Article

How can I tell if people “get” lean thinking; what signs should I look for?

Dear Gemba Coach: I’ve been training teams to do lean, intensively at first, and with paced-out coaching later. How do I know if they “get…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Why do we hear less and less about lean in manufacturing?

Dear Gemba Coach: Why do we hear less and less about lean in manufacturing? Is it that most companies have implemented lean successfully or at…

by Michael Ballé

Article

I’ve been improving process efficiency for years with value-stream mapping, why did you write that it is misleading?

Dear Gemba Coach: In your previous column you stated that value-stream mapping can be misleading. I’ve been using VSM for years to improve process efficiency…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Thoughts on the Birth of Lean

There is much to be learned from the history of Lean that applies powerfully today in every aspect of the business. In this summary of…

Article

A Lean Dream…

…wouldn’t it be great to see some lean Practical Problem Solving brought to the Detroit 3 “bailout” debate in Washington? Asking simply: What is the…

by John Shook

Case Study

Sustain Your Lean Business System with a “Golden Triangle”

When medical device maker Phase 2 fought off an overseas challenge by meeting the global price, margins took a big hit. With help from customer…

by Chet Marchwinski

Video

The 6 Guiding Principles of Lean Product and Process Development

Learn the six guiding principles of Lean Product and Process Development and how they can help your organization accelerate the development of new products, processes,…

by James Morgan, PhD

Podcast

Diving Deeper into the Toyota Way: A Podcast with Jeff Liker

Professor Jeff Liker discusses the new, second edition of his classic book The Toyota Way on WLEI, the LEI podcast.

by Jeffrey Liker

Article

Selling Lean

Thousands of people have spent decades trying to disseminate lean management concepts. Many lean proponents can point to results showing lean’s advantages over traditional modern…

Article

Lean Product Development is About Thinking Horizontally in a Vertical World

Check out the blog from Day 2 of the Lean Product and Process Development Exchange (North America) conference in Durham, North Carolina. Excerpts from Jim…

by Lex Schroeder

Article

Find One Second of Waste

Coach Tracey Richardson shows you how she learned the importance of looking for waste everywhere, and how you can start being focused on finding it…

by Tracey Richardson

Article

Coach's Corner: How to Design a Knowledge-Sharing System

Encouraging learning and knowledge reuse in your development process takes more than a system to capture it — you must create a system that people…

by Katrina Appell, PhD

Article

Turn on the Spigot: Create Flow in R&D

"Flow in R&D is as critical as in manufacturing," writes Terry Barnhart. "It is a little more difficult to see, which is why your company,…

by Dr. Terence (Terry) Barnhart

Article

Ask Art: Why Are the Four Lean Fundamentals So Important for Making a Conversion to Lean?

A review of the core lean elements reveals how — and why — lean management leads to higher enterprise performance.

by Art Byrne

Article

Ask Art: How Well Do Companies Follow Toyota's 'Respect for People' Principle?

Comparing traditional command-and-control management shows why this lean management tenet benefits both employees and the organization.

by Art Byrne

Article

Ask Art: Why Should I Focus on My Balance Sheet to Grow Earnings?

Lean practitioners understand that focusing on this financial statement is the best way to achieve higher sales and lower costs.

by Art Byrne

Article

Understanding the True Value of the TWI Job Instruction Training Method

In this reflection, the author contends the training approach delivers something vastly more significant than merely a faster, more effective training process.

by Chia-Chun Chung

Article

Craftsmanship – the Lost Art in Product Development

In his first job as an engine designer, Steve Shoemaker could visit 90 percent of final product value streams within an hour's drive of where…

by Steve Shoemaker 

Article

Still Faithful to Lean Thinking

"We wrote Lead With Respect to show just how central engagement and involvement is to lean success," says Michael Ballé. "As a sociologist, 'making people…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Ask Art: Am I Showing Respect for People by Asking for Fast Action?

Lean is a “learn by doing” exercise not a classroom training approach. The best method I know to achieve this is through a sustained high…

by Art Byrne