Article

Ask Art: Is Lean a Strategy?

The debate over whether lean should be considered a strategy, philosophy, methodology, etc. is a long one. Merriam-Webster defines a strategy as "a careful plan…

by Art Byrne

Article

Big Problems? Start Small

"In problem solving, we’re taught to ask a simple question, “Is this problem within my scope of control?” If yes, then we go after it.…

by Josh Howell

Article

We mapped a process, improved it, but six months later, performance is as bad as it was before – what are we missing?

Dear Gemba Coach: We’ve drawn the value-stream map of one of our complex production processes (17 steps), identified the key bottlenecks and improved the process.…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Ask Art: How Should We Staff and Run Kaizen?

"Unless you have some lean knowledge before you launch any kaizen, your traditional ('batch' rather than 'flow') thinking will overwhelm you at every turn," writes…

by Art Byrne

eBook

The Lean Manager

For many companies, the most important problem is not doing lean; it is becoming lean. How can they advance beyond realizing isolated gains from deploying lean tools, to fundamentally changing how…

by Freddy Ballé and Michael Ballé

Article

Follow-up Q&A for Jim Lancaster's Work of Management Webinar

“The Real Work of Management” webinar drew very engaged attendees who submitted hundreds of questions. We now present some of the most-frequently asked questions (plus…

by Jim Lancaster

Article

The Hidden Benefit to A3 Thinking

"A3 thinking helps us think, solve problems, and strategize," writes José Ferro. "But it also helps us calm down, concentrate, and think deeply. It lets…

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…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Article

Lean Startup: The Most Revolutionary Idea Since SMED?

"From my view, Lean Startup is quite simply the most revolutionary idea to advance the way business is practiced since the birth of Lean," writes…

Article

I'll Follow You into the Dark...

We all know that lean transformations can happen in any industry or environment. But have you ever thought about a photography darkroom as the site…

by Leslie Barker

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

Performance Versus Cost

Dear Gemba Coach: I am the continuous improvement director of a large hospital. We invested two years ago in a central machine to perform all the…

by Michael Ballé

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

Detroit Auto Show Overshadowed by Dr. Womack's Trashing of Toyota

Jim Womack's most recent e-letter titled "Beyond Toyota"†has sparked a lively and even rancorous debate. "We all, even including Toyota, need to go beyond Toyota,"…

by John Shook