Video

A Radical Redesign of Making Crudito -- and All Restaurant Kitchens

Using animations of a few basic continuous improvement tools, Matt Savas, a team leader at the Lean Enterprise Institute and a fervent foodie, offers a…

by Matthew Savas

Article

How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Teaching Embodies Lean Thinking

What can we learn about lean thinking from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Christopher D. Chapman explains.

by Christopher D. Chapman

Article

How do we get started with standard work?

How do we get started with standard work? The literature seems to say there can’t be meaningful kaizen without standards, but although we have procedures…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Lean Thinking at 20, Part 2: A Q&A with Jim Womack and Dan Jones

Twenty years ago Jim Womack and Dan Jones helped launch the lean movement as we know it today with their key book Lean Thinking. Now,…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD and Dan Jones

Article

Why audit standard work? And what is the best approach?

Dear Gemba Coach: Can you help me determine the best way to conduct audits of standard work (SW)? The Toyota Way Fieldbook describes a layered…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Practical Tips for Re-Engaging People with a Suggestion System

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

Tools Are Not the Purpose

Coach Eric Ethington shares his experience about learning how A3 thinking must always be the guiding principle when using A3 (and related) tools

Article

Leadership Without Giving Solutions (from a Fire Fighter's Perspective)

LEI faculty member Greg Lane shares a lean coaching story from his own life, in which he finds himself advising a friend on how best…

by Greg Lane

Article

Lean Financial Planning – How well does your budget serve its purpose?

How well does your budget serve its purpose? Asking this question can lead to a rich and revealing discussion with operational and finance teams alike.…

Article

Addressing the Labor Shortage by Innovating the Work

Learn how a restaurant is working to attract and retain workers by improving the work inside their commissary.

by Josh Howell and Matthew Savas

Article

Adopt a 5S Mindset to Sustain Your Lean Work

Focusing everyone on “housekeeping” is one of the most powerful mechanisms for empowering team members and driving sustainment of any lean effort at the lowest…

by Andrew Quibell

Article

Should producing products with zero defects be my top goal?

Dear Gemba Coach: Is zero defects really the first goal? The number of defects doesn’t necessarily relate to the user’s experience with a product, does it?

by Michael Ballé

Article

What should I expect as a lean manager?

Dear Gemba Coach: I’m currently a team leader, and I’ve been offered a job as a lean manager – what should I expect?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Continually Improving the Strategic Planning and Execution Process

Bill MacPherson, managing director of Mercer Celgar, a division of Mercer International, describes how adopting hoshin kanri catalyzes and ensures the achievement of breakthrough objectives.…

by Patricia Panchak and Patricia Panchak

Article

Accelerating Justice with Lean Forensics

One of our most popular subjects on The Lean Post is the use of lean in unorthodox places. But one gemba that we have yet…

Case Study

Becoming – and Developing -- More Effective Leaders

Bill MacPherson, managing director of Mercer Celgar, a division of Mercer International, shares how adopting hoshin kanri helps transform how leaders lead and develop their…

by Patricia Panchak

Article

Sharks & Tortoises

"A small number of firms have grown spectacularly in revenue, employees, and stock price by using [lean] to execute crisply on tactics," writes Jeff Morrow,…

by Jeff Morrow

Article

We get good results with kaizen, but why don't they stick?

Dear Gemba Coach: Our teams have good results with kaizen, but nothing seems to stick for long – any advice?

by Michael Ballé

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

Why Does Our Recognition Program Just Feel So Bad?

Dear Gemba Coach: My company has put an employee of the month program and other related efforts to reward good behavior. So why does it…

by Michael Ballé