Case Study

Best in Healthcare Getting Better with Lean

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN., is famous for the quality of its healthcare, but is using lean concepts to further enhance processes affecting quality,…

Case Study

Lean Landscapers

HighGrove Partners, an Atlanta landscaping company, needed some time to figure out how to apply lean management principles. After all, each of its 300 work…

Article

What is the best advice you ever got about implementing lean principles?

From time to time, the Lean Enterprise Institute asks Lean Community members to share their knowledge and experiences by "sounding off" on an important question…

Article

What are the biggest obstacles you are facing in your lean journey?

Company culture, weak management support, lack of lean knowledge – even federal budget sequestration – were among the answers you gave when we asked, "What…

Article

Multiply the Improvers in Your Organization Every Day

Be prepared to commit the time, patience and tenacity to unleash the power of improvement your organization, says Andrew Quibell. He illustrates how to actively…

by Andrew Quibell

Article

Lean Beyond Production

Read how Lean Thinkers, using the same lean tools that worked in production, now are making improvements and benefits off the plant floor, in environments…

Article

How Many Whys Should I Ask?

Coach Tracey Richardson explains just how many whys to ask when conducting 5 Why analysis.

by Tracey Richardson

Article

Leadership Q&A: Michael Hoseus, a former general manager at Toyota

From the LEI senior executive series on lean leadership: In this interview from LEI's Executive Series on Lean Leadership, Michael Hoseus, who developed his lean skills rising…

by Chet Marchwinski

Article

Current and Future Challenges: A Reflection on 15 Years of the Lean Enterprise Institute

LEI CEO John Shook and Founder Jim Womack discuss the state of lean thinking past, present, and a possible future. I've written in the past…

by Lean Enterprise Institute

Case Study

Fighting Cancer with Linear Accelerators and Accelerated Processes

A series of cross-functional lean improvement teams in the Radiation Oncology Department at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) applied lean principles to processes…

by Chet Marchwinski

Article

Structured Experiments Into the Unknown

"For years we tried to find situations where we could apply lean tools," writes Linus Brodén of HP Tronic, an electronics manufacturer in Sweden. "Our…

by Linus Broden

Article

Can 5S apply to coding?

Dear Gemba Coach: We’re exploring lean in software development. Can 5S apply to coding?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Getting Started with Lean Accounting

Before your organization gets started with lean accounting, the accounting function must first expand its thinking beyond transactions and into practices. Here's how.

by Nick Katko

Article

How Lean Thinking and Practice Helped Put Shots in Arms, Part 2: Wind-Down and Reflection

Four overarching operational lessons from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's successful mass vaccination experience show how lean thinking and practice helps organizations work…

by Ryan Haley, Crystal R. Tubbs and Peter Ward

Case Study

How to Focus on a People Accelerated Lean Transformation

Business and operational performance improved dramatically when a car dealership's leaders embraced the lean principle of respect for people. Here's their story.

by Sharon Visser, Principal, Halfway Toyota Ngami

Case Study

How a Bakery Uses Lean Thinking to Drive Growth

A lean system that runs like clockwork and constant attention to customer service enables Barcelona-based 365.café to achieve the seemingly impossible: supplying 55 bakeries out…

by Roberto Priolo

Article

Ask Art: How Useful is Six Sigma and the Black Belts and Green Belts that Come with It?

Several specific examples demonstrate why lean continuous improvement practices are usually superior to six sigma for solving problems.

by Art Byrne

Article

How Lean Thinking and Practices Helps Manage Rapid Growth

The cofounders of a successful digital startup share their experience navigating uncertainty.

by Michael Ballé and Nicolas Chartier

Article

Collaborating on Improving the Product Development Process

Members of LEI's Lean Product and Process Development Learning Group share their successful strategies.

by Matthew Savas

Article

From Concept to Perfection: Toyota's GD³ Method Sets a New Standard in Product Quality

The innovative GD3 method can help you rethink product development to improve customer satisfaction, boost cost-effectiveness, avoid recalls, and prevent catastrophic failures.

by James Morgan, PhD and Matthew Savas