Article

How important is it to consider differences in roles between our current project manager and a chief engineer?

Dear Gemba Coach: Management wants us to start lean in product development, but refuses to consider the difference in roles between our current project manager…

by Michael Ballé

Article

A Principles-Based Approach to Changing Healthcare Management

"This year alone over 250,000 Americans will die due to medical error," writes Dr. John Toussaint. "How can so many smart people be making so…

by John Toussaint

Article

Expanding Our Perspective on Lean Management, Part 2: Lean has its Roots in Spirituality

To explore the idea that there may be other angles for understanding lean management than business or analytical perspectives, a group of lean management practitioners…

by Joanna McGuffey and Thomas Richert

Article

Show Me the Money!

In his latest piece for the Post, Michael Ballé writes, "If we don’t get better at showing explicitly where the gains of lean thinking and…

by Michael Ballé

Article

How Lean is Apple?

Apple may not worship at the altar of lean, but a close look at its operations and strategy show clear resonance with established lean principles.

by Tom Ehrenfeld

Article

How Menlo's Virtual Teams Are Lighting the Way Forward

While Menlo Software continues to adjust to the never-ending changes caused by COVID-19, founder Rich Sheridan takes solace that they are teeing up these challenges…

Lexicon Term

Basic Stability

Having essential capability, availability, and flexibility in the 4Ms — manpower, machines, materials, and methods. A lack of basic stability in a process prevents improvements…

Article

How Can Lean Affect Shareholder Value?

Lean can help challenge assumptions and surface opinions that ultimately improve shareholder value, argues Michael Balle.

by Michael Ballé

Article

Why Starting With a Model Area is Key to Lean Transformation

Lean coach Danielle Blais explains why starting small, with one team in one area, is so important to leading an effective lean transformation.

by Danielle McGuiness

Article

Glad That I Asked You

About 400 of you responded with excellent suggestions for the final "Learning Session" for the upcoming LEI Lean Transformation Summit. As you will recall, every…

by John Shook

Article

How We Improved Our Tiered Daily Huddles

At Cleveland Clinic, where he leads a continuous improvement team, Nate Hurle and others have discovered ways to build on success with their tiered daily…

Article

Advice from the Gemba: Personal Kanbans for Lean Beginners

Kanban boards. For many of us, they were the first visual management tools we used that taught us the benefits of lean. They're simple, effective…

by Cameron DiGregorio and Kristen Gandek

Article

The Wonder of Level Pull

Many years ago in Toyota City I first witnessed the twin concepts of level production and the smooth pull of needed items throughout a complex…

Article

Standardized Work is a Goal To Work Toward, Not a Tool to Implement

Standardized work can be an ugly thing in the hands of control-oriented bureaucrats and a beautiful thing when it enables creativity and continuous improvement, says…

by Jeffrey Liker

Article

Questions and Coaching on A3 Thinking

In this Q&A, LEI's Deborah McGee shares insights into A3 thinking and problem-solving: "The A3 Management process is really a way of thinking and a…

by Deborah McGee

Article

From Supply Chains to Value Streams

Fifteen years ago I first began to study lean supply chains, by observing Toyota’s inbound parts supply chain and later their aftermarket parts distribution system.…

by Dan Jones

Article

Lean Publishing and Lean Solutions

Normally I walk through other people’s industries. But today let me take a brief walk through my own: publishing. You don’t have to walk far…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

Boatloads of Muda

Ken Eakin saw his fair share of waste during his 13 years in the ocean-shipping industry, especially in the transportation process. Now a lean coach,…

by Ken Eakin

Article

Jishuken, Part Two: The Power of Self-Learning

Consider Jishuken to be an intensive effort to drive individuals and the organization to a higher level, says Mark Reich, noting that if done right,…

by Mark Reich

Article

How do I practice lean when I don't feel a strong attachment to my knowledge worker team?

Dear Gemba Coach: How do I practice lean consistently when I don't feel a strong attachment to my team? We do "knowledge work" and are…

by Michael Ballé