Article

GM Veteran Lou Farinola Responds to, “Why hasn’t GM learned from NUMMI?”

John Shook discusses how GM learned from NUMMI with a former GM executive

by John Shook

Book

Welcome Problems, Find Success - Creating Toyota Cultures Around the World

In this book, author Nate Furuta, former chair and CEO of Toyota Boshoku America Inc., shares his decades of experience directly leading the establishment of Toyota…

by Nate Furuta

Video

Why You Need a Better Process Development System

Two veteran lean product and process development coaches share the benefits of improving this critical, too often overlooked part of bringing new products and services…

by , Eric Ethington and Matt Zayko

Article

Ask Art: Is Lean a Good Cost-Reduction Program?

A point-by-point comparison demonstrates why lean thinking and practice is a business strategy, not merely a cost-cutting strategy.

by Art Byrne

Article

Improve Design Team Collaboration: A Beginner's Guide to Setting Up an Obeya Room

Stuck getting your obeya off the ground? Learn how to set up a successful obeya room and watch your team collaboration soar.

by John Drogosz, PhD

Lexicon Term

Value Stream Mapping

Value-stream mapping (VSM) is diagraming every step involved in the material and information flows needed to bring a product from order to delivery. It is…

Article

Lean and "emotional heijunka" in a Time of Pandemic

In this timely reflection, Jim Womack calls for "emotional heijunka": taking a deep breath, identifying the most important problems that must be addressed in a…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

Lean Thinking for Quicker Police Emergency Response Time

Bob Downing and Erin Magee reflect on the results of a collaborative project they worked on last year when their company was asked by the…

by Robert Downing and Erin Magee-Hall

Article

Lean Lessons from Japan: Day One

This week, LEI is in Japan with 19 eager learners. The purpose of this trip is not just to see Just-In-Time. The purpose is to…

by Lean Leaper

Article

Value Stream Walk, Management Walk or….Just Walking Around?

Gemba Walks can raise consciousness about problems and the possibilities for dramatic improvements, says Jim Womack. Or they can serve as a means of reinforcing…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

Now is the Time for Resilience and Adaptability!

People and organizations can create the conditions for building their own resilience by drawing from TPS, the Thinking People System, says Sandrine Olivencia. But for…

by Sandrine Olivencia

Article

Don't Just Go Back--Go Forward...With Kindness and A Little Creativity!

As we all grapple with ongoing changes imposed by the Covid-19 virus, we have reflected deeply, and humbly share the following new ways that will…

by Katie Anderson and Karyn Ross

Article

Think of the best mentor/coach you've had on your lean journey. What did he or she do to help you become a better problem solver?

Whether practical, profound, or humorous, the guidance that your best mentors provided was just what you needed, just when you needed it during your personal…

Article

Back-to-School Lean: Lunchbox Kanban

Lean thinking is just as impactful on the home front as it is at work. In honor of back-to-school season, LEI Learning Activities Manager Deb…

by Deborah McGee

Download

410.pdf

Article

How Can Lean Take Root in a Crappy Culture?

Dear Gemba Coach: I've done a lot of working with lean, and recently started my first coaching/consulting gig. And while I'd love to help by…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Standardized Worrying

Years ago when Dan Jones and I first visited Toyota in Japan, we were struck by something that seemed out of keeping with their continuing…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

The (Real) Lean Firefighter: Bringing Lean to the Grand Rapids Fire Department

Brad Brown had no lean experience when he joined the Grand Rapids Fire Department (GRFD) in 2003. But as the Great Recession went into full…

Article

From Troubleshooting a Leaky Toilet Flapper to Innovating the Internet, a Comprehensive Problem-Solving Framework

Arriving at his hotel after midnight, author and business consultant Art Smalley just wanted to get some sleep before his keynote presentation later that day.…

by Chet Marchwinski and Art Smalley

Article

Ask Art: What Do You Focus on When Assessing the Potential Gains From Converting to Lean?

Lean veteran Art Byrne shares the key areas to look at for gains to be realized from lean: focus on sales growth as the result…

by Art Byrne