idea?

 Did you use other groups ideas?  Did you draw out a detailed plan? Or did you  just try it?

Did it work on the first try?

Tennis Ball Exercise Cont.

 Round 4 Rules (Rounds 3 and 4, too)  Must cut your time in half, or your competition will      Can use ANY prop in the room Must keep the same order from Round 1 Do not have to stand in a circle Two people cannot touch the ball at the same time One person cannot touch 2 or 3 balls at the same time  Must be repeatable!

Summary Questions

 After Round 4  How did each team make improvements for each round?

 Why don’t we move equipment closer together in the plant? What happens when we link two pieces of equipment together? (more down time if we don’t know how to solve problems quickly)    How can you apply this exercise to your job?

Do you think you could improve further?

Did you use the identification and elimination of waste to help in your improvements?