Stop the Line: How Lean Principles Safeguard Quality

At Planview AgilePlace, when critical issues arise with their software, the company employs Lean concepts like Pulling the Andon Cord, Swarm Around the Issue, Go to the Gemba, Limit Downstream Impact, Limit Other WIP, Stop the Line (Jidoka), and Practice Continuous Improvement to immediately stop, assess, and resolve the issue. The team gathers together to review the issue, identify its underlying cause, determine next steps, and prevent future defects. They create an environment where everyone feels comfortable escalating an issue, making the work visible, and using metrics wisely to encourage employees to pull the Andon cord and potentially stop the line.