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Standardized Work for Kaizen: Define, Achieve, Maintain, Improve
We can all agree that kaizen (continuous improvement to create more value with less waste) is important, but do you have standardized work for kaizen?…
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Thinking About Buffers and Production Systems (Birth of Lean Chapter IV – "The Evolution of Buffers at Toyota" – Kaneyoshi Kusunoki )
John Shook: "This week I continue my indulgence in exploring the Birth of Lean with a look at another chapter that some readers may tend…
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Coaching and Questions; Questions and Coaching
John Shook discusses the role of questioning
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Back to Basics: John Shook on the Role of Questions in Coaching
In this throwback to the classic John Shook eletter "Coaching and Questions; Questions and Coaching," we learn the impacts of asking coachees the right questions,…
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Reflecting to Learn: Takeaways and Reflections on the A3 Process
In the wake of yesterday's interview with Mr. Isao Yoshino on the roots of the A3 process at Toyota, LEI Chairman and CEO John Shook…
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Creating Basic Stability
The lean movement's founder explains why you must achieve consistent operational availability before introducing continuous flow.
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A Lean Walk Through History
Most of us don’t realize that we are heirs to a remarkably long struggle in human history to see beyond isolated points in order to…
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The Lean Way Forward at Ford
I’ve been reflecting on today’s remarkable headlines about the latest retreat by the Ford Motor Company as part of its “Way Forward” campaign. While reflecting,…
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Kaizen and Innovation
Dear Gemba Coach: Can kaizen stifle breakthrough innovation?
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Standardized Work in Business Processes
Dear Gemba Coach: How about standardized work in a business process environment? For example, in a procurement process or supply chain processes? There are not many…
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A Lean Leap of Faith
Michael Ballé reflects on a core assumption of Lean that is often disregarded and explains why it is worth taking a lean leap of faith.
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What Role Should a Quality Department Play in a Lean Organization?
Dear Gemba Coach: How can you improve quality overall while reducing the number of people who are developing policies, supporting training, and doing their best…
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There are so many lean management principles to know and tools to master at the start – is there an easier way to begin?
Dear Gemba Coach: Isn’t there an easier way to start lean? For a beginner, it seems like such a mountain to climb – all these…
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What's wrong with taking a tools approach to lean management?
Dear Gemba Coach: I keep hearing that a tool approach to lean is wrong, but tools deliver results – how can that be wrong?
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How do I re-size supermarkets when demand changes or to keep pace with seasonality?
Dear Gemba Coach: How do I calculate re-sizing supermarkets when demand changes or to keep pace with seasonality?
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Why Are There So Many Points of View About What Lean Is?
Dear Gemba Coach: I’ve been interested in lean for over two years now, and can’t quite understand why after 20 years there are still so…
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Method vs. Tool
Dear Gemba Coach: I think that TPM, JIT, SMED, Heijunka are methods and the 5S, VSM Kaizen are tools. Perhaps we could use the expression…
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If lean is all about people, why are the discussions impersonally cold and rational?
Dear Gemba Coach: Lean thinkers say it’s all about people, but the debates are then all so cold and rational. Where are the emotions and the…
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The Difference a Visual Cue Makes
At work and off the clock, visual cues and andons keep us safe and aware of what's going on at all times. How do you…
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And Now For Something Completely...Lean
Lean practice is no joke, argues Brent Wahba. And yet he draws lessons from great comedy to help address this key challenge: What is your…
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