Video

Learning By Doing with Art Byrne

Art Byrne has the expertise of a lean executive and he's sharing more knowledge than ever in this clip from his most recent webinar.

by Lean Leaper

Article

Don't Gloat Too Quickly - If This Could Happen to Toyota, It Could Happen to You ...

Okay, so how do you respond to a "crisis"?  My recent encouragement to Toyota President Akio Toyoda that "It isn't the crisis, it's how you respond…

by John Shook

Article

"Our people are our most important asset"…Really?

This well-intentioned phrase can carry a buried and profoundly disrespectful message, implying conventional capital asset thinking, treating the people in the organization as an asset…

by John Shook

Article

Frontiers of Lean

It is eighteen years since the first western firm, Danaher in the USA, began its lean journey guided by disciples of Taiichi Ohno, the architect…

by Dan Jones

Article

Lesson From Japan: Day Five

On this final set of shared lessons from Japan, our lean learners reflect on the spirit of kaizen and the notion of employees as assets.…

by Lean Leaper

Article

Where can I find information about visual management?

Dear Gemba Coach: I can’t find much written about visual management although it seems an important part of lean – any idea where to look?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Leaning Up Baby

Olivia Talman, a former intern at The Lean Enterprise Institute, knew problem-solving was important, but wasn't sold on Lean at first. In her first piece…

Article

Lean Was a Lot Simpler Back in the Day...

Lean transformations aren't easy. But, according to Brent Wahba, they weren't always that way. In his newest Post, Brent discusses his thoughts on what has…

by Brent Wahba

Article

Product Development Lessons from a Global Pandemic

How a Lean Product & Process Development (LPPD) approach would accelerate a Covid-19 vaccine.

by James Morgan, PhD

Article

Homicide by Example?

My LEI colleague Dave LaHote is fond of saying that managers - and especially senior managers - overestimate their effectiveness, particularly as they seek to…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

An interview with Gary Convis on A3 thinking and lean leadership

Lean veteran Gary Convis explains how the A3 report serves as a flexible tool that develops leaders and aligns important goals across plants, divisions, and…

Article

No Standard, No Problem? Not Really. It’s a Big Problem

Learn why the A3 is more than a problem-solving tool, and why it's critical to leading change.

by David Verble

Case Study

Breaking the Cycle of Ineffective Strategic Planning and Execution

Bill MacPherson, managing director of Mercer Celgar, a division of Mercer International, describes why hoshin kanri is a better approach to strategy development and execution.…

by Patricia Panchak

Article

Lean Labor Relations and The Customer First Principle

Here’s the scene: A production line at a car and truck manufacturing plant is stalling several times a day resulting in serious workflow issues. Read…

by Jeff Smith

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

5 Guiding Principles for Tailoring a Path to Lean Transformation

Learn from top healthcare leaders who are transforming their organizations through lean thinking and practice.

by Lean Enterprise Institute

Article

Tapping Technology to Boost the Power of Lean: A Talk with Jeff Liker and Jim Morgan

What principles should guide lean thinkers as they introduce digital tools into their work? How about people, processes, and purpose, say Jeff Liker and Jim…

by Lean Leaper

Article

Lean Healthcare Lessons and Preparing for Change

Develop capabilities by asking the right questions

Article

Ask Art: Will Lean Work for a Distributor?

Pairing distribution companies with Lean may seem counterintuitive to some. However author of The Lean Turnaround, Art Byrne, says this match actually makes perfect sense.

by Art Byrne

Article

How do we get started with lean tools in new product development?

Dear Gemba Coach: My company already has a deep rooted lean culture.  However, it would seem that the next evolution would be in my department,…

by Michael Ballé