Article

Why Lean Startup Experiments are Hard to Design

Grace Ng, co-founder of Javelin (a software and services company dedicated to implementing Lean Startup), reflects on what she's learned helping entrepreneurs launch products and…

by Grace Ng

Article

Developing a Problem-Solving Culture at Herman Miller: An Interview with Lean Practitioners George Mason and Dan Bos

In this interview from the Lean Coaching Summit in December 2012, George Mason, a Herman Miller Performance System (HMPS) manager, and Dan Bos, an operations…

by Lex Schroeder

Article

The Making of a Chief Engineer 

“I am calling to ask you to accept the role of Chief Engineer for the Excavator Product Line,” said the Vice President responsible for Caterpillar’s…

by Steve Shoemaker 

Article

Making Things Better - Visual Value in Health Information Management

Have you ever struggled to make "invisible work" visual for your leadership? Laura Shue of the University of Michigan Health System certainly has - two…

by Laura Shue

Article

The Value of Key Performance Indicators in a Lean Transformation

We all know to watch out for key performance indicators (KPIs) in the workplace - but are you tracking the RIGHT KPIs? Ernie and Tracey…

by Ernie Richardson and Tracey Richardson

Article

Ask Art: Why do you say the CEO needs to become a lean expert?

A key first step for any CEO leading a lean conversion is to call 1-800-lean-consultant to find an expert to train the VP of operations…

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

Article

Practicing Lean Fundamentals in an Office Environment

Applying lean principles in service organizations and administrative processes within manufacturing companies often confounds companies. Lean faculty member and author Drew Locher offers four key…

by Drew Locher

Article

How Lean Changes You as a Leader

Few business leaders in the world have applied lean strategy as successfully as has Art Byrne, former CEO of The Wiremold Company  -- and none…

by Art Byrne

Video

Art of Lean on Work & Waste, Part 2: Overproduction

Take a closer look at and gain an in-depth understanding of the waste overproduction with Art of Lean, Incorporated President Art Smalley.

by Art Smalley

Article

Do andons apply to software development?

Dear Gemba Coach: I work in software development, and I really don’t see how andon applies – what am I missing?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Where to Start in Engineering

Dear Gemba Coach: I’m in charge of the engineering department in our company and the CEO has asked me to start with lean. I’ve been reading…

by Michael Ballé

Article

You Can't Learn Lean by Talking About It

Larry Navarre, instructor at Kettering University with 20 years experience in industry, shares what he's learned about teaching lean thinking.

by Larry Navarre

Article

Practical, Actionable Tips for Re-Engaging People with a Suggestion System, Part 2

Companies, responding to surveys showing that a troubling number of people are disengaged at work, respond with perks like nap pods, rock walls, and free…

Article

Isn’t the obsession with problem solving unnecessarily negative and depressing?

Dear Gemba Coach: Isn’t the obsession with problem solving unnecessarily negative and depressing?

by Michael Ballé

Article

What is leader standard work?

Dear Gemba Coach: Is there such thing as a leader standard work, and, if so, what is it?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Think You Know Your Warehouse or Distribution Center? Think Again

Most warehouse and distribution center managers lack the detailed knowledge needed for a lean transformation. Traditional management approaches often result in adding waste to cope…

by David Graham

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

Article

Working on the Management

Effective daily management is still hard to achieve for most organizations, says Jim Womack. But until line managers start tackling problems first hand as they…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

Why Lean Is the Strategy We Need For Today's World

In a recent Lean Post article, Peter Ward noted that “lean is not a strategy per se but can be much more important than strategy.”…

by Michael Ballé and Dan Jones