Article

The Question All Healthcare Leaders Should be Asking Themselves

Lean healthcare expert Mark Graban takes a common problem he sees again and again in hospitals (errors with hourly rounds or inconsistent hourly rounds) and…

by Mark Graban

Article

Veteran Supply Chain Managers Drive Lean Systems Thinking in SoCal

Lean coach and 29 year Toyota veteran Bob Bennett tells us what supply chain management professionals are thinking about in the realm of lean systems…

by Bob Bennett

Article

Experiential Change: Using PDCA to craft a new department structure

"In January 2016 the Human Resources department at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) was restructured into a High-Impact Model," writes Brian Cole, Manager…

by Brian Cole

Article

Ask Art: Is “We are customer-driven” a good lean strategy?

Art Byrne is often asked if "customer-driven" is a good lean strategy. The answer is yes - as long as it's done right. Read more.

by Art Byrne

Article

How to Test Your A3 Thinking

Are you pretty sure you've completed the A3 process correctly but want to test the logic of your thinking? Or could you use some advice…

by Tracey Richardson

Podcast

40 Years of Lean Observation: a Conversation with Art Byrne

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with business leader and author Art Byrne about his decades-long career leading lean transformation.

by Art Byrne

Article

Why do you lean guys always focus on shop floor processes? The lack of clarity and focus at headquarters is far worse!

Dear Gemba Coach: Why do you lean guys always focus on shop floor processes? The lack of clarity and focus at headquarters is far worse! 

by Michael Ballé

Case Study

Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture at O.C. Tanner

O.C. Tanner is in the appreciation business. It develops employee reward and recognition programs and manufactures a wide variety of emblems, rings, trophies, and other…

by Doug Bartholomew

Article

Innovation in the Work

LEI's chairman explores the meaning of “innovation” and lean thinking’s relationship to it, bringing a fresh perspective to challenge traditional comparisons.

by John Shook

Article

How can kanban or lean possibly apply in an office?

Dear Gemba Coach: You often say that one can’t do lean without kanban, and that continuous improvement without kanban is fine, but not lean. My…

by Michael Ballé

Article

My CEO, who supported lean, has left and been replaced by a pure finance guy. It doesn't look good for the lean effort. What should I do?

Dear Gemba Coach: My CEO, who supported lean, has left and been replaced by a pure finance guy. It doesn’t look good for the lean…

by Michael Ballé

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

“You Gotta Kata,” Now What?

After executing a plan to incorporate kata into his organization's daily routines, Craig Stritar was surprised to find that nobody had followed through on their…

by Craig Stritar

Article

Ask Art: What Are the Most Important Management Changes Needed to Implement A Lean Turnaround?

Lean thinking requires a totally different mindset than traditional management, argues lean veteran Art Byrne. This is probably the most significant reason that companies fail…

by Art Byrne

Article

KAIZEN CHALLENGE: Lean Technical and Social Quiz

In this kaizen challenge, lean coach Jeff Smith invites you to help determine the optimal lot size to run through assembly. Please share your thoughts!

by Jeff Smith

Article

The Story of an Error

As a followup to his popular article from earlier this summer about lean profit-sharing plans, Orry Fiume delves deeper. He shares a booklet that McKesson…

by Orest (Orry) Fiume

Article

Just-in-Time Roundup: Great Lean Reads from Across the Web (Vol. 13)

Our latest collection of lean reads from around the web, this time featuring articles from The Wall Street Journal, the Cornell Chronicle, and ModernHealthcare.com.

by Lean Leaper

Article

Philosophy Helps Start-Ups Move Faster

"Lean isn't about being cheap [but is about] being less wasteful and still doing things that are big," says Eric Ries, an entrepreneur whose projects include There Inc.…

by Piu-Wing Tam

Article

Lean and Forecasting

Dear Gemba Coach: I’m in charge of the forecasting department in my company. My colleagues in production have been doing lean for several years and…

by Michael Ballé

Download

2018_ls_digital_forum